Our security partners Litelok have put together a comprehensive look into bike theft in Wales. Working from police data, they have determined that there have been 9,365 reported cases of bikes being stolen within the last three years, with the majority of that taking place in Cardiff. Something else we learned from this data is that the number of reported bike thefts have been decreasing over the last few years. 2018 saw 3,148 bicycles reported stolen which is a decrease on 2017’s figure of 3,269. Not all the data has been processed for 2019 but judging from the first 10 months worth of data and seasonal patterns, we can be fairly sure that 2019s figure will be lower still. This is good to hear but could be because fewer people are reporting stolen bikes to the police. 80% of the reported thefts ended with no suspect being identified.

The best way to keep your bike safe is with an independently security rated bike lock and bike insurance. Litelok are the lightest, flexible, insurance rated bike locks on the market. They are also manufactured in South Wales and are a big supporter of Welsh Cycling. If you purchase a Litelok by clicking here, not only will 10% of that sale go towards supporting Welsh Cycling, but for a limited time, you will also receive a 10% discount. They also offer Litelok Theft Protection, meaning that they will replace your stolen bike if secured with a Litelok (subject to T&Cs).

The original article from Litelok also looks at specific areas in Wales that are popular for bike theft. The most notable area is Cardiff’s main shopping street, Queen Street, which saw a total of 260 reported bikes stolen within the last three years. Another interesting spot which saw an unusually high number of bike thefts is Pillgwenlly police station on Canal Terrace in Newport. 

They have also compiled a heatmap showing the worst areas for bike theft in Wales.

You can see even more details in the original article here: Where is the worst place for Bike Theft in Wales?