According to the first figures, bicycle thieves are attacking regionally again more frequently. They often target expensive specimens. Also behind lock and key. What can bike owners do to secure them?
Bikes in basements and garages, like those in the open air, should definitely be attached to a fixed object. This is pointed out by Chief Detective Harald Schmidt, Managing Director of the State and Federal Police Crime Prevention Service. Time and again, expensive bicycles are the target of burglaries.
To make it harder for thieves, the police recommend stable chain, U-lock or folding locks with a solid locking system made of high-quality metal such as hardened special steel. If there is no firmly anchored object, wheels can also be locked together. The access doors to the basement and garage rooms and stairwells should also always be locked.
It is also advisable to connect the bike to the frame, front and rear wheels as far away from the ground as possible. This prevents thieves from putting the bolt cutters on the ground. This makes it difficult to pick the lock. With e-bikes, valuable accessories such as the battery should always be taken with you. Battery locks are not enough for protection, inform the police.
"The frame number, brand and type of bicycle should be noted, for example in a bicycle passport," advises Schmidt. A current photo of the bike also helps in the event of loss. In some federal states it is also possible to register your bike with the local (criminal) police.
The General German Bicycle Club (ADFC), insurance companies, clubs and sometimes the police also offer coding in the form of an engraving if proof of ownership is presented.
If you own an expensive bike, you can also think about theft insurance. Bicycles can be included in household contents insurance (up to a certain coverage amount). Alternatively, you can take out extra bicycle insurance.
According to the financial test, the higher the value of the bike, the more sensible it is to have separate insurance. Separate anti-theft protection for an e-bike costing EUR 2,500 is available from EUR 33 per year, for example.
