It’s probably safe to say more Canadians bike in the summer than in the winter, which hits many Canadian cities hard, but that may not explain the 429 percent increase in bike thefts during the summer months, according to new data obtained by insurance company Square One.
Of those thefts, less than 5 percent of bike owners will ever see their ride returned, according to Square One. If owners have home insurance with appropriate coverage, some insurance companies will allow a claim for loss.
“Many home insurance policies automatically include $1,000 to $3,000 worth of bicycle coverage but require specific coverage for bicycles worth more,” says Stefan Tirschler, director of product and underwriting at Square One.
Reported bicycle thefts have actually declined sharply in many cities since 2016, even after adjusting for population growth, according to the insurance company after data was combined from all the major cities that responded. In most cities, theft rates declined. But summer remains particularly bad for thefts.
Four of the seven cities in the dataset gathered reported an increase in thefts in 2022 compared to 2021. Interestingly, the two smallest cities in the data considered had the highest population-adjusted theft rate, according to Square One. It was suggested that the results could be due to a small sample size, or due to the fact that in one city, Victoria, year-round cycling is very common.
“Reported thefts during Victoria’s summers were only 81% higher than during winter—compared to 429% for all cities combined—which suggests fewer bicycles are taken out of use seasonally and more year-round work for thieves,” said the release.
Square One said that bicycle theft is an issue in every city, “and summer weather means more thieves are on the lookout for opportunities.”
While not every police department reported theft locations in the same way (or at all), Square One amalgamated the reported locations from which bikes were stolen.
Bikes are most commonly stolen from residential property, about 43.4 percent of the time. Parks, streets, and other public locations account for 30.3 percent of bike thefts, while 15.5 percent are reported stolen from commercial property.
Surprisingly, bikes are only stolen from educational facilities 3.4 percent of the time, and from transit locations such as buses, stations, and trains about 1.4 percent of the time. The category of “other,” which wasn’t specified, accounts for 6 percent of bike thefts.
“Almost half of the thefts took place at home, including frequent thefts from inside sheds or garages. Vancouver was the only city where this wasn’t true—bicycles were more commonly reported stolen from streets or parks,” said Square One.
The insurance company offered a number of theft reduction tips for bicyclists.
One is investing in a good lock. U-locks made of hardened steel, or multiple types of locks, are recommended. “The longer it would take a thief to cut or break them, the more likely they are to move on to the next target,” said the tip.
Bike owners should also register their bicycle if the city offers a program. Project 529 is a program that partners with police agencies to allow bicycle owners to register their ride for free. The tips note that many local law enforcement agencies, including the Toronto Police Service, offer free registration programs.
Owners should record their bike’s serial number and take some photos of their ride for easy identification, and if parking a bicycle outside, riders are advised to choose a bike rack that is securely fastened to the ground or a building.
“A good rack allows you to secure both wheels and the frame. Try to park in a secure area with limited access or, failing that, an area with plenty of foot traffic. Don’t leave accessories or bags with your bike when you park it,” said Square One.
