Have you had a bike stolen this year? It wouldn't be surprising. In 2014, over one million dollars worth of bikes were stolen from owners in Portland.
Our fair city has been featured in the national news for bike theft, and even international visitors have had their bikes stolen (and luckily found again) on their way through town.
Local business owner, J. Allard of the Project 529, wondered if we have some Mission-Impossible level bike thieves here in Portland. Is it special ops bike thieves or misguided folks tying their bikes to racks with rope and hoping nobody comes along with a pair of scissors that is causing the problem?
J and his team conducted a census of 2,500-bike riders this summer to get to the heart of the issue. The team explored how Portlanders were locking up their bikes and it is an eye-opening read.
“60% of bikes secured only the frame or a wheel, but not both. Thieves routinely will grab an unsecured front wheel from one bike and seek out a second bike securing only the front wheel and assemble a fully ridable and sellable bike in minutes in dense parking areas with little suspicion from passerby.
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And really…did someone actually lock their bike up with a piece of rope? Find out here in J's article "Dear Portland, Please Stop Making Things So Easy for Bike Thieves."