Dedham Police See Rise in Bicycle Thefts

Bicycle theft is a problem which results in substantial financial loss and it has become a major issue in the town of Dedham, police say.

The Dedham Police Department has documented an increase in reports of bicycle theft during 2015 as compared to recent years. From January through August of 2015, 28 reports of bicycle theft have been received by the Dedham Police. That number is eleven times more than any other year from 2010 through 2014, and almost 15 times more than the annual average over that same time period.

Police warn thieves may be professionals who target expensive bicycles and can overcome various locking mechanisms or amateurs taking advantage of opportunistic situations. Bicycles are typically stolen for resale through various channels.

There are some measures that can be taken to avoid being a victim of bicycle theft or to increase the chances of locating a stolen bicycle:

1. Always lock your bicycle using a strong lock when left unattended.
2. Make sure the bike frame is secured by your lock to an immovable object.
3. Lock bicycles in well-lit areas with significant activity going on around it.
4. Store your bicycle inside a locked area at home.
5. Record bicycle serial numbers and have photos of bicycles taking note of any distinguishing features.
6. Register your bicycle. The National Crime Prevention Council offers the National Bike Registry (NBR). For a nominal fee, you can register your bicycle with the NBR. Once registered, you will receive a tamper proof label to apply to your bicycle. Information about your bicycle will be stored in the NBR database. When a bicycle is recovered by a police agency, the bicycles serial number or make, model, color, and frame size can be queried in the NBR database by participating agencies to locate the owner. NBR works with police agencies nationwide helping to return recovered bikes to the rightful owner.

According to the NBR, almost half of all stolen bicycles end up in a police property room with only a small percentage being returned to owners because true ownership cannot be determined. Recovered NBR registered bicycles are returned 99% of the time.

The Dedham Police Department has recently obtained access to the NBR database. In addition, local bicycle retailers Dedham Bike and Leather, Dick’s Sporting Goods, LL Bean and Toys R Us will convey information to customers about the NBR and how to register a bicycle.

Further information about the National Bike Registry can be found at their website: http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/.