In a survey organized by the Royal Dutch Touring Club ANWB (almost 4 million members strong) participants were asked about their experiences with theft and the social media were scanned for conversations on this topic. Members leave their bikes unused if there are no safe parking facilities. If people fear bike theft, it is because they mostly fear the financial loss that goes with it (81%). Bike theft victims forgo the bike for fear of theft more frequently (20%) than non-victims (8%). 10% of members have been a victim of theft in the last 3 years.
Bicycles are stolen primarily in shopping areas (30%), train stations (18%), and residential areas (16%). Nearly everyone takes anti-theft measures, mostly by fastening the bike to objects (46%) and using two or more locks (52%). Bike theft victims do this more often (69% and 75%). 70% of victims report the theft, although some victims do question the usefulness of this.
Many people are only able to give a poor description of their bike and therefore get in a tizzy when reporting a bike theft. While more than half of all cyclists know that the police can determine if a bike is stolen or registered by consulting the frame number, almost the half of all cyclists have not recorded their frame number. Because of that they cannot submit a complete police report, which is needed before a bicycle can be entered in the bicycle theft register.