Bike thefts aren't just up in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, they are up all over. By 25 percent, in fact. According to the NYPD, so far this year 1,694 bicycles have been reported stolen, up from 1,346 in the same period last year. And considering many people don't report their stolen rides—since they are highly unlikely to ever come back—the number is in reality probably much higher. This is why we need CitiBike to get going!
The reasons for the increase are hard to pinpoint, but some obvious ones include the massive increase in cyclists over the last few years, the 250 miles of bicycle lanes the DOT has installed since 2007, and the fact that many new cyclists aren't as vigilant about locking their bikes as carefully as they should be (if you only use one lock you are probably doing it wrong—here are our tips on how to do it right).
Meanwhile, an interesting sign that New York is increasingly becoming a cycling city? While bicycle thefts are up, auto thefts are actually down this year by 10 percent.
