Bike theft in London – 2025 statistics
Data from ONS and Police Scotland compiled by London Criminal Defence Solicitors, Lawtons in May 2025.
Our latest analysis of ONS and Police Scotland data shows that in 2024, there were over 61,000 recorded bicycle thefts in England and Wales. The analysis also uncovered how, for the year ending March 2024, the majority of bike thefts (70%) occurred during the week, with less than a third happening at the weekend (30%).
The most common time of day for a bike to be stolen was during the afternoon, with 29% of thefts happening at this time, followed by the night (27%). However, it’s important for bicycle owners to be careful with their possessions, as crimes can occur at any point.
Bikes are much safer when stored in private sheds or storage units, however, this does not make them exempt from theft. 40% of bicycle thefts in the latest period were taken from ‘semi-private’ premises, which include the outside areas of people’s homes, as well as garages or car parks around but not connected to the home.
When looking specifically at bike crime in London, our analysis of the latest Metropolitan Police data for the year ending April 2025 found that Hackney is the borough where bike crime is the highest, with 1,363 bike thefts in the year ending April 2025. This equates to 4.8 thefts per 1,000 population, almost triple the London average of 1.7 per 1,000.
Of the thousands of thefts committed across London, only around 1% led to a positive outcome—where the incident or criminal investigation achieved a positive result, such as an arrest, prosecution, or conviction.
What is the impact of bicycle theft?
Bicycle thefts can have a significant financial impact on victims. The mean cost of stolen items in incidents of bicycle theft last year was £487, and 86% of cases involved a stolen value of over £100.
What can bike owners do to protect their property from theft?
According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, 5% of households think bicycle theft is just ‘something that happens,’ but there are measures you can take to reduce the chance of it happening to you.
The first step you can take is to use a lock. Less than half of the people who had a bicycle stolen in FY2024 said their bike was locked at the time of the crime, with many believing that it was a safe area, so a lock wouldn’t be necessary. There are a lot of different locks available, so do your research and read reviews to find an option that is secure and within your budget. If possible, store your bike indoors or in a shed or garage.
Another measure you can take is to register your bicycle with BikeRegister. While registering your bicycle won’t prevent it from being stolen, it increases your chances of being reunited with your bicycle in the event of a theft. BikeRegister is the UK’s national cycle database, so your details will be held on a secure online database which all UK Police Forces have access to.
You can also security mark your bicycle. This acts as a visible deterrent to bicycle thieves, as they know the owner of the marked bicycle can be traced and they will be arrested.
