Rail station bicycle theft statistics

[Magdalia]

BBC News website has a report about a British Transport Police response to a Freedom of Information request for statistics of bicycle theft at rail stations see here:

Cambridge North station worst in the UK for bike thefts last year

Figures from the British Transport Police show 143 bike thefts were reported at a station in 2023.

www.bbc.co.uk

A city's railway station has been deemed the least secure in Britain after more than 100 bikes were stolen from it last year.

According to figures from the British Transport Police via a Freedom of Information request, 143 bike thefts were reported at Cambridge North station in 2023, which is more than anywhere else in Britain.

I have tried to find the full response but without success. Maybe another forum member can do better?

I'm not at all surprised that Cambridge North is "top of the league".

 

[greyman42]

I'm not at all surprised that Cambridge North is "top of the league".

Why, is it an easy target with poor security and CCTV?

 

[RT4038]

Why, is it an easy target with poor security and CCTV?

Large number of bikes in comparison to many other stations?

 

[greyman42]

Large number of bikes in comparison to many other stations?

Being Cambridge you would expect a large number of bikes but so has York and the station does not have a bad reputation for thefts.

 

[Taunton]

Bear in mind that many, possibly a majority, of bicycle thefts are not reported to the police, who never do anything about them anyway. So the figures given do not reflect reality.

 

[Magdalia]

Why, is it an easy target with poor security and CCTV?

One possible explanation is given at the end of the BBC article:

Mr Terywall said the Facebook page had been responsible for recovering nearly 700 bikes across the city over the past four years.

He said the reason why so many bikes had been stolen from Cambridge North Station was because of its location.

"It is a notorious hotspot for cycle thefts... The cycle park gives commuters a false sense of security with CCTV cameras.

"The bike stands are unmanned and out of the view of station staff, who, despite their efforts, cannot prevent bike thefts."

The location is not good, being "off the beaten track" and passed by only a few people on their way in or out of the station, basically only cyclists themselves and pedestrians going to or from the Fen Estate. Combine that with it being a big cycle park makes it easy for thieves to "hide in plain sight".

The main reason why I wanted to find the full FoI response was to see the numbers of thefts at the main Cambridge station, where lack of visibility of the cycle parking by people coming in and out of the station is also an issue. Also it would be interesting to know about the other place.

 

[J-2739]

Cambridge station is notorious for bike thefts. And this January, for instance, I had my front bike wheel stolen.

 

[Keysan]

This is a rather sore subject after losing an electric bike chained up at Hungerford railway station in full view of cctv. Reported to the police and received a letter by return from BTP Stating they will not investigate a theft if the bike’s been left longer than 2 hours. Therefore if you see a bike you like that is your size and the correct colour and it’s been left longer than 2 hours I suspect people are helping theirselves.

 

[starlight73]

I have tried to find the full response but without success. Maybe another forum member can do better?

link to full FOI response: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/bicycle_thefts_at_stations#incoming-2673687

List of worst 20 stations for bike thefts in 2023 from the BTP response.

Calendar Year 2023
LOCATION
CAMBRIDGE NORTH RAILWAY STATION
143
ST ALBANS CITY RAILWAY STATION
92
WOKING RAILWAY STATION
84
WALTON-ON-THAMES RAILWAY STATION#
72
BRISTOL TEMPLE MEADS RAILWAY STATION
66
SURBITON RAILWAY STATION
64
READING RAILWAY STATION
60
TWICKENHAM RAILWAY STATION
56
WATFORD JUNCTION RAILWAY STATION
54
CHELTENHAM SPA RAILWAY STATION
48
GUILDFORD RAILWAY STATION
45
STEVENAGE RAILWAY STATION
45
TEDDINGTON RAILWAY STATION
44
CHELMSFORD RAILWAY STATION
40
OXFORD RAILWAY STATION
40
NORWICH RAILWAY STATION
38
WINCHESTER RAILWAY STATION
37
BIRMINGHAM NEW STREET RAILWAY STATION
37
PADDINGTON RAILWAY STATION
36
YORK RAILWAY STATION
35

Cambridge station didn’t make the list; York did but has much lower reported numbers than Cambridge North. (Possibly there are variations in how much theft is reported to the police).

If a bike rack isn’t on station property, would that potentially mean it’s not controlled by BTP?

Reported to the police and received a letter by return from BTP Stating they will not investigate a theft if the bike’s been left longer than 2 hours

What a terrible thing to happen and a disappointing response. I’m so sorry

 

[martin2345uk]

My bike was stolen from Chelmsford Station cycle park; I reported it to BTP and then 2 days later I saw it chained up with someone else's lock in the same bike park...
Called BTP again and to my surprise they sent 2 officers more or less straight away and once I showed proof that this was mine, they used an angle grinder to cut the lock and I got it back...
Since then I pay £25 a year for the "secure" parking area that you need a fob to access!

 

[Basil Jet]

At St Albans Abbey there is a bike rack, and next to it a bike pump and a mysterious object with two adjacent handles at chest height and about a dozen wire loops hanging from the inside, all but one of which had been cut. I can not imagine how a dozen bikes would hang off this thing without wrecking each other's spokes, so I would love to know what it is and how it works.

 

[Magdalia]

link to full FOI response

Thanks, you're a star!

12 stations appear in all 3 years and I have been able to produce a top 10 for the 3 years 2021-23:

Cambridge North 286
St Albans 270
Woking 205
Chelmsford 184
Walton on Thames 178
Reading 174
Bristol Temple Meads 170
Oxford 144
Watford Jn 138
Winchester 138

Cambridge station didn’t make the list (Possibly there are variations in how much theft is reported to the police).

If a bike rack isn’t on station property, would that potentially mean it’s not controlled by BTP?

The Cambridge multi storey cycle park is part of a building that also includes a hotel, a pub and a barbers. You may be right that it is not a BTP responsibility.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 15 Jun 2024 ==

My bike was stolen from Chelmsford Station cycle park; I reported it to BTP and then 2 days later I saw it chained up with someone else's lock in the same bike park...
Called BTP again and to my surprise they sent 2 officers more or less straight away and once I showed proof that this was mine, they used an angle grinder to cut the lock and I got it back...
Since then I pay £25 a year for the "secure" parking area that you need a fob to access!

Chelmsford does have a significant improvement, with 65 and 79 thefts in 2021 and 2022, but down to 40 in 2023. Can you say when the secure parking started? Possibly when you first paid your £25.

I think GA are doing something similar at Cambridge North. It is good for frequent users but doesn't work for occasional users.

 

[RailWonderer]

I use half of these staations regularly and most of these are well off commuter towns so ripe pickings. York is the only northern Station on the list unsurprisingly. I think bicycle use is more prevalent in the south and councils do more with cycle lanes in Surrey to encourage bicycle use as well. Also people with disposable income will keep buying another even after being stung with a theft.

 

[Ediswan]

At St Albans Abbey there is a bike rack, and next to it a bike pump and a mysterious object with two adjacent handles at chest height and about a dozen wire loops hanging from the inside, all but one of which had been cut. I can not imagine how a dozen bikes would hang off this thing without wrecking each other's spokes, so I would love to know what it is and how it works.

Sounds like a public bike maintenance stand. The handles go under the crossbar of a bike to hold it up off the ground for easier access. The wires used to have tools on the ends.

 

[Taunton]

This is a rather sore subject after losing an electric bike chained up at Hungerford railway station in full view of cctv. Reported to the police and received a letter by return from BTP Stating they will not investigate a theft if the bike’s been left longer than 2 hours.

Should we then report "See It Say It Sorted" to the Advertising Standards Authority as a blatant lie?

 

[transportphoto]

Should we then report "See It Say It Sorted" to the Advertising Standards Authority as a blatant lie?

Given multiple examples as to when the 61016 text system has worked, and how wide the principles of “See it, Say it, Sorted.” apply - I doubt there’s much merit to the argument of this being a “blatant lie”.

 

[Basil Jet]

Sounds like a public bike maintenance stand. The handles go under the crossbar of a bike to hold it up off the ground for easier access. The wires used to have tools on the ends.

Brilliant! Thanks.

 

[Keysan]

Should we then report "See It Say It Sorted" to the Advertising Standards Authority as a blatant lie?

The letter I received stated assaults on staff and ensuring the safety of network takes priority. The bike was lifted into a van full view of cctv and the reg of the van would have also been caught on the level crossing to the West of the station.

 

[alxndr]

Several years ago the key to my bike lock broke inside the lock, and needing my bike to get home, I borrowed a pair of bolt croppers from the depot down the road. I cut the lock, walked through the station and up the road to return the croppers while pushing my bike, and barely got a second glance. I expected someone to give me a strange look, even if they didn't challenge me, but no reaction from anyone I was passing at all. Either I was so brazen that they must have guessed it was my own bike, or people just don't care about bike theft at all.

 

[185]

Over 20 years ago, at a major station, cycle theft was rife with many, many bikes being stolen. A number of staff also had bikes stolen, so they were bringing them inside the depot building. One rather over-enthusiastic Duty Station Manager from the station management company discovered the staff bikes being brought inside the building and ranted, "since 9/11, these are a terrorism risk, as explosives could be inserted into the crossbars etc". Now I know some of our drivers are explosive and frequently self-combust, but this was nonsense... I even know some radicalised RMT members if they count... 'All hail brother Lynch' etc.

Staff were forced to place their bikes in an outside shed in the staff car park. After just 7 days, another break-in occurred, five of the six bikes inside were taken. Staff lost the equivalent of two to three weeks wages each with generally uninsured bikes, and I recall their manager, a graduate was finally moved after another faux pas.

 

[telstarbox]

Several years ago the key to my bike lock broke inside the lock, and needing my bike to get home, I borrowed a pair of bolt croppers from the depot down the road. I cut the lock, walked through the station and up the road to return the croppers while pushing my bike, and barely got a second glance. I expected someone to give me a strange look, even if they didn't challenge me, but no reaction from anyone I was passing at all. Either I was so brazen that they must have guessed it was my own bike, or people just don't care about bike theft at all.

Most people don't pay attention and to a non-cyclist, you using manual tools probably looks like someone fiddling with their keys.

I've seen a few clips of thieves using angle grinders in London which is more brazen but I don't blame the public for not confronting dangerous people!

Personally I'd never park a bike at a station unless it was in one of the secure hubs - too obvious that the bike will be there all day.

 

[alxndr]

Most people don't pay attention and to a non-cyclist, you using manual tools probably looks like someone fiddling with their keys.

Bolt croppers are nothing like keys, they’re like heavy duty tree loppers!

 

[telstarbox]

Sorry you're right, I meant more thieves who use small hand tools to cut through the less strong types of bike lock.

 

[lachlan]

This is a rather sore subject after losing an electric bike chained up at Hungerford railway station in full view of cctv. Reported to the police and received a letter by return from BTP Stating they will not investigate a theft if the bike’s been left longer than 2 hours. Therefore if you see a bike you like that is your size and the correct colour and it’s been left longer than 2 hours I suspect people are helping theirselves.

So, anyone who commutes to a station by bike can assume they're on their own?

Most people don't pay attention and to a non-cyclist, you using manual tools probably looks like someone fiddling with their keys.

I've seen a few clips of thieves using angle grinders in London which is more brazen but I don't blame the public for not confronting dangerous people!

Personally I'd never park a bike at a station unless it was in one of the secure hubs - too obvious that the bike will be there all day.

Just make sure your bike isn't the most attractive one on the bike stand!

 

[jon0844]

Having had a bike stolen the first (and only) time I left it at a station, and I had a fairly decent lock, I have never believed anyone cared about bike thefts at stations or town centres. It's likely one big reason that we aren't seeing more people cycling, even though with modern e-bikes there has never been a better time to do so.

The police will give a reference number and that's it. They won't come to investigate anything, ever. They are simply not bothered, but will occasionally do a sting operation or do some patrols hoping to catch someone in the act of stealing (and given many thieves have lookouts, you'd have to be quite stupid to try and steal a bike with police around. Of course they could be plain clothed, but even then they'd likely stand out and deter thefts for the time they're there).

That said, some thieves are incredibly brazen with their battery powered angle grinders. They are so used to the general public doing nothing out of fear, they will steal anything they want and don't even need to worry about how long it takes or the noise (factors that used to mean a good quality lock was a good deterrent).

Should we expect any changes in policing policies to crack down on bike thefts, shoplifting and even fare evasion with the new Government?

 

[greyman42]

Having had a bike stolen the first (and only) time I left it at a station, and I had a fairly decent lock, I have never believed anyone cared about bike thefts at stations or town centres. It's likely one big reason that we aren't seeing more people cycling, even though with modern e-bikes there has never been a better time to do so.

The police will give a reference number and that's it. They won't come to investigate anything, ever. They are simply not bothered, but will occasionally do a sting operation or do some patrols hoping to catch someone in the act of stealing (and given many thieves have lookouts, you'd have to be quite stupid to try and steal a bike with police around. Of course they could be plain clothed, but even then they'd likely stand out and deter thefts for the time they're there).

That said, some thieves are incredibly brazen with their battery powered angle grinders. They are so used to the general public doing nothing out of fear, they will steal anything they want and don't even need to worry about how long it takes or the noise (factors that used to mean a good quality lock was a good deterrent).

Should we expect any changes in policing policies to crack down on bike thefts, shoplifting and even fare evasion with the new Government?

I don't know about other cities, but the police in York do investigate and catch bike thieves on occasions.

 

[jon0844]

I don't know about other cities, but the police in York do investigate and catch bike thieves on occasions.

I've realised over the years that the police seem to schedule specific investigations, often inviting the press and being able to issue a press release saying; 'in a recent operation, involving xxx officers from xxx, yyy and zzz forces, we today arrested nnnnn people relating to xxxxxx and are sending out the message that we will not tolerate xxxxxx and will work hard to come after you'.

This means taking an active interest in anti-social behaviour for a few days/weeks, observing areas known for thefts and so on. Rather than actively seeking to deal with all of these things all the time through routine patrols and investigations. Now I get it that the police are under extreme pressure, the legal system is way behind and the prisons are almost full - so there are unofficial incentives not to go rounding up loads of criminals.

This needs to change.

While I never expect things to be like in the movies where you can almost flag down a police car like a taxi, and every street has police patrolling, we have got to a point where the police are almost never around and petty crimes are easy. Even if someone calls the police while a crime is happening, they might be too far away to take useful action. It would have to be very serious, life-threatening, crime to get them to drop what they're doing and get over, use the helicopter etc.

As this is a railway forum, I should add that BTP is even further stretched.

 

[Bletchleyite]

MKC is extremely bad for it, I suspect worse than Cambridge. Trouble is the bike racks are on Council land so they don't make it into the stats.

 

[jon0844]

MKC is extremely bad for it, I suspect worse than Cambridge. Trouble is the bike racks are on Council land so they don't make it into the stats.

A lot of stations will have council land bike racks near stations, and not part of the station itself (thus BTP will take zero interest). Welwyn Garden City has serious issues with the bikes left to the east of the station, with gangs coming down with white vans to load up bikes. I mean, why take just one?

I'm amazed people leave their bikes there to be honest.

 

[sk688]

LNWR are very proud of their ' secure ' bike parking near P6 at Watford Junction , but i've had a cycle stolen from there and a front wheel taken.

Nowadays if I'm using a cycle when back in the area I'll either cycle to Kings Langley or use a Beryl ride-sharing bike to get to Watford Junction