BIKEREGISTER
How can retailers make a mark on security? National database BikeRegister is working with cycle retailers to help clamp down on bicycle theft. Find out how you can get involved...
BIKE RETAILERS, whether big or small, are now one-stop shops for all aspects of the cycling experience, including offering advice on bike security. The ease with which a stolen bike can be sold continues to encourage the theft of bikes, but retailers can limit their risk of buying or selling stolen bikes by encouraging customers to mark and register their purchases. James Brown, MD of BikeRegister (www.bikeregister. com), the national database used by all UK police forces to help reunite the thousands of lost or stolen bikes they recover every year to their legal owners, says: “Security marking and registering a bike helps police and retailers identify and verify the legitimate owner of bikes that have been stolen or are being resold.” Nearly 650,000 bikes are already registered on the system and over 250,000 searches are performed on the database every year. “If bike shops offered this service for all new bikes they sold and insisted on an ownership check before purchasing any second-hand bikes on our free BikeChecker facility, it would be a significant step forward in the fight against bike crime,” says Brown. In a recent case, a bike that was taken straight to a Cash Converters in east London by the thief, was 16 BIKEBIZ JUNE
“Security marking and registering helps police and retailers identify the legitimate owners of bikes that are being resold.” James Brown, BikeRegister
flagged as stolen immediately by suspicious staff members after using BikeChecker. Cash Converters quickly rang the police, who were able to contact the real owner and make arrangements to return the bike to him. They were also able to give the police a good description of the bike thief. PC Stuart Ford from City of London Police recommends bike marking to deter theft and organises bike-marking events in the City. “We also ask local bike retailers to tell their buyers to contact us if they want their bike marked and if they would like crime prevention advice around cycle security,” he says. “We get referrals and this gives us a good working partnership with our local bike retailers as well as cyclists.” Police budgets are extremely limited though, and the aim is to encourage more retailers to offer the service themselves. Natalie Cannon, operations manager at BikeWise, in the heart of Ickenham village, says: “We get a good turnout for bike marking events at our store. Our team of staff have also been trained to mark bikes, either at point of sale or when customers bring their bikes in for a service.” Natalie says customers seem to like having the opportunity to mark their bikes offered, and can really see the benefit. “We have definitely
heard stories from our customers that stolen bikes have been returned to their real owners due to the fact that they were marked,” she says. Meanwhile in Stratford, Warwickshire, local police have teamed up with Halfords to security mark cycles at point of sale. PCSO Dominic Bes-Jeary from Stratford SNT says: “Tackling cycle theft is one of our community priorities – we take it very seriously. Security marking cycles at point of sale should be the norm and we really feel that by working with Halfords, and promoting the scheme to other cycle shops in the town, we can dramatically reduce cycle crime.” Holly Probert from Halfords, commented: “Cycle theft is an issue all over the country and we are happy to do our bit to help. This is a fantastic scheme and by marking cycles we hope to help bring cycle thefts down and prevent cycle crime in the future.” BikeRegister Membership Plus Kits (RRP £12.99), Permanent Marking Kits (RRP £19.99) and Covert Marking Kits (RRP £29.99) are all available in retail packaging that is designed to appeal to the cycling community. To receive an additional five per cent discount on trade prices for bike marking kits, please call Lorna at BikeRegister on 01689 860757 and quote BikeBiz. BIKEBIZ.COM