Motorcycle thefts in NZ

[Mike.Gayner]

Been looking at a pretty limited data set of motorcycle thefts over the last 10 years. Thought this might be of some interest to you all.

Here are a few charts - all the same data, presented in a few different ways:
http://imgur.com/a/NN8D8#0

I haven't taken any time to analyse the data, but a couple of things jump out immediately.

• Auckland and Canterbury are, as expected, leaders in bike theft.
• Wellington seems to punch way above its weight in population terms.
• Motorcycle theft is at a 10-year high - why would this be??

Source data is attached.

[5ive]

Looking at the stats, the theft rates are especially higher during election years.

Therefore it's John Key's fault.

[Reckless]

Seems to be a lot since Xmas quite a few on Facebook coming through.

I wonder if the hide your address system is not working??
Mine used to be Registered to a vacant sections address in my suburb and I used my old PO box for the re reg forms to come to?
Incl my car and the trailer that tows all the MX bikes.
Now I have them all registered to home with address hidden?

Just wondering if this is wise???

[Crasherfromwayback]

Been looking at a pretty limited data set of motorcycle thefts over the last 10 years. Thought this might be of some interest to you all.

Here are a few charts - all the same data, presented in a few different ways:
http://imgur.com/a/NN8D8#0

I haven't taken any time to analyse the data, but a couple of things jump out immediately.

• Auckland and Canterbury are, as expected, leaders in bike theft.
• Wellington seems to punch way above its weight in population terms.
• Motorcycle theft is at a 10-year high - why would this be??

Source data is attached.

In 25 + years in the industry I've never seen anything like it.

[Mike.Gayner]

Regarding the address hiding thing, I think you're giving these scum bags too much credit. Granted I don't know anything and am therefore talking from my ass, I don't feel like these guys are all that sophisticated. I reckon they're much more likely to follow you home than go through the system. I also believe most thefts are crimes of opportunity, and the best thing you can do is make it harder for them.

Actually no, the best thing you can do is be fully insured. That definitely lessens the mental burden. I really should get around to doing that.

[rustyrobot]

It would be interesting to see this broken down by motorcycle type, or make. I suspect that the lion's share of thefts are dirt bikes but that's just a guess. I had a look at the Registration statistics to see if there was any correlation, but they only show new bike registrations - and either way this wouldn't count bikes that aren't registered (i.e. dirt bikes).

There was a vaguely similar trend with a spike in both thefts and ownership around 2008, a bit of a dip and then a climb again in the last couple of years.

I read an 'Ask Me Anything' with a 'professional' bike thief and he indicated that the preferred/easiest bikes to steal were those parked in shared apartment garages. Perhaps the increase in apartment living is contributing a little to this trend?

[R650R]

I read an 'Ask Me Anything' with a 'professional' bike thief and he indicated that the preferred/easiest bikes to steal were those parked in shared apartment garages. Perhaps the increase in apartment living is contributing a little to this trend?

Lot of subdivided houses these days seem to put garage in front of house to reduce road noise, increase privacy etc. There's one like that up the road and I don't know how you'd sleep at night with the mancave so vulnerable....

[R650R]

Regarding the address hiding thing, I think you're giving these scum bags too much credit. Granted I don't know anything and am therefore talking from my ass, I don't feel like these guys are all that sophisticated. I reckon they're much more likely to follow you home than go through the system. I also believe most thefts are crimes of opportunity, and the best thing you can do is make it harder for them.

Actually no, the best thing you can do is be fully insured. That definitely lessens the mental burden. I really should get around to doing that.

Yep agree and also make it difficult/time consuming to exit the shed/property. No cars go in me shed anymore so the big doors are blocked off, only exit is through side door with mirrors folded at right angle and lean the bike etc....

[Fatt Max]

Seems to be a lot since Xmas quite a few on Facebook coming through.

I wonder if the hide your address system is not working??
Mine used to be Registered to a vacant sections address in my suburb and I used my old PO box for the re reg forms to come to?
Incl my car and the trailer that tows all the MX bikes.
Now I have them all registered to home with address hidden?

Just wondering if this is wise???

There are folks that join the abundance of Facebook motorcycle groups to check out where the meeting points are. Lest face it, people are proud of their bikes and like to show them off on Facebook so when they all congregate somewhere its possible that these people are there seeing if there is the chance of half inching one. Not beyond the realms of possibility and that kind of 'casing out' is rife in the UK.
Never give your personal details out on Social media I suppose, its a bit of a showroom to those that steal

[madbikeboy]

The jump in a decade is astonishing. It's almost double - 592 in 2004 to 1027 in 2014.

[madbikeboy]

There are folks that join the abundance of Facebook motorcycle groups to check out where the meeting points are. Lest face it, people are proud of their bikes and like to show them off on Facebook so when they all congregate somewhere its possible that these people are there seeing if there is the chance of half inching one. Not beyond the realms of possibility and that kind of 'casing out' is rife in the UK.
Never give your personal details out on Social media I suppose, its a bit of a showroom to those that steal

I don't get people who bleat about personal privacy, then share every detail of their life on social media.

[240]

Been looking at a pretty limited data set of motorcycle thefts over the last 10 years. Thought this might be of some interest to you all.

Here are a few charts - all the same data, presented in a few different ways:
http://imgur.com/a/NN8D8#0

I haven't taken any time to analyse the data, but a couple of things jump out immediately.

• Auckland and Canterbury are, as expected, leaders in bike theft.
• Wellington seems to punch way above its weight in population terms.
• Motorcycle theft is at a 10-year high - why would this be??

Source data is attached.

Not really mate as there are more people in Wellington than chch

[James Deuce]

The jump in a decade is astonishing. It's almost double - 592 in 2004 to 1027 in 2014.

Burglary resolution rate in Wellington was 14% last year. We have been waiting more than 3 years to hear if they've started investigating our 2011 burglary yet. There are practically no repercussions for stealing other people's shit. Have at it I say. Society obviously condones theft and burglary.

[Crasherfromwayback]

Not really mate as there are more people in Wellington than chch

Only because they add Porirua, Upper and Lower Hutt to Wellington proper.

[Fatt Max]

I don't get people who bleat about personal privacy, then share every detail of their life on social media.

Totally agree mate, 100% with you on that.

These Facebookers love to have groups with 100's of members then get all bent out of shape when one of these people turns out to be a thief...or worse still, an Arsenal supporter.

Seriously though you make a very good point, I know a couple of people who would benefit from what you are saying