FEATURE
THE AFTERMATH
Loss of bikes through theft can have a devastating impact on businesses. BikeBiz looks at the ever-present threat posed by break-ins
B
ike theft is never fun for the victims, whether that be an individual losing their beloved machine, or a large- scale theft from a business. The loss of bikes through break-ins and theft can be
devastating for cycling businesses, and as the cost of bikes continues to rise the risks are ever greater. BikeBiz has reported on a number of major thefts from
retailers and brands in recent months, and these are just a fraction of the thefts impacting the cycle trade.
Major losses Earlier this year, a theft from a bike shop in Gloucestershire resulted in the loss of £30,000 worth of bikes. In the early hours of Saturday, 21st May, thieves broke
into a store in the town of Nailsworth, between Bristol and Gloucester, and escaped with five Riese and Muller brand electric bikes. Then in early July, British bike brand Forme suffered the loss of a batch of unreleased e-bikes, which were stolen from a lorry on its way from an assembly supplier in Italy. The stolen bikes were all high-end, Bosch-equipped
e-bikes, and were all brand new models not yet available at Forme retailers, the brand said. Head of brand and communications at Forme, Lee Flanaghan, said: “This theft of e-bikes is really sad news for both our retailers and end consumers. This delivery of e-bikes was already pre-sold to dealers and in many cases, reserved by end consumers who were no doubt looking forward to taking delivery of their new e-bike in time for summer. We can only apologise for the disappointment this undoubtedly causes.” But what impact do these types of theft have on a business?
The lasting impact Paul Birley, owner of Back on Track Bikes in Malvern, Worcstershire, said his store was targeted by thieves in recent years. After the criminals smashed the front door with crowbars and scaffolding poles, they escaped with several
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e-bikes and high-end MTBs, often the target for bike thieves owing to their high value. “The aftermath of a break-in, dealing with police reports,
forensics, alarm companies, insurance, and repairs, while not being open was a huge loss,” said Birley. “Although the memory of it becomes less acute, and even with tighter security, I am still very wary of letting unknown people wander around on their own, and have delayed expanding our store, partly because of the extra costs with security and finding extra staff to ensure the shop floor would always be manned by two or more people.” The theft at Back on Track happened in the early hours of the morning, when the gang of thieves forced entry. After trying to load the bikes into a van, the thieves also put two bikes on the roof, one of which fell off and hit a stone wall.
A neighbour heard the incident and called the police.
Birley said: “I think there is always going to be a demand for expensive bikes at ‘bargain’ prices, no matter where they come from, many bikes are shipped abroad never to be seen again.” In response to the theft, Birley said he has since added
the strongest double-locking shop door he could find, with a heavy-duty steel gate system inside, and fitted steel bars to the windows.
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