August 2016 – Prevent Bike Theft

1. Cable locks should never be used as a primary means of locking a bike in a city. Cheaper and older U-locks can often be broken without any tools. Use a u-lock that costs at least $40.
2. If you can, register your bike with SLMPD or a local organization and keep a copy of your serial number written down.
3. Aim to have the hardest bike to steal on the rack. We consider two U-locks, or a U-lock and one heavy duty cable, to be the minimum required in large cities to keep a bike secure.
4. Don’t rely on foot traffic to keep your bike safe; years of reports have taught us that many thefts, particularly those involving cutting cable locks, occur under the cover of crowd activity or in front of bustling cafés or restaurants.
5. Don’t rely on the presence of cameras to keep your bike secure. Security footage is rarely of much use once a bike is gone, and thieves know this.
6. Tug on whatever you’re about to lock to make sure it can’t be easily removed. Signposts in particular can be easily removed by unbolting them and some are already unattached.
7. Many bicycles are stolen from garages and store rooms. Lock your bike securely to an immovable object even if in a “secure” place.

A correctly locked bicycle: 
The frame is locked to an immovable object. Both wheels are secured.