Released 17/07/2020 - Joint media release
Canberrans are being reminded to "lock it or lose it" as part of a community awareness campaign to reduce bicycle thefts in the ACT.
Minister for Justice, Consumer Affairs and Road Safety Shane Rattenbury and Minister for Police and Emergency Services Mick Gentleman launched the latest instalment of the "Outsmart the Offender" property crime reduction campaign.
"We have a simple message for cyclists: lock your bike or risk losing it," Minister Rattenbury said.
"Use a heavy duty lock – or even two types of lock if possible - and secure your bike frame and wheel to a fixed object like a bike rack.
"A stolen bike can be devastating and often people don"t get them back. Simply locking your bike is the first and easiest step to avoid losing your bike to a thief," Mr Rattenbury said.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Mick Gentleman said bike theft is an opportunistic crime and offenders are on the lookout for easy targets like unsecured bikes.
"In 2019-20, 712 bicycles were reported stolen to ACT Policing and our police officers do a great job following up on these unfortunate reports," Minister Gentleman said.
"Bike owners also have a role to play and can take easy steps to reduce the likelihood of having their bike stolen. Be smart about where you chose to park your bike and don"t leave your bike unsecured, especially in hotspots like front yards, balconies and car bike racks."
Deputy Chief Police Officer for the ACT Liz McDonald said "Too often bikes are stolen because people haven"t used a heavy-duty lock to secure their bike".
"We also end up with a lot of bikes each year that we can"t return to their owners because their owners haven"t marked their bikes or recorded the details. A bike can be a significant purchase, so I encourage everyone to store information about their bike in a safe place, like they would for all personal items of value.
"Not locking your bike properly is like leaving your car unlocked or leaving the keys in the ignition. If you don"t secure your bike, the risk of losing it is much higher."
Pedal Power, CEO, Ian Ross said "For some people, their bike may be their main form of transport so if it is stolen it can have a major impact on their lives so it"s far easier to secure your bike well so that it does not get stolen".
The "Outsmart the Offender" campaign against property crime was launched in October 2019 and has covered thefts from homes and apartments, and car theft. Jointly developed with ACT Policing the campaign aims to provide Canberrans with useful tips on how they can keep their property safe.
The "Lock it or Lose it" campaign is running in partnership with Pedal Power ACT. You can learn more at act.gov.au/outsmarttheoffender.
- Statement ends -
Mick Gentleman, MLA | Shane Rattenbury, MLA | Media Releases