Advice from the police - handy tips for avoiding bike theft

Bicycle theft has been on the rise in recent years, so the ACL has teamed up with the grand-ducal police to explain how best to protect yourself against such risks.

The police will be relaunching the Sécher mam Vëlo campaign on social networks and on the ground at various events this spring, with the aim of making bicycle owners aware of the need for greater discipline when it comes to their bike’s documentation, among other objectives. “When filing a report regarding the theft of a bicycle, it’s true that lots of files are, in fact, incomplete. A complete file including photos, the invoice, the frame number and the main characteristics (make, colour, size, etc.) of the bike makes it easier to file a complaint and for the police officers to investigate the incident”, explains Chief of Police Tim Pauly, head of the crime prevention service. “It also makes it much quicker to return a recovered stolen bike to its owner”, he continues.

The police have integrated the My Safe function into their mobile app to make it easier to maintain a bike’s digital passport, enabling the user to store the most important information pertaining to their bike (and any other valuables) in one place and have all of the relevant data at their fingertips in the event of a theft. The data can be easily sent via e-mail to the officer in charge of the case without wasting any time.

Any data stored in the mobile app will only be visible to the police once the user has shared it; otherwise, it remains strictly confidential.

8 expert tips

• Produce a bike information sheet (frame number, make, model, serial number, colour, photos, etc.)
• Attach your bike to a fixed point anchored into the ground so that it cannot be released and taken away
• Use a padlock that forces the thief to use tools that will not go unnoticed
• Tie several bikes together if possible.
• Avoid leaving your bike in a quiet area that’s not very visible
• Insure your bike
• Use a private cellar or basement to store your bike
• Use the My Safe function of the police app to register your valuables