Arlington reports 394 bike thefts this year
Arlington police reported last week that 394 bicycles have been stolen there so far this year and said many of the thefts may have been preventable.
They said neither chains nor cables protect adequately and recommended a properly secured U-lock.
Police said the best protection is use of a U-lock and a cable or chain.
The police said in a news release that in securing the bike "technique is everything."
By
Martin Weil
| November 13, 2010; 11:48 PM ET
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Posted by: bluebellknoll | November 14, 2010 12:33 AM | Report abuse
Also, make sure you use the U-Lock correctly. I was in a hurry once and put the U-Lock around the headset instead of the frame...d'oh! Came out of the gym an hour later and the u-Lock was still there...the bike was gone. They just used an allen wrench to take off the headset...
Posted by: dionysianmadness | November 14, 2010 4:36 AM | Report abuse
People, cable locks just aren't good enough protection for this city (or for any city where bike theft is a major problem).
Use a U lock, for crying out loud. And, as mentioned above, use your U-lock PROPERLY. See the photo on this page for one of the better locking strategies: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
Also, by all means, DON'T buy one of those U-locks that's as long as your arm. Those are easier to break, people (the more space that's in the center of the lock, the easier it is for a thief to pry the lock open). Small U-locks (no larger than the one in the photo: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/images/locktechnique1.jpg ) are your best allies.
Posted by: jeanne10 | November 15, 2010 9:37 AM | Report abuse
If a thief wants your bike and is equipped to steal it - he/she will get it.
The major point is - lock it up and that will prevent the majority of thefts. Too many bikes are left unattended with no lock because the owner just went in for a few minutes.
Posted by: asdf9876 | November 15, 2010 11:02 AM | Report abuse
Good modern U-locks are hard to defeat, especially if you do NOT leave much space inside the locking area. Multiple locks increase the amount of time the thief needs to spend, and commuters can leave one locked to wherever they commute to. Any lock can be broken in enough time. Your goal is to make the time too long for the area in which you locked the bike.
Posted by: krickey7 | November 15, 2010 11:06 AM | Report abuse
Most Police blow on this issure. They are playing from the old book and wont even show up to take a report. If they cared or knew most high end road bikes cost more than some brands of cars.
Posted by: teamsimple | November 15, 2010 11:26 AM | Report abuse
Also, register your bike! Here's a link to register with the Arlington PD:
https://www.arlingtonva.us/departments/Police/citizens/forms/bicycle_registration.asp
Posted by: dsun1 | November 17, 2010 1:12 PM | Report abuse
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U-locks are useless, as well. I had a nice bike stolen locked with U-lock. An experienced bike thief can break a U-lock, given enough time. Now, I commute to work on a beat-up, crappy Chinese-made bike.