Carole Nash Motorcycle Theft Survey 2011

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Carole Nash Motorcycle Theft Survey 2011

Carole Nash Motorcycle Theft Survey 2011

London bikers are most at risk of having their motorcycle stolen with those living in the South West of the capital suffering theft rates nearly five times the UK average according to new data published by the UK's biggest motorcycle insurance specialist.

The publication of Carole Nash's annual Motorcycle Theft Survey follows a warning from the Motorcycle Crime Reduction Group that bike thefts rates are rising and now cost an estimated £105m annually. It also follows reports that the Metropolitan Police's Stole Vehicle Unit, one of the last remaining in Britain, is set to be disbanded following budget cuts.

The survey pinpoints the nation's hotspots by comparing the number of theft claims Carole Nash received against the number of bikers it insures in each area of the country. The results show massive variations in risk with London boroughs occupying nine of the top ten worst hit areas.

Bikers in South West London, who topped the table, were found to suffer a theft rate over 30 times higher than those in low risk areas such as Shrewsbury or Bath. Outside of London the highest rates were found in Huddersfield the only provincial entry in the top ten  Edinburgh, Halifax, Dundee and Manchester. The highest climber in the league of 116 main postcode areas was Walsall, the West Midlands town leaping 71 places from 90 th to 19th.

Bike Crime in your area

Think your area is safe? See how bikers fared in your area in the full league table here.

We've been conducting this research for a number of years now and the London boroughs have consistently suffered the highest theft rates. The message could not be clearer to bikers in these high risk areas that they must minimise the dangers they face by investing in effective security devices and choosing sensible places to park commented Carole Nash's commercial director, Simon Jackson. It also highlights the need for local authorities and private sector providers to increase the availability of dedicated secure motorcycle parking facilities.

The company said that whilst most bikers took sensible precautions against theft, some were less diligent.

At the end of the day a determined thief will move hell and high water to steal a high-value bike, even dismantling a garage breezeblock by breezeblock. But a lot of thefts are simply opportunistic and some bikers are guilty of creating opportunity, explained Jackson.

The Carole Nash survey also revealed which types of bikers suffered the highest theft rates. Perhaps unsurprisingly scooters and mopeds were most favoured by thieves. They were almost twice as likely to be stolen as tourers which were least at risk of all motorcycle types.

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