THE speed of bike theft reduction in Basingstoke has slowed but numbers continue to fall overall, data shows, as a series of safety sessions to address the ‘long standing’ problem is launched.

Concerns have been raised about bike thefts in Basingstoke, with PCC Donna Jones announcing new sessions for bike owners in the town over the coming month.

In 2021, there were a total of 67 bike thefts recorded by Hampshire Constabulary across Basingstoke’s five ‘urban’ districts. Thirty of these incidents occured in Basingstoke Centre. 

This total is a reduction on 2020, in which there were 87 recorded bike thefts, and shows a pattern of overall reduction over a four-year period, with 140 incidents in 2019 and 218 in 2018.

The highest number of recorded bike thefts in urban Basingstoke in one month in 2021 was 9, which was the figure in both July and September. This is compared to 15 in December 2020, 26 in March 2019, and 44 in August 2018. 

However, in 2021, there were year-on-year reductions in five out of 12 months, while three months remained the same as the previous year and four months saw an increase.

This is compared with nine out of 12 months in 2020 in which there was a year-on-year reduction from 2019.

Between 2018 and 2019, the total number of bike thefts dropped by 78 (or 35.78 per cent). It reduced again by 53 between 2019 and 2020 (37.86 per cent decline). However, between 2020 and 21, there were just 20 fewer cases (a 22.99 per cent decline).

Therefore, while numbers of bike thefts in the town have been declining since 2018 - overall, although not continuously - the speed at which figures are dropping has slowed.

Data referring to the five ‘urban’ areas of Basingstoke listed by Hampshire Constabulary accounts for a total population of approximately 107,643. 

That is approximately 5.64 per cent of the entire region recorded, which has a population of 1,909,585.

However, when comparing the total number of bike thefts in urban Basingstoke with the region as a whole, the town was responsible for less than 5.64 per cent of the region’s total in each of the last three years.

Urban Basingstoke therefore does not have a disproportionate number of bike thefts within Hampshire as a whole.

Hampshire Constabulary, the Police and Crime Commissioner and Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council are holding free events for bike owners in Festival Place in February and March, to improve bike security and reduce thefts. 

PCSOs will be fitting marking kits to bikes, and staff from the PCC’s office will help to get people signed up to BikeRegister. 

Permanently marking your bike and registering helps to identify and recover bikes if they are stolen. Gold Standard locks approved by Secured by Design will help to deter and prevent bike theft from happening in the first place.

SEE ALSO: Neighbourhood Watch raises concerns about crime after Chapel Gate bike theft

The next sessions are being held on Monday, February 21 from 10am to 2pm; Friday, march 4 from 12.30pm to 3pm; and Monday, March 21 from 10am to 2pm.

The team will be based on the lower level of Festival Place, outside Santander Bank. Anyone can turn up with a bike to get it marked and registered, and also bring their old bike lock to participate in the exchange for a Gold Standard lock.

The event is being funded as part of the Safer Streets project in Basingstoke. The Safer Streets Fund resources a range of proposals that contribute to Basingstoke being a safer place to live, work and visit. 

The work is being carried out in partnership with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and other community partners. 

Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones said: “Bike thefts have been a long standing issue in Basingstoke which is why we are running schemes to help people prevent thefts. The impact of a stolen bike is far more than the monetary loss. It leads to people feeling less safe in their communities.”

SEE ALSO: Teen threatened with a knife in bike robbery at Basingstoke play park

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s cabinet member for communities, planning and infrastructure, Cllr Simon Bound, added: “I am pleased that together with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner we are able to offer further bike security events for our residents, following the success of the previous event.

“Bike marking is an excellent way to protect your bike from being stolen. I would encourage residents across the borough to pop in to one of the events taking place in February and March to take advantage of this great opportunity to have their bike marked free of charge.”