Gardaí use ‘bait bikes’ to tackle bicycle theft in Dublin

Gardaí are to begin using “bait bikes” fitted with tracker devices as a new tactic to combat bicycle theft in Dublin.

The initiative, to be introduced before the end of the month, comes as new figures show bike thefts have risen 167 per cent since the bike to work scheme was introduced in 2009.

Under the new tactic, which was trialled in June this year, gardaí lock a bike that is fitted with GPS to a bike rack and keep it under surveillance.

Insp Liam Geraghty of Pearse Street Garda station said that under the plan a stolen bike can be tracked and the person in possession of it could be found, identified and arrested.

“But it’s more to develop intelligence as to where stolen bikes go,” he said.

Insp Geraghty, who was part of the Bike Security Campaign announced yesterday, said more than 100 people were arrested in connection with bike theft between June and September of this year.

He said people arrested ranged in age from 14 to 47 years and the number of bikes reported stolen since June had dropped about 10 per cent.

“We’ve seen a dramatic change over the summer months at a time when bike thefts actually peak,” he said. “If the trend continues it would be the first time in about six or seven years that we may come in with some sort of a reduction.”

Campaign

He attributed the decrease to a number of factors including people responding to campaign messages to properly secure their bike.

“Bait bikes make it less attractive for criminals taking bikes. Something happened to substantially reduce the number of thefts.”

Insp Geraghty said there were a range of penalties for people found guilty of bike theft.

“I know of a recent case where one individual got six months’ imprisonment for bike theft, on top of further sentences for other offences,” he said, adding that younger offenders are dealt with under the juvenile diversion scheme.

Insp Geraghty is part of a working group was set up by Dublin City Council in January this year which also involves representatives from the National Transport Authority, Dublin Cycling Campaign, bike shops and Dublin City Council.

Lord Mayor Críona Ní Dhálaigh yesterday announced a campaign to combat bike theft in the city. One of its messages is that not having a proper bicycle lock is a major reason why an average of 14 bicycles are stolen every day in Dublin.

“Alerting cyclists to the need to use higher quality locks is important. We need to make it harder for bikes to be stolen,” she said.

A survey taken by Dublin Cycling Campaign in 2014 found 66 per cent of thefts were from bikes with cable locks or “sub-standard locks”.

David Timoney, from Dublin Cycling Campaign, said College Green, Dame Street, Parnell Street and roads at the back of St Stephen’s Green were the top areas for bicycle thefts according to the survey.

Mr Timoney said he had his bike stolen while he was attending one of the first meetings of the bike theft group at the start of the year.

The group has recommended that cyclists use U-locks with the “sold secure” accreditation as their main lock.

National Transport Authority programme manager Cormac Ross said it funded a bicycle parking study with Dublin City Council earlier in the year.

Actions taken as a result of the study included an increase in on-street parking for bicycles around the city and the expansion of off-street parking at Drury Street and other areas.