Bike Thefts in the US

Biking is more popular than ever before in the US.
Unfortunately, so is stealing bikes.

As more people take up biking to be healthy and environmentally friendly, the chances that they may have to deal with a stolen bike increases. The problem is generally perceived to be trivial but as these data show, bicycle thefts in the United States is on the rise.

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Where in the US do thefts happen?

Bike Thefts have been popping up around the country and have increased over the course of time. As one would expect most bike thefts occur during the night or late evening (6pm - 6am) when its dark or during the seasons of summer and fall when bikes are most used. Season has an impact more so along the east coast where winters are colder.


Is your bike safe where you stay?

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Each point on Map denotes
Theft Location(Click for Detail)

Do Points of Interest like a Business influence the likelihood of a bike theft?

"Lightning strikes only once" does not really apply when it comes to bike theft. According to these data, several Neighbourhoods/Points of Interest/Businesses came up with multiple thefts.
The chart below shows points of interest around which thefts have recurred. Each point represents a point of interest/Business that had a bike theft occur within a 0.25 mile radius. Some of these have as many as over 150 bikes stolen in the course of 10 years. Per statistics over 50% of bike thefts go unreported, which makes reported thefts only the tip of the iceberg.

Place Type : Restaurant

How Effective Are Bike Locks?

All bike locks can be broken, but a sturdy lock and savvy locking strategy will greatly reduce the risk of your bike being singled out by thieves.

Thefts By Lock Type, 2010-2015

Source: Bike Index

"Cable locks are flexible and can make it easier to lock your bike in awkward situations, but they can be cut quickly with bolt cutters or a hacksaw. They may keep honest people honest, but are little deterrence for someone intent on stealing your bike. Get a U-lock or a hefty bike chain. With the U-lock, lock it with the keyhole facing down as it will make it more difficult for someone to break the lock."

-Bicycle Transportation Alliance

Curious About Thefts By Lock Type in Your State?

Use the chart below to see thefts by brand and lock type in each State:

When Are Bicycles Stolen?

Total Thefts by Hour & Day, 1971 - 2015

Thefts By Month, 2005 - 2015

Which bike brands do thieves prefer?

The brand of the bike on the left aligns with its popularity (number of thefts) on the right.

Credits

Contributors

Ajay Kliyara Philip

Ajay Khaladkar

Nick Whalen

Technologies

Charts: D3.js

Website: Bootstrap

Data Set

Bike Index

Special Thanks:

Mike Bostock

Harvard CS 171

Bike Theft Sleuths Screencast