Bike thief tells how to stop your cycle from being stolen


Bike blog : Chained up bicycles on Kensington High Street, London
Use two different locks on the front and back wheels of your bike, so that thieves have to carry more than one tool to break them. Photograph: Alex Segre/Rex Features
Omar Aziz started stealing bikes when he was 17 and carried on until he finally weaned himself off crack cocaine at the age of 29. Now he wants to make amends. He is volunteering in his local area and he agreed to advise Guardian readers how not to get their bikes stolen.
Aziz stole a lot of bikes to feed his habit: "When I sell one thing I go and buy my drugs, smoke it, when it finishes, I have to go and get more. I nick another bike," he said.
The easiest pickings were bikes secured with cheap locks. "Some people think they don't have enough money and they buy thin locks, and I used to go and just push the bike and pull it and the lock will break."
Today Aziz locks his own bike up with two thick chains, through both wheels and the frame. Thieves can get through thick chains with the right equipment but it takes a lot of time and heavy cutting equipment. But even that didn't always deter him. On at least one occasion, having eyed-up a bike, Aziz first stole tools before going back for the bike.
CCTV it seems, is also no deterrent. "Even if there is cameras they don't care. For me the best place is to leave your bike is a place where there are people around."

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