Denmark’s bike lock culture gives thieves no chance

“Thanks to better bicycle locks, thieves are no longer enjoying an open season on the nation’s bicycles,” writes a reporter for The Copenhagen Post.

There’s been a 50 percent reduction over the last eight years, and a 10 percent drop in 2001 alone.

The reduction in the number of reported bicycle thefts has translated into savings of about £5m for Danish insurance companies. Danish bikes without locks approved by the Danish Institute for Informative Labelling cannot be insured.

Willem Vlok of Basta UK believes the British bike trade should consider fitting OE locks, as well as IBDs offering additional, perhaps better, locks at the point of sale.

“If you look at the Danish bike market nearly 95 percent of bicycles have a lock fitted to the bike, such as Basta integral Click Locks. If a bike does not have this lock or a similar one it will not be insured. Why do we not have this in the UK? I am not saying that it should be the only lock fitted but rather an additional lock.

“Cars have door locks fitted as standard but most owners fit a further steering lock or gear lock as well as an alarm system. Motor bikes have two locks, steering and immobiliser, but owners will also buy a very good shackle lock.

“If only we could adopt a European outlook on security we will reduce bicycle theft.”

The Home Office bicycle theft figures for England and Wales in the 12 months to March 2000 showed an increase to 131 240 bicycles stolen and a detection rate of just 5 percent.