The royal borough of Kingston upon Thames was Britain’s bike crime capital in 2005, closely followed by Greater London, according to new figures that show the country’s bike theft hot spots.

Cambridge, Bristol and Oxford complete the UK’s top five bike theft hot spots. Previously York had top bike crime spot, but has now fallen to 6^th place.

Bike thieves are riding off with £113 million worth of bicycles a year according to the figures issued by Halifax General Insurance. Incidents of the crime have risen 9.5% since 2001 and over 400,000 of the 20 million UK bike owners fall victim to cycle theft annually.

Today 52% of all bike thefts are taking place directly outside the home, for example from a garage or a shed.  14% of thefts take place from directly inside the home. 

To avoid becoming a victim of bicycle theft Halifax General Insurance recommends a number of simple safety measures such as fitting a U-type lock to an unattended cycle. The insurer revealed that 14% of bicycle claims it received in 2005 were for unsecured cycles.

Vicky Emmott, Halifax General Insurance,said, ''Pressure to take up greener methods of transport and to get fit, combined with the terrorist attacks on public transport in July 2005, has led to a resurgence in the number of people taking to their bicycles. All of which provides even greater opportunities for thieves.”

To stand a better chance of deterring a thief, cyclists should ensure that their bikes are post-coded, securely locked and out of view hidden inside a locked garage, shed or outhouse – or even in the house.

“Given the amount of warnings and the relatively low cost of purchasing a good lock it is surprising that so many people still leave their bicycle unsecured,” Ms         Emmott added.

Ten tips for tighter cycling security

• Make use of special bicycle parking racks where possible and always lock your bike, regardless of how long you will be away from it
• If possible use a rack that is in a well-lit or well-travelled area
• When not in use, keep the bike locked in an outbuilding or inside the house
• Always keep the door to the building where you store your bike/s locked, even if you are just in the back garden - an opportunist will always take their chances
• Always lock up your bike and use a hardened steel U-type lock, as cable locks are easily cut.  The majority of insurance companies will only provide cover for secured bicycles
• Consider using anti-pry devices
• Register your bike at one of the bike ownership agencies
• Use an ultraviolet pen to mark your postcode on the frame
• Write down the name, model and serial number of the bike and store it somewhere safe in case you need to pass on the details to the police
• Take photographs of the bike and keep a note of extras such as mudguards, high performance tyres and even water bottles, and other equipment you may have added over time.