Crime Stoppers Australia and Data Dot Technology (ASX: DDT) have announced the creation of a FREE National Bike Register to combat the growing trend of bicycle theft across the country.
A huge increase in the sale of bicycles (market growth of an average of 20% per annum) and the influx of high-end bikes has led in turn to a rise in thefts.
From January to November last year, more than 5,800 bikes were reported stolen in New South Wales alone.
The A.C.T has reported a 25 per cent hike in thefts and Victoria has seen a 10 per cent rise, at a cost of almost four million dollars.
The National Bike Register will allow owners to log information about their bicycles and bike parts into a database, developed and maintained by Data Dot Technology Ltd. At no cost to them.
Under the initiative, when a registered bicycle is stolen, the owner can report the theft to Crime Stoppers and police can access the National Bike Register for identification details.
“This collaboration with Crime Stoppers and input from operational police will surely have an impact on bike theft,” Data Dot Technology Chief Executive Officer, Temogen Hield, said, “Our view is that if there is a chain of title system to verify ownership of a bike then it’s far more difficult for thieves to sell stolen property.”
“We have been working with Data Dot on this for almost 2 years now and it is finally publicly available and it’s FREE,” Crime Stoppers Australia Director, Peter Price OAM, said.
“When you consider that up to 20 per cent of bike thefts aren’t even reported to police, this will prove to be an enormously valuable resource to the community as well as the authorities,” he added.
New South Wales Police say the register would provide bike owners with additional protection.
“We are happy to lend our support to any legitimate program that can prevent property crime,” said the Force’s Corporate Sponsor of Crime Prevention, Chief Superintendent Brad Shepherd.