Hundreds of bikes were stolen last year
Maddie West had her bike stolen in early April(Image: Matthew Snelgar)
Cyclists in Bristol experience the highest level of bike crime in the UK, with 82 per cent having fallen victim to bike theft, according to new data.
The figure comes from a nationwide survey conducted by Novuna, a personal finance company, which found that Bristol had the highest percentage of cyclists affected by bike theft.
According to the survey, half of these thefts occur in public spaces, while 30 per cent take place on private property.
Across the UK, the total estimated cost of stolen bikes adds up to around £2.4 billion.
Official figures from Avon and Somerset Police reveal a 10 per cent rise in reported bike thefts in Bristol, increasing from 1,248 in 2023 to 1,367 in 2024. However, this is still below the peak recorded in 2020, when 1,773 bikes were reported stolen.
Maddie West had her bike stolen in early April from outside Bristol’s Magistrates Court, on Marlborough Street.
The bike had been securely chained in a public rack alongside several others.
“There were so many other bikes there I thought it would be fine,” said Ms West.
Her silver and red Apollo bike had even been registered with the bike registry. When the bike was stolen Ms West posted on several Facebook groups, including Stolen Push Bikes in Bristol, in hopes of recovering it.
Two weeks later, a worker at a local bike shop, Rich Wright, got in contact with Ms West after seeing her post on Facebook. A bike matching her description had been brought into the shop.
Ms North confirmed the bike was hers by showing the registry number and she was reunited with her bike.
Ms West believed that the bike had been sold on, and someone had taken it to the shop not knowing it had been stolen.
Mr Wright, who regularly encounters stolen bikes in the shop, said thefts were all too common. He said they had locks cut and bikes stolen from the shop floor, in the middle of the day.
He said bikes and scooters were stolen around once a week from the store.
People also often come in looking for chargers or key for electric bikes, he added, and this was frequently a tell-tale sign they were stolen electric bikes.
“It has been quite an issue in Bristol, and nothing seems to be done about it,” said Mr Wright.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: “A stolen bike can have a significant impact on someone’s life, especially if it is their primary mode of transport and we fully recognise the need for people to be able to use bikes safely, without having to worry about theft.
“The number of pedal cycle thefts reported in Bristol has generally fallen in recent years, although did rise in 2024.
“Across the Avon and Somerset force area the number fell by 1.2 per cent year-on-year, however we continue to work proactively to further reduce this number.
“Operational demand means we prioritise attendance at incidents where the risk to the public is higher. However, all incidents are investigated.
“Unfortunately, there are often very few proportionate lines of enquiry to follow and, as a result, the chances of solving the theft are low.
“Our Neighbourhood Policing Teams regularly host bike marking events to make it easier to return stolen bikes and at which advice on how to reduce the risk of your bike being stolen is also given.
“However, we will continue to take robust action against bike thieves. We would encourage any bike theft to be reported to us as soon as possible, as this information is used to direct resources and inform our work with partners.
“Anyone who sees anyone tampering with a bike, and who believes a crime is in progress, should call 999 immediately.
“We would always advise victims of thefts against taking any action themselves against a person they believe to be responsible as this puts them at risk but also could be detrimental to a police investigation.”