How can I prevent my next bike from being stolen?

I park my bike in my building's bicycle room, in the parking garage in the basement.

The garage door can only be opened with a remote fob, and the bicycle room is locked as well.

In the garage, I secure my bike using a U-lock, and a chain lock.

This morning, I came to find a hole in the door, and the two locks cut by what looks like an electrical saw.

What can I do to avoid that should I buy a new bike?

7 Answers
7

That sucks. I'm sorry that your bike was stolen.

If thieves are willing to break into a locked garage, break into a locked and fully enclosed mesh bike parking area then cut two bike locks using power tools: there's not much you can do about it.

If there are lots of bikes in the bike parking area you can make your bike a lower priority target by increasing the number and strength of the locks, and by making the bike itself look less desirable.

Looking at the first picture, it seems the bike parking area door could be easily opened from the inside. The thieves were able to cut a hole in the door and reach the door release - not the most secure setup. Also, it's likely that someone let them into the garage - i.e. one of your neighbors.

Just store your bike in your apartment if you can.

There's nothing you can do if the storage area is not under constant surveillance.

It can take as little as 2 minutes to grind a U-Lock.

The only real solution is to keep your bike in your apartment.

In the meantime, check to know how the thief was able to get in that area ? did he came via the garage door ? the front door ?

Did he enter while someone enter or leave without checking ?

Check with your home insurances to see what can be done about that, if the building is responsible in some way.

Anecdotal: When I come in my building, if someone is waiting to be let in, I tell them to wait outside and wait and not come at the same time as I do and if I leave by the garage, I wait until the door is closed before either leaving or going down the ramp.

I lost a few bikes to theft when I was in university. It stunk.

I took to buying used bikes (probably from bike thieves).

I wrapped the frame tubes of my (otherwise nice) bike in peelable masking tape, then smeared them with grease. Nobody wanted that ugly bike. It worked to prevent theft; I kept that one for many years.

Funny enough, the parking garage may actually be less safe than a well-exposed outside location. When I was commuting between the cities of Hamburg and Berlin I locked my (500/1000$) bikes at the train stations, sometimes for weeks. I made sure to detach and lock my front wheel together with the back wheel and frame though, on some steel pole or railing, with a good-quality U lock. Just one time in two years or so somebody stole my suspended saddle post.

Both stations have their share of homeless and drug-addicted people hanging around; but the places are busy 24/7. I suppose your average friction saw creates too many sparks at night to go unnoticed in public; but in a parking garage the thieves have all the time in the world. So try the next intersection next time. And yes, use a bike which is not a special target.

There are motion sensors (installed on your bike) and locks that can notify you if your bike is being moved. I don't have direct experience with them, and they're obviously expensive, so you'll need to decide whether something like that is worth it.

Check the quality of your locks ! I suspect both to be breakable with a bolt cutter (yes, your u-lock too).

You will learn more here :

For owners, a second option is more onerous, but will not benefit only to you.

Install a camera.
Put it high enough to reduce the risk of being destroyed.
Be sure to have access to data even if it is destroyed.
This may even protect the whole garage, not only bikes.

To prevent your bike being stolen, you could encase it in concrete. But I think you mean how do you keep it secure whilst also being able to ride it. If thieves have good power tools and expertise, they can cut through anything unattended, so if you keep your bike under 24-hour manned guard, this opportunity will never arise. Mere CCTV won't be enough. By the time the alarm is raised and someone attends the scene, the bike will be gone, and you'll only have a video of your bike being stolen as a consolation prize. Hiring guards to watch over your bike could well be more expensive than the bike, so you could take in lodgers so your home is never unoccupied; they watch over your stuff, and you watch over theirs. You could also keep your bike watched on campus or at work by taking it into the building and either locking it to a fitting in a staff-only area, or parking it near your desk or in another area frequently only by immediate colleagues.

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