The British Transport Police will not investigate bike thefts outside train stations if the bike has been left there for more than two hours. 

Speaking to the BBC, the BTP said, “The more time our officers spend reviewing CCTV, the less time they have available for patrolling railway stations and trains, investigating crimes which cause the most harm”

Tom Fyans, from the London Cycling Campaign, said that the lack of enforcement was stopping people from cycling to train stations. 

“A lack of secure cycle parking at stations, and next to no action against thieves, leaves London way behind the Netherlands, where nearly half of trips to stations are by bike. 

“Many victims of theft in the capital just stop cycling – if we want to reduce car trips in London and encourage cycling, we have to redouble enforcement against cycle theft.” 

Simon Feldman told the BBC that he reported a theft that happened whilst he was on shift in London. He had left his bike for 10 hours. 

“Even though it’s right under a camera. And I found out that if you have left your bike for more than two hours, they won’t investigate it,” he said. 

“I was pretty shocked because what it’s doing effectively is decriminalising bike theft and I realised how many people are being affected by this.

“Lots of people across the country cycle to a station every day and their possessions aren’t being looked after. They’re not safe. Hundreds of thousands of pounds are being thrown into secure bike parking and it isn’t secure,” he said.

“These cameras, you could put a bag over them and that would be exactly the same purpose they serve. The footage is never watched, the footage isn’t monitored so the cameras don’t do anything, so the thieves are so confident now they just take the bikes in broad daylight.

> “Bicycle Redistribution Point”: Spoof sign highlights train station’s bike theft problem, as designer slams police inaction and lack of security for cyclists

British Transport Police said: “Whilst we know that bike thefts are upsetting, inconvenient and potentially costly, there can often be limited opportunity for investigation.

“Our experience tells us at an early stage that there are some crimes that are unlikely to ever be solved – such as those without a clear estimate of time or location for the incident or if there is a lack of CCTV or witnesses.”

Stolen bike wheel.JPG
Stolen bike wheel (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

“The more time our officers spend reviewing CCTV footage for these offences, the less time they have available for patrolling railway stations and trains, investigating crimes which cause the most harm and providing a visible presence across the network.

“We will continue to apply a test of proportionality when determining an investigation – looking at factors such as timeframes, witnesses, the availability of CCTV, the impact on the victim or whether there is a realistic prospect of a successful outcome.

“Any offence which is not investigated will still provide us with valuable intelligence, used to direct our patrols and operations.”

The BTP have also said it will not investigate car thefts if the vehicle has been left for more than two hours, and will not investigate any bikes worth less than £200. 

“Letting cyclists down across the country and providing further barriers to people riding a bike”

Cycling campaigners have been reacting to the decision throughout the afternoon, British Cycling accusing the British Transport Police of “letting cyclists down” and “providing further barriers to people riding a bike”.

“Bikes are a vital mode of transport, and way to access work, education or vital services,” a spokesperson told us. “The theft of a bike is a horrible experience shared by too many people across the country, and decriminalising this activity will only serve to deter more people from choosing cycling, whilst preventing those already riding a bike from continuing to do so.”

Likewise, Sophie Gordon from Cycling UK, told us the decision tells people that they should expect to sort bike thefts themselves.

“The decision not to investigate bike theft when cycles have been left for longer than two hours will hit the lowest income groups the hardest,” she said. “These are often working people who might not be able to afford a car and are relying on bikes and public transport to get to work. If you’re on shift or at work, you will inevitably be away longer than a couple of hours.

“Bike theft is not a petty crime but has serious social consequences and the police need to take it seriously – to have your means of getting around stolen can be devastating. By partnering with cycle trade, planners and other groups, the police could find ways to prevent cycle theft, seeing as that’s more effective than enforcement, but it’s not acceptable for the police to say they will be doing less to investigate theft, when they should be doing more. Otherwise it starts to feel like people should ‘See it. Say it. Sort it yourself’.”