| A. scale B. engaged C. disastrous D. hotspots E. target F. victim G. interwoven H. inevitable I. continuous J. resolve K. risky |
Why Bike Theft Is Not Taken Seriously?
For many people a bicycle is the only transport they can afford and it is very convenient for them to use. Therefore, the impact of the loss of their bike can be . But why is cycle theft so often seen as a minor crime?
According to the police, 96,210 bikes were stolen in 2018, and about one in 50 bicycle-owning households fall to cycle theft each year. Those who can afford a second bike might have a "beater", a cheap bike they leave in areas, and can afford to lose — but those who cannot make both ends meet, and live below the poverty line will find themselves cornered by bike theft.
According to a survey for Bike Register, 50% of victims felt police didn't investigate the crime, while those in cycle theft see it as low risk in terms of being caught. Police recover just 3% of stolen bikes. In fact, the problem is almost certainly much greater: People often don't report it thinking there's nothing the police can do, so the full of the problem remains hidden.
Cycle crime hotspots were identified as Cambridge, Oxford, Southampton, Bristol, etc. Most cycle thefts occur near or in people's homes, but thieves also transporthubs(中心，枢纽) and university campuses. In the meantime, the police have come up with a way to the issue. Training 23 officers in regional cycle crime taskforces is part of a national cycle crime strategy, with measures like education on safe locking techniques, working with websites where more than half of stolen bikes are sold, and identifying cycle theft and priorities.
If a bike is stolen, there is about a 20% chance the victim will not replace it, losing their transport, exercise, and potential access to local communities and service. It is widely accepted that police's effort is fundamental to a drop in cycle theft.
