Vehicle Crime
Bike Theft Index 2002
More than 35,000 people were affected by moped, scooter and motorbike theft in the year 2000. While this number is relatively small compared to the number of car thefts, it still represents a considerable problem, and contributes significantly to the total of around 340,000 vehicles stolen in the year 2000 in England, Scotland and Wales.
The Bike Theft Index aims to give buyers the information they need to make an intelligent choice when buying, or choosing how to protect, their bike.
The Bike Theft Index shows which makes and groups (based on engine capacity) of bike are most at risk of being stolen in England, Scotland and Wales. It is based on theft data taken from the Police National Computer (PNC) in 2000 and on information provided by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) on the number of bikes on the road. To provide reliable results about the comparative risk of theft for different bikes, only makes and groups with over 100 bikes registered by the DVLA are included in the index.
For each year, the models are described as belonging to one of three categories
Red: Most at risk - more than 50 bikes per 1000 on the road stolen
Amber: Medium risk - between 7 and 50 bikes per 1000 on the road stolen
Green: Lower risk - up to 6 bikes per 1000 on the road stolen
The snapshot of bike theft given in this index shows that mopeds, scooters and other smaller-engined bikes are most at risk of theft. This is seen as a reflection of the growing popularity of mopeds and scooters as commuter bikes. More generally, however, it shows newer bikes are consistently most at risk.
Download the Bike Theft Index 2002 
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The more security measures you can take, the less attractive your bike will be to thieves. No single product can cover all possibilities, but if you invest in both mechanical and electronic security devices, you will greatly reduce your risk of becoming a victim of this particularly disruptive type of theft.
Last update: Wednesday, September 13, 2006