U-lock maker Kryptonite has released their list of the Top 10 Cities for Bike Theft. Portland comes in at a tie for 9th place with San Diego, CA and Washington, DC.
Here is the complete list:
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Top 10 Cities for Bike Theft
1. New York City
2. Chicago
3. Boston
4. Philadelphia
5. San Jose
6. Los Angeles – tie
San Francisco – tie
8. Seattle
9. San Diego – tie
Washington, DC – tie
Portland, Oregon – tie
According to Kryptonite Marketing Manager Donna Tocci, the list was put together with numbers from proprietary and on-the-ground data,
“The list is based on things we learned in 2006, after hundreds of shop visits, attending events, talking with community police and talking with customers on the phone, through email and at events. We’ve been out there longer than anyone and have some great relationships so we get some of the best intel around.”
I haven’t run the numbers, but judging from the volume of Stolen Bike Listings on this site (sorry, they’re broken at the moment) it’s clear that bike theft remains a big problem in Portland.
If you are currently using a cable lock, you should not expect your bike to be safe. Ditch the cable and get a high-quality U-lock or some beefy chain (see photo).
For more tips, check out my Bike Theft Page.