Bicycle theft remains a real scourge: one in two French cyclists has already been a victim of theft, according to the founders of Velhome, an online platform that allows you to find a safe haven to park your bicycle.
In addition to this map of parking spaces recommended and offered by individuals, the creators of this application have just added another one that lists bicycle thefts.
When you click on a report, a small search prompt allows you to find various information, such as the make and model, a photo of the bike you’re looking for, or whether it’s an electric-assist (VAE) bike. A button allows you to contact its owner.
Enough to also establish a general picture of bicycle theft. As of January 17, 2024, the map records a total of 2,665 stolen bicycles, 35 of them in the last 30 days. The average price of these missing bicycles is estimated at 304 euros, or a total cost of 2.4 million euros.
Another interesting fact is the distribution of flight schedules: 28% of flights are made in the afternoon, more than at night (26%), in the afternoon (17%) and in the morning (11%). .
Only 20% of the stolen bicycles did not have an anti-theft device and a significant majority only had one (65%). In fact, Velhome recommends using several: only 13% of stolen bicycles had two locks and 1% had three or more.
Some anti-theft tips
To avoid theft, Velhome recommends fixing it to a fixed point, having a good anti-theft device and ideally using several or parking the bicycle in a private home, thanks to its free solution for locations offered by individuals.
There are also more and more bicycle parking spaces, but the cost of the subscription must be taken into account: in an LPA secure parking lot in Lyon, for example, it costs 60 euros per year or 20 euros per month, or 75 euros per month. year in bicycle shelters in Paris.
How to react?
When faced with a bicycle theft, Velhome recommends filing a report at the police station, declaring the bicycle stolen on the platform, returning to the location and asking the neighbors for help and trying to find the stolen bicycle on the offer pages.
The hope of the creators of Velhome with this platform will be to encourage the still rare reunions between a stolen bicycle and its owner:
“Today, only 3% of stolen bicycles are found by their owner,” their statement underlines.
Especially since this separation sometimes puts an end to this common practice: “10% of cyclists who are victims of their bicycle being stolen decide to resort to another means of transportation and stop riding a bicycle.”
Source: BFM TV
