Recorded bike thefts in London have fallen steadily over the past five years, dropping from 23,856 incidents in 2020 to 14,147 in 2025, a reduction of more than 40 per cent.
While the headline numbers suggest progress, cycling campaigners warn that the decline is misleading and driven largely by falling public confidence in police response rather than improved enforcement.
Metropolitan Police data shows a consistent downward trend: thefts fell from 23,856 in 2020 to 21,180 in 2021, 18,352 in 2022, 16,187 in 2023, 15,976 in 2024 and finally 14,147 in 2025.
The sharpest falls occurred during the pandemic, when commuting patterns changed dramatically, but recorded thefts have continued to decline even as cycling activity has largely recovered.
The London Cycling Campaign (LCC) argues this continued fall reflects disengagement rather than success.
Ahead of a major report due next month, an LCC spokesperson said that many Londoners no longer see the point of reporting stolen bikes.
They said: “The likely answer to falling reported bike thefts is sadly not effective policing, but that Londoners are less and less likely to even bother reporting thefts to a police force that only secures what it describes as ‘positive outcomes’ for just 1.4% of the thousands of bikes reported stolen.”
When the Met’s crime data dashboard is switched from “offences” to “positive outcomes” for 2025, it shows just 197 positive outcomes linked to bike theft across the whole of London.
Against 14,147 reported thefts, that equates to roughly 1.4%, meaning more than 98% of reported cases result in no formal outcome such as a charge, caution, or other resolution.
Borough-level mapping shows the highest volumes of bike theft occurs in inner London, particularly central and south-central boroughs with dense cycling, transport hubs and commercial activity.
Outer boroughs record fewer thefts, reflecting both lower cycling levels and fewer opportunities rather than necessarily stronger enforcement.
The Metropolitan Police has previously highlighted limited resources and competing priorities, while advising cyclists to register bikes, use high-quality locks and mark frames.
Featured image credit: Thomas Hunter II via Unsplash
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