Cycle theft figures are a thieves' charter

Cycle thieves in the UK are almost guaranteed to get away with their crime. An investigation by The Daily Telegraph has found that in 87 per cent of cases, no suspect is identified or charged.

Without GPS trackers it's almost impossible to detect bicycle theft, which is why the police give so little priority to the crime. That was the conclusion of ANWB, The Dutch Touring Club, after providing its cycle insurance policy holders with GPS trackers.

They found that thieves often placed stolen bikes into storage in case they were equipped with tracking technology. However, that didn't prevent six out of ten stolen bicycles being recovered over the course of two years.

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The trackers were attached to the bicycles with an industrial adhesive and intended to be highly visible. According to ANWB, which has has around 60,000 bicycles now equipped with a tracker: "The bicycles are not attractive to the casual thief."

Working closely with a security firm, when the insurer locates a stolen bicycle and the frame number tallies, the bike is seized on the spot and returned to its owner. If the bicycle is on private property, the police are called in.

Here in the UK, trackers don't do away with the need for a good cycle insurance redundant - not least because there's absolutely no guarantee the police will use tracking information you give them in order to actually recover your stolen bicycle.

Win an Apple AirTag and bike mount kit

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The mounting kit fits standard 64mm bottle cage holes, but the anti-shake and water-repellant design can also be hidden away underneath the seat.

The ethical choice

The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.

The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK's most ethical provider.

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