South west London has emerged as a hotspot for bicycle thefts at train stations, with the borough of Richmond reporting the highest number of incidents across the capital.
Bicycle theft is one of the most prevalent crimes in London, with an incident happening every 16 minutes.
In 2024, nearly a thousand of these thefts were of bicycles locked up at stations, according to data from the British Transport Police.
Data from London rail, overground, tube and tram stations shows a significant density of these bicycle thefts from stations in the South West, with Surbiton, Richmond, Twickenham and Teddington stations consistently among the highest number of reported thefts from 2019 until 2024.
Stations in Richmond recorded 734 reported incidents in the six year period and Kingston upon Thames followed with 405.
Stations Richmond and Kingston alone recorded more than a fifth of total bicycle thefts from stations across all of London’s 33 boroughs, based on data obtained by a Freedom of Information request.
Jake Neale, Retail and Marketing Manager at Richmond Cycles, said: “In the last couple of years, it definitely feels like that’s happening more regularly, both from outside stations, but also from homes and elsewhere.”
The average price of new bicycles in the United Kingdom sat at around £590 in 2023, according to Statista research. Some models can sell for significantly more.
Neale added: “It’s definitely not uncommon around here to see £10,000 bikes.”
High value models which are rarely registered and difficult to trace, with a low likelihood of police intervention, makes bicycles an appealing target for thieves, according to Neale.
He said: “They just cut through the street furniture because these days, bike theft is no longer just teenagers seeing an unlocked bike and just grabbing it for a bit of fun. It’s a real targeted theft. They know what they’re doing.
“They’re rocking up with unmarked vans and ankle drivers and completely covered faces, and they’re in and out within seconds. It’s basically impossible to stop, really.”
For Neale, who has worked at Richmond Cycles for over seven years, it makes sense for bike thefts to be more common in the South West, as it’s a more affluent part of London and bikes are likely to be of higher value.
Yet the number of thefts is not directly correlated to affluence.
In fact, Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea rank highest for resident’s disposable income, according to Trust for London data, yet they have the lowest number of reported bicycle thefts.
Neale also noted the proximity to Richmond Park, one of London’s most popular spots for the cycling community, which may attract cyclists to the area, who may be more likely to buy higher value bikes.
Ben Holland, a podcast host, has had six bikes stolen in the 20 years he has lived in South London, leaving him financially strained and frustrated.
These thefts have deterred him from repurchasing an aspirational bike, because the risk of getting it stolen is too high.
The 41-year-old said: “I saw a bike someone was selling, an expensive specialized bike, for next to nothing. That’s a really amazing, beautiful bike, and it’d be nice to ride around. And I thought, oh, actually, no. That’s crazy, it’s not worth having one.
“I feel very confident that by having a cheap bike and an expensive lock, like a lock that’s literally worth more than the bike, then you’d always be fine.”
As a result of the number of thefts from London stations, the British Transport Police have launched a campaign in collaboration with the tracking website, BikeRegister.com to make stolen bikes more easily traceable.
The campaign aims to raise awareness about the high frequency of bicycle theft in London and encourages cyclists to “double lock” their bikes as a preventive measure.
The British Transport Police said: “We are pleased to see a decrease in reports of thefts at Twickenham and Richmond in 2024 compared to the previous year.
“We are aware that every offence is one too many, and we will continue to work relentlessly alongside our policing partners and partners in the rail industry to further reduce incidents of theft and criminality across the railway network.
“Our patrols are targeted and supported by statistics to ensure that our officers are exactly where they are most needed.”
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