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The extent of motorcycle theft
This report discusses the data that can be found in the 2005 Bike Theft Index. It draws trends on the type and extent of motorcycle theft in England and Wales. The authors find that it is older, less powerful motorcycles which are more likely to be stolen. It is hoped that the authors' findings can inform the vehicle security industry in the same way that the Car Theft Index has done for motor cars.
Title: Extent of motorcycle theft
Authors: Greg Braun and Michael Wilkinson
Series: Home Office Findings 269
Number of pages: 6
Date published: December 2005
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Volume of bikes stolen
The rate of theft of motorcycles has fallen slightly from 39 per 1,000 in 2001 to 37 per 1,000 in 2003
The number of motorcycles stolen has risen from 48,412 in 2001 to 50,591 in 2003 but the number of registered motorcycles on the road has also increased, from 1,247,688 to 1,360,874.
Type and age of bikes stolen:
Lower powered motorcycles (less than 125cc, including mopeds and scooters) are at much greater risk of theft than larger bikes
Of these lower powered motorcycles, those less than five years old are at most risk of theft with a theft rate of 85 per 1,000 registered. This constitutes 60% of all thefts, while making up only 26% of all bikes registered. Larger motorcycles (more than 125cc) of all ages have a much lower average theft rate of 13 per 1,000 registered.
In comparison to cars:
Theft rates for motorcycles are much higher than those for cars. In 2003, the theft rate for motorcycles was 37 per 1,000 registered on the road compared with 10 per 1,000 for cars
There was a 5% reduction in the rate of motorcycle theft between 2001 and 2003 compared with a 23% reduction in the rate of car theft in the same period
40% of all motorcycles stolen are recovered compared with a recovery rate of 79% for cars.
Motorcycle security:
The high rates of theft for motorcycles, particularly those at the lower powered end of the market, should lead manufacturers, and those responsible for situational crime prevention, to take measures to improve the security of these bikes.
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Last update: 22 December 2005