Motorbike thefts on the rise

By Chris Torney

New figures show that motorbike thefts now make up a greater proportion of stolen vehicles than at any time in the past four years.

Police statistics have found that, although there has been a fall in the number of bikes stolen since 2006, it has not matched the decline in car theft.

In 2010, around 21,928 motorcycles were stolen – almost 18 per cent more than in 2006, when the figure was 26,608.

But bikes accounted for more than one-fifth – almost 22 per cent – of all vehicle thefts last year, compared with 17 per cent in 2006.

The Motorcycle Action Group is campaigning for councils to provide safer parking facilities for bikes.

A spokesman said: “Compared to the fact that motorcycles make up only 1 per cent of traffic, this figure is shocking and is certainly ammunition for our campaign to get more secure parking spaces for bikes in our towns and cities.”

The group said there were a number of factors to blame for motorbikes being targeted more by criminals.

As well as a lack of fixtures to chain bikes to, these included manufacturers’ failure to equip motorcycles with the same anti-theft measures as cars, and a decline in police resources dedicated to investigating bike crime.