Some 500,000 bikes were stolen last year, well down on the 2006 total when 750,000 bikes ‘changed owner’, the home affairs ministry said on Thursday.

In 2008, 640,000 bikes were stolen, the ministry figures show.
The downward trend shows measures to reduce bike thefts are having an effect. Over the past few years, efforts have been made to build more secure bike sheds, register bike thefts and improve locks and chains.
Many new bikes are also now fitted with a chip which allows them to be more easily identified using a special scanner, the ministry said.