In light of a 36 percent rise in bike thefts, Fairfax County Police are advising cyclists to take a few precautions so that their rides don't end up in the wrong hands.
There were 361 bike thefts from Sept. 1, 2012 through Aug. 31, 2013 - up from 265 thefts the year before.
Accordingly, Fairfax County Crime Prevention Officers have the following suggestions:
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- Close garage doors.
- Invest in a hardened steel U-lock.
- Don’t leave bicycles outside for days, or nights, on end. Thieves may be watching and may target “unused” bicycles.
- Consider installing motion sensor lights or alarms on your property.
- Take a photo of your bike and record the serial number; this will aid in recovery should your bike be stolen.
- Consider registering your bicycle on the National Bike Registry.
- Report the stolen item online.
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