A scooter just like this one was taken Sunday night (20th November) from a locked garage on Woodway Lane and set alight in the grassy area at the end of Dunsville Drive, Walsgrave,

Coventry.

  
 

The garage door was only a couple of years old, and built to the British Standard applicable at the time.

Unfortunately, the bike was thought to be safe inside the garage and so was not, in itself, locked although the battery had been removed.

 
If you own a bike, or keep anything else valuable in your garage, then I would urge you to review your security arrangements.  My hope is that the web links and tips contained here will be of some use to you.
 
If you live in Walsgrave, or you visited the area on Sunday 20th November, then please click here for full details of the incident.

Theft Prevention - Useful Tips

Talking with the Police has led to my gaining a number of useful tips on how to reduce the risk of bike theft.  Sadly for me, it's a case of "barn door" and "bolted horse".  However, if this information helps prevent you becoming the next victim then some good will have come out of this.

An imporant word about insurance.  It can be difficult to get insurance if you don't have your CBT.  Mine lapsed after 2 years when I did not take my full test.  The bike wasn't insured at the time of the theft, partly because of needing to find time in my busy diary to re-take the CBT and partly because I saw my locked garage as being secure.

"The 1994 British Crime Survey produced by the Home Office estimates that there were over a quarter of a million thefts of household property involving garages during 1993. Perhaps more concerning is the fact that if a thief tries to break into your garage he is five times more likely to succeed than fail. Garage doors which are rotting, hanging off their hinges or (most importantly) only have one locking point are a particularly easy target for thieves." - Source: Guardian Doors

 
"More motorbikes and scooters than cars are stolen, and fewer are recovered." - Source: Home Office
 
Useful Web Links (please be patient when downloading the PDF documents):

Garage Doors - Guidance on how to make your garage more secure by Guardian Doors.

Garage Alarms - 90dB alarms for your garage or shed, if they do get in.

Steer Clear of Bike Crime - Home Office leaflet giving advice to bike owners (PDF document).

Get Sheducated! - West Midlands Poilce leaflet on garden and shed security (PDF document).

Rugby Rider Training School - For all your biking needs.

Motorcyle Locks - Get the low-down on bike locks (Saunderson Security).
Adobe Reader - You may need this to read the PDF documents.
Suggest a Link:

To suggest a link, please e-mail bikelinks@pcmayday.com