This might be Taylor Swift’s frozen yogurt-encased city now, but just because we’re now ruled by a Diet Coke in human form doesn’t mean that there isn’t CRIME on our streets. For instance, that brand new bike that you’ve been riding around town and that you’re all proud of owning? Take a tip from this amNewYork story and got a big honking chain for that sucker, because bike theft is on the rise in Taylor Swift’s New York.
So far in 2014, there have been 4,134 bike thefts in the city through October 26, a 10.5% uptick through the same time last year according to amNewYork. That’s in line with a trend of bike thefts going up in New York every year since 2003, which we suppose is something that’s going to happen when so many more bikes are introduced on the streets of the city. Also when people have no idea that a good idea is to have a big honking chain, or even any lock at all. Yes, amNewYork was able to find someone who admitted to leaving her bike unlocked for hours in the West Village, who then came downstairs to find it stolen.
Fortunately, like the case of the people who weren’t locking their doors in Brooklyn Heights, you’re smart enough to at least have a good bike lock, right? Great. The other good news is that the biggest explosion in the case of bike thefts is bike theft that rises to the level of grand larceny, which are bikes that cost more than $1,000, including big upticks in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. With any luck, you don’t have one of those, or your bike that was $1,000 is now looking like an ugly beater that a bike thief wouldn’t necessarily want anyway. If you love your bike though, get that chain.