Stop Motorcycle Theft

Motorcycle are fast, sexy, liberating and, above all, damned good fun. Sadly they stop being all of the above when they're stolen. And it's a growth industry for those on the wrong side of the law.

The proof of this happening is that bike theft costs motorcycle insures every year more. Little wonder when you realize a motorcycle or scooter is stolen about every 15 minutes in Thailand. Most 2-wheelers which are stolen every year are scooters, more than 70 per cent.

More motorcycles than cars are stolen too. In Thailand the figure for stolen bikes is four times that of stolen cars.

According to records, only four per cent of motorcycles stolen are recovered compared to 79 per cent of cars stolen, while small bikes, under 150cc, less than five years old, suffer a theft rate as high as 85 in 1000.

For some teenage popular models the theft rate is even higher. In fact, theft of small motorcycle account for 93 per cent of all bike thefts.

What can we do about this? Plenty of it's common sense, but it's amazing how often this fails us, so remember park in a conspicuous place. Avoid areas where a thief could work undetected. Lock you bike to an immovable object. Steel railings, pillars, posts, ground anchors, with a decent lock, or chain two or three motorcycle together.

Scooters and motorcycles can be lifted into a truck in seconds if not chained to something solid. Think like the scumbag: is it easy to lift?

Fit a simple but reliable alarm. To alert passers-by if the thief takes a pop at your motorcycle. Few tea leaves stick around to finish the job with an alarm blasting away in their ear.