Vancouver bike theft rate is highest is Canada, says report

Using a U-lock is better than a cable lock (Olexander Kozak/Shutterstock)

Surprise, surprise! Bikes are stolen in Vancouver more often than anywhere else in Canada, according to a new study by Square One Insurance.

The company compiled data from police services in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Edmonton and Winnipeg, ranging from 2013 to 2015.

It found that in Vancouver 513 bikes were stolen for every 100,000 residents, more than double the amount stolen in Calgary, which topped out at 250.

Noticeably and unsurprisingly, the increase in bike lanes and cyclists in Vancouver do also seem to correlate with a huge rise in the overall number of bike thefts in the city.

In 2013, the number of bikes stolen in Vancouver was 1,952; in 2015, there were 3,132 bikes stolen.

In terms of overall numbers of bikes stolen though, Toronto still tops the charts, with 3,330 bikes stolen in 2015.

How to stop your bike being stolen

According to Square One, bike thefts usually peak in August and September – with bikes returned to their rightful owner less than 13% of the time.

Here are some tips for keeping your bike safe:

Buy a quality “D” or “U” lock that physically locks at both ends.
Avoid cable locks, which are easily cut with bolt cutters
Lock your bike in a public place
Never leave your bike outside overnight
Lock your bike to something immovable and metal, that bike thieves can’t cut through
Take photos, write a description, and note the serial number of your bike
Register your bike and etch your name onto the frame so it can be ID’d
In Vancouver, you can use the VPD’s Log It Or Lose It service or nationally, try Project 529