There are things you can do to prevent thieves and keep your bike where it belongs ? with you!

1. Always, always, always lock your bike when you are not riding it. 2. Choose a lock from a brand name that you know and trust. 3. Lock to a fixed, immovable object. Be careful not to lock to something that can be easily cut, broken or removed…is the polee you are fixing it to solid enough? 4. Make the lock visible, use a well-lit area and one where people will be passing by regularly. This makes it harder for a thief to work undetected.. 5. D/U locks should be solid metal, making it harder for the would be thief. When using a D/U-lock, position your bike frame and wheels so that you fill or take up as much of the open space within the u-portion of the lock as possible. The tighter the lock up, the harder it is for a thief to use tools to attack the lock. 6. When using a chain to secure your bike, make sure the lock is positioned off the ground and can not be lifted over what you have locked it to. Put the lock face to the ground, it is harder to be filled with glue or the lock picked. 7. Two locks are better than one. A cable and D/U-lock are good theft deterrents together because a thief will need two different tools to defeat the lock up. The longer it takes a thief to get through your bike security, the less likely your bike will be stolen. 8. Make sure any kit that is easily removed such as quick release wheels or seat post are secured or removed. 9. Do not free-lock (locking a bike to itself, front wheels locked to the frame) only. The bike can be easily lifted away. When at home, use a ground anchor to secure your bike. 10. Get your bike security-coded. Kits are available from all local police stations. 11. List your bike's details properly so if it is stolen and then found, the police can trace it back to you. Better still, take a photo and if it has any identifiable marks take a photo of that area. We recover hundreds of stolen bikes, but most of them have to be auctioned simply because there's no way of knowing who the owners are.

Remember, don't make it easy for them. Take the time to properly lock your bike each and every time so it will be there when you return to it. In the UK, a bike is stolen every 71 seconds. Don't let it be yours.