Less Stolen Bikes?
September 1, 2009 – 1:40 pmAccording to Ha’Aretz, the Tel Aviv police department are providing a registration and engraving service for cyclists who wish to deter thieves. The officer will etch a number into your bike’s frame that should deter thieves from snatching a branded bike.
The bike branding didn’t appeal to everyone, “‘I thought it was a nice idea, but what you get for free looks like you got it for free,’ said Lem, who owns a mountain bike worth NIS 12,000,” but the article states that even he was persuaded to get his bike tatooed.
True, the appearance of an etched serial number may - prima facie – be a good idea but it’s unlikely that it would dissuade a bike thief from an expensive bike. If the thief is savvy enough to break locks and the like, then he or she would know how to strip a bike and repaint it or somehow alter the registration number.
Personally, I think a better lock is the surer way to prevent bike theft and ugly etchings done hastily on the street are not something I’d like to have on my bike. I suppose, however, it’s a pleasant site to even see the police taking a proactive approach to a very common problem in Tel Aviv.
If you want your bike registered, here are the pertinent details from the article:
“City residents are invited to the local community police station on Trumpeldor Street between 10 A.M. and 7 P.M., where they can have their bicycle registered and engraved with their name and ID number, or any other personal details, for free.”
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