'Bike theft is putting people off cycling'

A victim of multiple bike thefts has told the BBC the problem is putting people off cycling.

Jon Hart, from West Malling, Kent, has had two of his own bicycles stolen, plus three more were taken from the workshop of his cycling repair business during a break-in.

It comes as a BBC analysis has shown that only 1.35% of bike thefts reported to police in Kent, Surrey and Sussex in 2023-24 resulted in a charge being brought.

Kent Police said it fully investigated offences reported to the force and would always seek to make arrests when appropriate.

Mr Hart, who runs the organisation Sofa to Saddle which aims to make cycling accessible for everyone, said theft was discouraging people from using bikes and enjoying the benefits.

"People need to feel confident their investment won't get stolen," he said. "Bikes are really expensive these days."

"I was absolutely gutted when I lost mine," Mr Hart continued. "I loved those bikes."

He urged manufacturers to better protect bicycles against theft, such as by putting security dots on them that give bicycles a unique ID to help trace their owners.

A total of 3,725 bike theft offences were recorded in Kent, Surrey and Sussex for the year 2023-24, according to a BBC investigation.

That is down from 5,283 in total in 2019-2020.

The true number is likely to be higher as people do not report when their bicycle is stolen.

The BBC found the charge rate across the three counties increased from 0.93% since 2019.

Duncan Blinkhorn, project coordinator of the Brighton Bike Hub, called the BBC's findings that the majority of bike thefts resulted in no charges "disappointing, but not surprising".

"Everyone understands the police are under a lot of pressure and they have to prioritise," he said.

Mr Blinkhorn described bike thefts as "massively disruptive and inconvenient" as they impacted people relying on them to get to work and for transport.

He urged people to register their bikes with police and ensure they locked them to fixed points, like railings or proper parking stands.

Kent Police Chief Superintendent Rob Marsh said: "We understand how upsetting it can be to become a victim of theft.

"Reuniting a victim with their stolen bicycle is always our preferred outcome although this is not always possible, especially if the person who stole it has changed parts of the bike or broken it down into spare parts."

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