Tips on how to use bike parking racks How to correctly lock a bike to a bike rack - Source: Los Angeles Police Departmen

Providing an adequate number of bike parking racks in the right location is just one way that site managers can help prevent bike thefts and curb the growing trend in stolen bicycles across the country.

Bicycle theft is not a petty crime anymore. Today's bicycles can average from $300 to $400 in price and run as high as $5,000. That's a major temptation for crooks.

One major obstacle is that bicycle theft is generally not considered a top priority for most overworked police departments. For this and other reasons, many people don't even bother to report a theft when their bike is stolen.

But the numbers are adding up. According to FBI statistics, their data indicates that 250,000 bicycles are reported stolen every year.

However, experts suggest the number of bike thefts is actually FIVE times that amount. That would mean more than 1 MILLION bicycles are ripped off every year. That is a significant crime wave. Bicycles are now clearly a popular target for criminals.

And apprehension rates for those culprits rates are low. The FBI reports only about 18% of bicycle thieves are caught.

The proper placement of bike parking racks

bicycle theft Bicycle thiefs have become more sophisticated. This is why it's important for businesses to provide secure commercial bike racks in well-lit spaces

First thing for any site manager to consider, whether it's for a shopping center, school or business, is if there are an adequate number of commercial bike racks to handle the number of bicyclists.

As traffic becomes more congested and people become more health-conscious, the number of people bicycling to shop, work and play continues to grow across the country.

If you see people attaching their bikes to trees, signs, chain link fences, railings or the other odd-item, there is an obvious need to add more bike parking racks to the location.

Conversely, if a business doesn't see many bicyclists coming their way, they might think about adding a bike parking rack to attract more customers. It's a bicyclist-friendly strategy that has proven to be effective in many major cities across the US.

Unfortunately, with an increase in the price of bicycles, thieves have become more sophisticated in finding ways to abscond with the bikes. They have better tools to cut through chains. They have learned how to pick locks.

Site managers would be smart to provide high-grade, commercial bikes racks that can withstand this assault.

Another strategy they can use to cut on bike crime is to place bike racks for businesses in high-visibility areas that are well lit. Even the most sophisticated bike lock can eventually be broken. But for thieves, time is the enemy, so if the bike racks are situated is in an open area seen by bystanders; the opportunity is less appealing for a heist.

Also place the bike parking racks in view from the inside of a store or business. This way the owner has the ability to keep an eye on their prized possession as well.

Another thing to do is to call the cops. Police departments nationwide are taking a second look at this spiraling upturn in bicycle thefts. They are coming up with some clever ways to combat this trend. One of them is the use of "bait bikes" which are tagged with a GPS device that enables law enforcement to track down stolen bikes and nab the thieves (see link to video below).

There are also programs to educate bicyclists on how to properly secure their bikes (see illustration above created by the Los Angeles Police Department). Bike experts also urge owners to register their bikes and place identifying stickers on their vehicles so ownership can be traced.

One new trend that is starting to become more popular is the use of bike lockers where bicycles are placed in something that resembles a mini-storage shed. The bike storage units are hard for thieves to break into, they can't see what kind of bike, if any, is inside and the unit protects bikes from the weather.

Bike thieves ripping off bike thieves

One incident that took place recently in downtown Los Angeles exemplifies how the bicycle theft problem is increasing and what can be done about it.

Bruce Bellamy, who works in the film industry, reported to police that his $1,400 racing bicycle was stolen recently. It was locked but thieves cut the lock anyway.

A week later plain clothes officers cruising the area came across a young man and his girlfriend walking a bike down the street that matched the description of the racing bike.

The officers had a photograph and documentation about the missing bike that was smartly recorded by Mr. Bellamy. Police were able to quickly determine this was the stolen bike.

Turns out, that thief had stolen the bike from another thief who parked it at a different location. Must have been an attractive bike!

With the $1,400 price tag, it was enough to warrant arrest for grand theft with bail set at a significant, bank-draining $20,000. Those types of arrests will certainly deter bicycle theft real fast.

If a site manager sees heavy bicycling activity at their facility, they might post materials and suggestions to riders on how to properly document the serial numbers of their bikes just like Mr. Bellamy. Show how to register the number with police. Add security cameras too.

Citizens have emotional ties to their bikes. For many people, a bicycle is more than just a transportation appliance. It's a lifestyle. People get ripped off in many ways, but there's something about walking outside and seeing your bicycle gone that is a major downer in most people's eyes.

Experts say EVERY bicycle owner will eventually experience a theft at least once in their lifetime. That's how prevalent this criminal act has become.

As we can see, adding sturdy commercial grade bike parking racks in the right spot is a definite must when it comes to preventing bicycle theft. Being proactive and diligent with other strategies is smart too and shows that the facility is bicycle-friendly.

That's certainly a strategy that will touch the hearts of avid bike riders who want to hang on to their preferred mode of transportation.

Here's a video of a "bike bait" program conducted by the San Francisco Police Department and an actual arrest.

Here are some tips on how to lock your bike to a bike rack, register the bike and what to do if it is stolen.