Crime Stoppers Tasmania puts the brakes on bike theft with Bikelinc

With a bicycle stolen every day on average in Tasmania, Crime Stoppers Tasmania is bringing Bikelinc to the State – an online community tool that connects owners to their bikes.

Crime Stoppers Tasmania Chair David Daniels OAM said the program, developed by Crime Stoppers Western Australia, is a great community initiative. “Bikelinc now has over 45,000 bikes securely listed and linked to their owners,” said Mr Daniels.

Crime Stoppers Tasmania CEO David Higgins said introducing Bikelinc to Tasmania supports the growing number of people who enjoy bike riding and have financially invested in their bicycles. “A 2021 national cycling survey shows the number of Tasmanians riding at least once in the past year has increased by 27%, compared to the previous survey in 2019. With Christmas approaching, and new bikes on many shopping lists, now is a good time to introduce Bikelinc,” said Mr Higgins.

“All bikes can be a target to thieves, whether they are the more expensive mountain bikes, road bikes and e-bikes, to the basic recreational bikes on the market. Bikelinc connects you, your bike, Tasmania Police and the cycling community. Bike owners and retailers create a free profile of their bike on Bikelinc, using a serial number to link it to them as the rightful owner,” Mr Higgins said.

The Tasmanian Association of Police and Community Youth Clubs (TAPCYC) CEO Scott Wade said Bikelinc protects bike owners from theft and increases the likelihood of having bikes returned.

“Bikelinc is for anyone who enjoys bike riding as a form of commuting, recreation or sport and doesn’t want bike thieves disrupting their cycling lifestyle,” he said.

“PCYC represents and supports many vulnerable people in our community who rely on bikes for transport and recreation. These people can’t afford to lose their bike,” said Mr Wade.

Tasmania Police is very successful in recovering and retrieving bikes but have difficulty in returning them to their owners. Bikelinc allows police to securely check Bikelinc to confirm the ownership of bikes that come into their possession, or to check the legitimacy of people claiming to own bikes.

Senior Sergeant Mathew Adams from Tasmania Police said that Tasmania Police was committed to preventing and investigating crime. “However, there are ways that members of the community can help to prevent their property from being targeted by thieves and Bikelinc is an excellent opportunity for bike owners to take steps to help protect their property,” Senior Sergeant Adams said.

“Thieves are often opportunistic and will take advantage of anyone who leaves their belongings unsecured and unattended.

“What we do know is that most bikes, including e-bikes, are stolen from residences, with a total of 240 bikes being stolen in 2021-22. This is followed by public places, with 62 bikes being stolen from public places in 2021-22.

“Cyclists and bike owners are encouraged to make sure their bikes are always secured, and never left unattended, particularly in a public place. We don’t want anyone to have their belongings stolen or damaged. That’s why we’re so supportive of the Bikelinc initiative. By registering your bike serial number in the event your bike is stolen, it makes it so much easier to help return it to you.”

Anyone who knows anything about bike theft is asked to contact Tasmania Police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000.

Bike retailers can also upload their high-end stock to Bikelinc and transfer a bike to its new owner’s profile upon purchase. For peace of mind, anyone thinking of buying a second-hand bike can also check Bikelinc to see that the bike isn’t listed as stolen.

Thank you to our sponsors

  • Tasmania Police
  • Tasmanian Association of Police and Community Youth Clubs
  • Bicycle Network
  • Neighbourhood Watch

An Australian Government Initiative.

For more information please visit bikelinc.com.au