Tag Archives: Theft

Motorcycle theft continues to drop in pandemic

Motor vehicle theft in Australia is now at its lowest figure since the start of the millennium thanks to the pandemic lockdowns.

The biggest decline has been in motorcycle theft which is down 16.8% over the same time last year and 7.1% from four years ago.

While the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council recognises that thefts have dropped wth thew lockdowns in most eastern states, the biggest drop in motorcycle thefts in the past year has been in Western Australia where there have been the least number of lockdowns.

WA recorded a 28.7% drop in thefts from a national high of 2167 to 1545 which s behind NSW (1916), Victoria (1910) and Queensland (1686).

Surely riders should now be contacting their insurance provider and asking for a reduced premium.

Australian motorcycle thefts
State or Territory 2019 2020

% change

Thefts

% of thefts

Thefts

% of thefts

ACT 126 1.3 92 1.1 -27.0%
NSW 2,142 22.1 1,916 23.8 -10.6%
NT 97 1.0 61 0.8 -37.1%
QLD 2,010 20.8 1,686 20.9 -16.1%
SA 824 8.5 697 8.7 -15.4%
TAS 192 2.0 148 1.8 -22.9%
VIC 2,122 21.9 1,910 23.7 -10.0%
WA 2,167 22.4 1,545 19.2 -28.7%
AUS 9,680 100.0 8,055 100.0 -16.8%

While it is worth challenging your insurance premium at your next renewal, residents of South East Queensland and the Perth region may have some difficulty supporting their request.

Although these local government authorities are experiencing substantial motorcycle theft reductions, they still feature high in the top 10 LGAs for motorcycle theft.

State or Territory LGA 2019 2020 % change
QLD Brisbane (City) 526 511 -2.9% 
QLD Gold Coast (City) 283 229 -19.1% 
VIC Melbourne (City) 250 210 -16.0% 
QLD Moreton Bay (Regional Council) 184 143 -22.3% 
NSW Sydney (City) 149 131 -12.1% 
NSW Newcastle (City) 130 125 -3.8% 
QLD Logan (City) 200 122 -39.0% 
NSW Blacktown (City) 120 111 -7.5% 
VIC Moreland (City) 107 109 1.9% 
WA Cockburn (City) 171 103 -39.8% 

Thieves are mainly targeting scooters and small dirt bikes which are easier to steal and repurpose.

More than a quarter of all motorcycles stolen are under 500cc.

The list of brands being stolen also reflects the popularity of those brands, although scooter brands feature much higher than their presence on our roads.

Top motorcycle theft targets, 2020
Make 2019 2020
Honda 2,107 1,697
Yamaha 1,667 1,408
Suzuki 868 759
Kawasaki 929 724
KTM 638 567
SYM 352 307
Kymco 244 233
Piaggio 202 200
Harley Davidson 213 161
Husqvarna 159 155
Triumph 197 137
Longjia 150 121
Hyosung 164 113
Vespa 78 90
BMW 91 86
Ducati 106 84
Aprilia 99 79
TGB 87 62
CFMoto 56 61
Vmoto 58 54

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Aussie riders have say on motorcycle security

Australian riders want better infrastructure and security devices on their motorcycles and scooters, according to a new survey.

While motorcycle thefts were down 26% to 7318 in the 12 months to April 2020, the issue is still important to riders who expressed a strong attachment to their vehicles, the survey has found.

The survey of 186 riders was conducted by the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council and Motorcycle Council of NSW.

Most respondents were owners of cruiser bikes, followed by tourers and sportsbikes, with an engine capacity of between 726cc and 1125cc. They were mainly recreational riders, taking their motorcycles out once or twice a week. Six were owners of scooters/mopeds. 

Motorcycle security at home 

The survey pointed to a high level of awareness among motorcycle riders of the need to protect their bikes from theft when at home. 

Almost all riders surveyed indicated that they have access to off-street parking at home (98%), with 72% keeping their bikes in a locked shed or garage.

Keeping keys out of sight in the home was the most common security practice employed by riders (59%), followed by using a steering lock (48%) and an immobiliser (40%). 

Of the small number of riders who did not use security devices, keeping their bike in a secure and/or alarmed garage was considered sufficient protection, or they were not concerned because their bike was insured. 

Most riders (70%) considered it unlikely that their bike would be stolen from the home. 

This may in part be due to the high level of compliance with security practices and devices amongst the group. 

However, with more than half of all motorcycle theft occurring from the home (57% in 2020), it is important that motorcyclists understand the importance of employing secure practices when home as well as out in the community.

Police survey on motorcycle theftsMotorcycle security when out 

The majority of respondents indicated that they park their bike on the footpath or street when in a public space (71%), with just 17% utilising a secure public car park. 

Use of a steering lock was the most common theft prevention practice (61%), followed by an immobiliser (41%) and a disc lock (31%). 

Twenty-three riders indicated they did not employ security practices when out, with the fact that their bike is insured being the determining factor.  The inconvenience of carrying security devices was also seen as a deterrent. 

Interestingly, motorcyclists’ perception of theft risk while out was more ambiguous when compared to the ‘at home’ results. 

While 47% of respondents did not consider it likely that their bike would be stolen when out, close to a third were unsure – indicating they felt it was neither likely nor unlikely. 

This points to an increased risk perception when in a public space, as well as potentially a sense of being unable to control what happens to a bike parked on the street as opposed to at home. 

It is worth noting that the majority of riders surveyed were not daily commuters. 

Theft perceptions 

The survey highlighted motorcyclists’ strong attachment to their bikes. 

Forty-five per cent indicated they would be ‘extremely upset’ if their motorcycle was stolen, with a further 44% who would feel ‘violated’ by knowing someone had interfered with their personal property. 

There was also an overwhelming belief that if their bike were to be stolen, it would be unlikely to be recovered (79%), potentially heightening the sense of attachment. 

Seventeen per cent had been a victim of motorcycle theft in the past. 

Scooter riders 

Scooter/moped owners were less inclined to secure their bike in a locked garage or shed (33%), with half parking somewhere at home that was not visible from the street. 

This may be because scooter riders are more likely to live in inner-city residences where there is no access to a locked garage or shed. 

Among this small sample group, keeping keys out of sight when at home was the security measure most employed (50%), followed by having an immobiliser and using a generic motorcycle cover. 

One respondent did not take any security measures at all. 

The majority (83%) did not believe that their scooter would be stolen from the home (a higher proportion than owners of other bikes). 

Scooter riders were more likely to ride daily. When out, most scooter riders did not employ security practices indicating they were either unsure or perceived it to be unlikely that their scooter would be stolen when out. 

Almost all scooter riders said they would be very upset if they were to become a victim of theft.

Overall, survey responses indicate a slight trend towards fewer security practices employed amongst scooter riders when compared to owners of other motorcycles.

London motorcycle theft
(Image: Met Police)

How to improve security

Most respondents were keen to see improved public infrastructure for securing parked motorcycles, including:

  • Increased posts/bollards with chains/anchor points;
  • More secure parking bays;
  • The ability to secure bikes to a parking space;
  • More CCTV;
  • Installation of lockers for helmets and other riding equipment; and
  • Better lighting in parking areas. 

Riders also indicated a need for improved motorcycle security by manufacturers, including:

  • More widely available and affordable GPS tracking;
  • VIN-based microdots on all motorcycles;
  • Fitment of alarms and immobilisers as OEM;
  • A factory alarm with the use of RFID in key; and
  • A compulsory register of unregistered/off-road bikes.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Light, tough motorcycle lock launched

UK bike lock manufacturer Litelok have developed their lightest and most flexible motorcycle lock yet called the Litelok Core Moto. 

It has been accredited as Motorcycle Gold by the independent certification group Sold Secure and the makers claim it is one of the lightest security locks on the market. 

Litelok still weighs 2.5kg which is a lot to lug around in your bike’s panners or top box.LITELOK CORE lock

At the core is Boaflexicore Plus, a patented material invented by rider and Litelok founder, Professor Neil Barron, an award-winning industrial designer and ex-Rolls Royce aeronautical engineer. 

“I’ve owned a number of motorcycles and truly understand what it means to lose such treasured possessions but also how inconvenient lugging around heavy chains can be,” says Neil who has had three bikes stolen. LITELOK CORE lock

“We developed Litelok Core Moto to be our most secure lock whilst still being really practical and easy to use.”

It has multiple layers of protection from the inner core out.

The 125cm lock is also very flexible and features a simple integrated click-to-lock system with a key only required to unlock. 

Locks are pairable so you can join two together for added length. They offer them in twin packs so they can be used with the same unique key.

Litelok Core Moto is available for preorder in either a 125cm or 150cm length and comes with either an orange, black or red washable, outer neoprene skin to help protect your bike’s paintwork. LITELOK CORE lock

Limited early bird pricing begins at £110 ($A196, $US155, €130), with savings of up to 30% on recommended retail pricing.

Funding for the locks has launched on crowdfunding site Kickstarter with the campaign reaching its goal in just a few hours. 

Litelok successfully funded their first lock using Kickstarter in 2015 and had another successful campaign for Litelok Silver in 2018. 

Based in South Wales, UK, and made up of motorcycle and bicycle riders, the company works with material scientists from Swansea University.LITELOK CORE lock



Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle theft plummets in pandemic

Rates of motorcycle theft in Australia took a welcome 16.7% drop during the pandemic lockdown last year.

Thefts dropped from 9680 to 8059 in 2020 which was the biggest decrease in the two decades since the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council began collecting statistics.

This is largely due to the COVID lockdown and riders being unable to ride their bikes, so they were locked away in garages.

However, your motorcycle is not even safe in a locked garage. Check this tip to secure your motorcycle in your garage.

The 2020 motorcycle theft trend reflects a drop in all motor vehicle thefts across the nation of 15%.

Profit-motivated theft by professionals where the bikes are usually not recovered dropped 12.1% from 4633 to 4072, which was the biggest decrease in any category of vehicles.

But it appears the lockdown had an even bigger impact on short-term theft for joy rides or to use vehicles for other crimes where bikes are later recovered with these thefts down 21% from 5047 to 3987.

The trend varied across the nation with the biggest drop in numbers in Western Australia.

Surprisingly, Victoria recorded the lowest drop in thefts despite the fact that it suffered the longest periods of lockdown.

2019 2020 % change
Thefts Thefts
ACT 126 93 -26.2% 
NSW 2,142 1,911 -10.8% 
NT 97 61 -37.1% 
QLD 2,010 1,693 -15.8% 
SA 824 696 -15.5% 
TAS 192 148 -22.9% 
VIC 2,122 1,915 -9.8% 
WA 2,167 1,542 -28.8% 
AUS 9,680 100.0 8,059 100.0 -16.7% 

Once again, South East Queensland was the hot-spot for thefts, which could be why insurance premiums are so high.

Motorcycle paramedics

Of the top 10 Local Government Areas where motorcycle thefts occurred, SEQ had the top two spots and four in the top 10.

State or Territory LGA 2019 2020 % change
QLD Brisbane (City) 526 511 -2.9% 
QLD Gold Coast (City) 283 229 -19.1% 
VIC Melbourne (City) 250 210 -16.0% 
QLD Moreton Bay (Regional Council) 184 144 -21.7% 
NSW Sydney (City) 149 132 -11.4% 
NSW Newcastle (City) 130 125 -3.8% 
QLD Logan (City) 200 121 -39.5% 
NSW Blacktown (City) 120 111 -7.5% 
VIC Moreland (City) 107 109 1.9% 
WA Cockburn (City) 171 103 -39.8% 

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Pandemic drives down motorcycle theft

The biggest decrease in motor vehicle theft in Australia during the pandemic was in motorcycles.

While national vehicle theft was down 7% in the 12 months to the end of September – the lowest since 2017 — the largest reduction was in motorcycles.

Bike thefts were down 11% to 8667 which was only 1% up on four years ago, say the official National Motor Vehicle Theft Council figures.

This is due to the COVID lockdown and riders being unable to ride their bikes, so they have been locked away in garages.

However, the council warns that the trend may now be reversing as states open up after COVID restrictions since September.

The council is warning all motorists to keep their vehicles locked and secured as well as their keys, as most vehicle theft is as a result of homes being broken into and keys stolen.

The Council also points out that there is a correlation between the performance of the economy and crime.

They tip that with the recession caused by the pandemic it is “almost certain the current uplift in vehicle crime will extend into 2021 at a minimum”.

Motorcycle thefts had been trending up with a 10.% increase to 9672 in the 2019 calendar year. In fact, that was the biggest increase of any category of vehicle.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Motorcycle Security Tips from London

By Arthur Yarwood*

The last few years have seen London struggle to control a huge motorcycle crime wave. At its peak in 2017, 15,497 motorcycles and scooters were stolen in London1, that’s over 42 a day! Crime figures have since been brought down by a concerted Police action, including tactics to ram thieves off bikes and an awareness campaign of preventative security owners should use.

However, thieves are getting ever resourceful, no longer just relying on bolt croppers, today’s tooled up criminals are carrying battery powered angle grinders, freeze sprays to shatter brittle metal and using (previously stolen) scooters to push stolen bikes away.

What can you do to avoid motorcycle theft? 80% of motorcycle theft occurs at home with average thefts taking only 20 seconds!2 So, tool up and invest in the best motorcycle security devices you can buy, follow the tips below on what to look for in heavy duty security for use at home.

Security ChainLondon motorcycle theft

As a minimum, invest in a security chain with 16mm case-hardened links; 16mm is too big to be attacked by big bolt croppers and through-hardened links are too brittle, the whole link will shatter after one side is broken. With grinder attacks so common, larger chains with links up to 22mm are available from the firms like Almax and Pragmasis. Still not 100% grinder proof, but they’ll take considerable longer to cut and put off all but the most determined thieves.

When locking your bike, keep your chain elevated off the ground, it’ll be a lot harder to attack if it can’t be braced against something solid.

Ground Anchor

A chain alone won’t stop you motorcycle being lifted into a van, you need to chain you bike down to something solid like a ground anchor. These are either a hoop design to bolt to a concrete floor (with measures to prevent unbolting) or are a Y-shaped pipework design to be sunken into a fresh concrete hole. The latter are neater and flush to the floor, but more effort to install. Once a good chain is threaded through your bike and the ground anchor, no-one will lift your bike away without a good deal of angle grinder work.

Disc LockLondon motorcycle theft

Essentially a lockable pin clamp to go on your brake disc to prevent your bike being rolled away. Not as secure as a quality chain and often removed relatively quickly with a grinder, either directly or by grinding a chunk out of the brake disc! However, disc locks are still a worthwhile buy due to their portability for when you’re parked up away from home and many are available with a loud alarm. If you’ve got one, use it in combination with your chain and ground anchor at home as well to increase the theft effort.

Cover

Obviously a thin rain cover isn’t going to secure your bike much, but a cover will hide your bike from prying eyes and opportunist thieves. They won’t know if you’ve got a posh Ducati or a tatty commuter hack, what manner of security gear you have in place and are one more thing to slow a thief down. Don’t take my word for it, a bike cover was also a key part of the recent Met Police “Be Safe Lock Chain Cover” campaign3 to raise awareness of motorbike theft in London. Considering the low cost of a cover, they’re well worth using.

Conclusion

Motorcycle theft is a big problem in many cities and should not be dismissed without thought. You maybe insured against theft, but excesses and future hikes in premiums will still hit your wallet. Above are some simple measures and a minimum to protect yourself, more tips are in this motorcycle security guide. Ultimately, there is no single wonder device, use multiple, each requiring more time and effort to overcome.

Bio

Arthur Yarwood | Beginner Biker Adventures – Seasoned London commuter, doing my best to stay rubber side down.

Sources

  1. Met Police (https://www.met.police.uk/SysSiteAssets/foi-media/metropolitan-police/disclosure_2018/february_2018/information-rights-unit—detailed-breakdown-of-statistics-for-motorcycle-theft-in-london-by-borough-for-2017)
  2. National Crime Intelligence Service (NCIS)
  3. Met Police, Be Safe scooter theft (https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/about-us/about-the-met/campaigns/be-safe-campaign/be-safe-scooter-theft/)

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Can you identify this scooter thief?

Can you identify this scooter thief from the inset image of the man while riding in the back of a taxi?

Sunshine Coast detectives want to speak to him about the theft of a Suzuki UK110 scooter from outside a surf club at Coolum last week.

Just after 4pm last Saturday (9 May 2020), the man attended the surf club on David Low Way where he stole a silver 2015 Suzuki UK110 bearing Queensland registration 095QU.

Prior to this, the man attempted to steal a car from a house on First Avenue at Coolum Beach, just after 3.30pm.

The man was confronted by the residents and ran from the area.

He is described as Caucasian in appearance, of a solid build with short dark hair. He is also described as having New Zealand accent and wearing a black shirt and shorts at the time.

Anyone with information that could identify the man, or the whereabouts of the scooter, is urged to contact police.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.

You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.

Quote this reference number: QP2000959139 within the online suspicious activity form.

Motorcycle and scooter theft rose more than any other category of vehicle last year with South East Queensland a hotspot for thieves.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Tip to avoid motorcycle and car theft

Here’s a tip, unfortunately gained from first-hand experience, on how to avoid one of the most common way thieves steal cars and motorcycles.

Motorcycle theft is running rampant with an increase of 10.5% to 9672 last year which is a 19.7% leap from the 8078 stolen five years ago.

The National Motor Vehicle Theft reduction Council says one of the most common ways vehicles are stolen is through house break-ins specifically to grab vehicle keys.

They often occur at houses where the garage is part of the house and connected by an internal door.

Thieves push the top of the electronic garage door, poke a wire through and pull the release cord to open the garage door.

Tip to avoid motorcycle theftEmergency release cord

Then they grab the keys – often from your kitchen bench – and drive or ride off.

Unfortunately, over the weekend we had two locked cars stolen this way from our locked garage, despite reporting this exact scenario on our website in 2o15!

Fortunately they were probably kids seeking a joy ride and didn’t take the two Ducatis that were also in the garage because they couldn’t ride.

Police explained how they force entry and suggested we tie up the quick-release cord.

Tip to avoid motorcycle theftCord ted up

They also gave us a tip to install a dead lock on the door between the garage and house.

Police say thieves also use universal remotes to see if they open remote garage doors which have a finite number of codes.

So if you are going away for a while, turn off the power to your electronic garage door.

They also suggest not leaving your keys in an obvious place.

How to secure your bike

Click here to find out other measures you can take to prevent your bike from ending up in these statistics.

  • When riding home, make sure you are not being followed.
  • Stay alert for suspicious vans or trucks driving around late at night. These are used to transport stolen motorcycles.
  • Lock the steering if it has a steering lock.
  • Put a cover over your bike. It might slow down thieves and prevent theft of accessories. But make sure it isn’t a flashy lone with the brand name of the bike on it. That only entices thieves.
  • When riding in a group, park your bikes together.
  • Consider marking your bike in a unique way that could aid in recovery and therefore dissuade thieves.
  • At hotels or public parking spaces, try to park in view of parking lot security cameras and lights.
  • Install a motorcycle alarm and/or a hidden kill switch.
  • Buy a GPS tracking system that can track and relay your bike’s speed, location and direction.

We would also like to point out how quickly police responded to our call. Within two hours local police arrived and forensics arrived another two hours later. Meanwhile, we received a call from yet another police station to say they had recovered baby seats from one of the vehicles.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Witnesses sought for stolen bike crash

Queensland Police are appealing for witnesses or dashcam vision after an allegedly stolen motorcycle crashed in Miles last Saturday (29 February 2020).

They say that about 12.20pm a man and woman were riding on a black 2004 Honda VTR1000F motorcycle east on Murilla Street towards Colamba Street.

At the intersection of Wallen Street, the motorcycle collided with a vehicle while overtaking and both the rider and pillion were thrown from the motorcycle.

The man and woman were both seriously injured and flown to hospital.

Investigators are urging anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam or CCTV footage to contact police.

It will be alleged the Honda VTR1000F was stolen from an address on Pine Street around 11.30am last Saturday.

If you have information for police, contact Policelink on 131 444 or provide information using the online form 24hrs per day.

You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, by calling 1800 333 000 or via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.

Quote this reference number: QP2000425356

Stolen bikes

Motorbike theft is running rampant in Australia, but mainly in metropolitan areas, led by South East Queensland is rampant.

Despite accounting for just 5% of registrations, motorcycle thefts now account for one in six stolen vehicles, according to National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council figures.

The sobering statistics also show that almost two in three motorcycles are stolen from the home, one in six motorcycle theft victims have previously been a victim of theft and more than half of all stolen bikes are never recovered.

Council Projects and Communications Coordinator Caitlin Hrambanis says there could be several reasons for the explosion on motorcycle theft rates:

  • The ease with which they are stolen;
  • A high demand for parts; and
  • The lack of security measures by riders.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com

Troy Bayliss demo bike stolen

Motorcycle theft is running rampant and even three-time World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss is not immune with his two-up demo Ducati V4R being stolen from his race truck.

Troy returned to Australian Super-bikes last year and is competing this weekend at the combined round with WSBK this weekend at Phillip Island.

However, he has tweeted that his demo V4R that he uses for promotional duties pillioning customers around the track has been stolen.

Stolen, straight out the back door of our race truck at Somerton VIC while driver having a shower. What the hell do you want a two-up bike for? It’s due for an engine rebuild as well, you ain’t going far on that.

Troy Bayliss race truckTroy’s race truck

Troy says he is hoping to catch the thief on CCTV and says in another tweet:

If anyone spots a V4R two-up bike cruising down the highway can you stick a broom handle in the front wheel and cut off at least one of the hands of the rider?

We can certainly understand his feelings and many other riders have suggested similar penalties for bike thieves.

Theft penalties

Motorcycle theft hot spots keyring thieves miserly CCTV black friday thefts stolen boomBuy your “warning” keyring now at the Motorbike Writer online shop.

NSW introduced tougher penalties in 2006 of up to 14 years for anyone involved in motor vehicle theft or rebirthing.

While it has resulted in a decrease in car theft, it is not having any effect on motorcycle theft which is up 17.1% in NSW compared with an increase of 11.7% nationwide.

Any rider whose pride and joy has been stolen would probably suggest tough penalties. In one previous article a reader suggested castration.

Law enforcement agencies agree that tougher penalties are needed. But maybe not castration, nor cutting off a hand as they still do in Saudi Arabia!

The problem has been that organised criminal rings use specialist criminals for different functions of the same offence.

They include bike thieves, burglars who break into your house to steal car or bike keys, re-birthers, fencers and document forgers.

This has made it difficult to convict offenders and gang bosses or organisers. Charges were often not proven or bargained down to lesser charges, such as receiving stolen property.

At best, the conviction system was protracted with little or no joy for the victims.theft lock grinder steal thief motorcycle theft

In 2006, the NSW government amended the Crimes Act 1900 to introduce a new offence of knowingly facilitating a rebirthing activity carried out on an organised basis.

It applied to any and all members in the network involved in stealing your motorcycle or car with tougher penalties. The maximum penalty was 14 years in jail.

Last year a review of the laws founds they were not only catching some offenders who knowingly participate in a vehicle rebirthing activity but who may not be guilty of any other offence.

Yet it also found that sentences did not reflect the seriousness of the crime, given the lack of offenders receiving the 14-year maximum penalty.

Although it did note that the Court of Criminal Appeal and District Court “conscientiously assess the gravity of the offending when applying the standard non-parole period of four years”.

It also identified the difficulties of proving the offender’s knowledge of the motor vehicle theft network.

Despite this and the lack of maximum sentences, the review did not proposed any legislative changes.

Meanwhile, we wish Troy every success in both racing this weekend and finding his demo Duc.

Source: MotorbikeWriter.com