Motorbike Theft Soars In the UK


Motorbikes are becoming an increasingly popular method of transport in the UK, with new bike prices ranging from £1,000 to £20,000 dependent on the make of the bike.
Surprisingly though, most bikes irrespective of price are not fitted with additional security measures as standard.

In the past five years some 115,000 motorcycles worth about £70 million have been stolen and not recovered. Yet of the 900,000 motorcycles in the UK, less than half are fitted with security devices. A third of motorcycle insurance claims are for stolen machines and as a result insurance premiums have almost doubled in recent years.

A recent survey by the National Crime Intelligence Service (NCIS) based on the latest police figures on vehicle crime and performance bikes (500cc and above) has revealed some shocking statistics. More motorbikes are stolen in the UK than are bought new, and it takes on average 20 seconds to steal a motorcycle worth £10,000.
The survey is also the first to reveal some of the UK's danger spots for motorcycle crime, and as such has been distributed to police forces around the country.

The report has shown that the theft of motorbikes in the UK has allowed criminal groups to steal £3 million worth of motorbikes from UK streets every month. Thefts are primarily undertaken to sell parts on the black market, although joyriding is also cited as a main cause..

Some of the key findings in the report include:

More thefts occur in large urban areas.
The thefts are undertaken by a dozen well known, highly organised gangs.
80% of bikes stolen from an owner's home.
Thefts are concentrated around Central London, probably linked to patterns of commuting.
The top five areas for theft include West Yorkshire, West Midlands and Greater Manchester.
The top four makes of motorcycle that account for over 85 per cent of thefts are Hondas, Yamahas, Kawasaki's, and Suzuki's.
The Honda CBR 600 is the hottest bike, which retails at £6,500, with 350 of them stolen between July and September 2002.