employment 4 students - The UK's most visited student jobsite

Menu

Bike thefts cost millions

07 Sep 2007

Bike thefts cost millions Cash-strapped students should take greater care of their bicycles, new research has suggested.

The study, from Direct Line Home Insurance, found that on average, 106 student bicycles are stolen every day in the UK.

This leaves students with a collective bill of around £18.7 million.

And with the average bike costing £160 to replace, students could save themselves considerable cash by taking some sensible precautions.

Only one-third of those students owning bikes were found to have insurance cover.

Many also left their wheels unsecured while in lectures or at home, or used inadequate locking mechanisms to secure them.

Andrew Lowe, head of home insurance at Direct Line, said: "In recent years, the number of claims for stolen bicycles has risen as much as 34 per cent in September - just when new and returning students are wheeling out their bicycles to campus and bringing them back to their halls of residence for the new academic year.

"A student bike may seem like rich pickings for bike thieves, but for just a few pounds, students should ensure they have a good quality lock on their bike."

He continued: "With so many students at risk of having their bike stolen, we would strongly advise them to either take out their own insurance or check to see if their parents' policy covers them."

Recent research from You Gov found that five per cent of students have had their bikes stolen whilst at university.

Are you looking for part-time work to help you replace your bike? Find and apply for part-time jobs through our Part-Time Job Searchfacility, or broaden your horizons through the All Jobs Search.

Find your perfect job now!

Register now to let employers find you and be notified about the latest relevant jobs