The rapid increase in bicycle use in the Brussels region has brought with it a sharp rise in bicycle thefts. Between 2015 and 2022, the number of reported thefts rose by more than 70 per cent according to research undertaken by Safe.brussels, the security agency of the Brussels region.
Analysis shows a rapid rise in the number of cyclists in the Brussels region. The number of bikes passing counting points increased fivefold since 2010. According to Safe.brussels, this is partly due to the increase in traffic jams, the improvement of the cycling infrastructure, people’s wish to use healthier and less polluting modes of transport and the popularity of electric bikes.
At the same time, the number of bicycle thefts has also risen markedly. In 2015, 2,900 bicycles were reported stolen; by 2022, this had increased to 5,000, a 72 per cent increase.
Safe.brussels also believes that not every bicycle theft is reported. The security agency estimates the real number of bicycle thefts in 2022 at between 8,335 and 13,500.
Thefts in the centre of Brussels mainly take place in public spaces. In the outskirts of the capital region, many bicycles are also stolen from homes or other private spaces.
The bicycle is a “popular item” to steal, especially in urban areas where they are everywhere. Brussels is no exception to this rule, although there is nothing to suggest that bicycle theft is more common in Brussels than in other big cities, the report says.