Stolen scooters in China
Discussion
Just arrived back from a two week holiday in China, taking in five big cities, must have seen around 50,000 scooters parked up on the pavements, plus several motorbikes, I only saw ONE with a lock on it.
Contrast that with London, where even with a substantial "D" lock, a scooter would be lucky to last a day in some areas.
So maybe a massive increase in cameras is the answer, plus apparently over there if you commit a crime it can impact other members of your family, (Stopping them getting work in the government for example).
Contrast that with London, where even with a substantial "D" lock, a scooter would be lucky to last a day in some areas.
So maybe a massive increase in cameras is the answer, plus apparently over there if you commit a crime it can impact other members of your family, (Stopping them getting work in the government for example).
Crime is low in China because everyone is being watched all the time. Have a look at Itchy Boots latest season.
Plus society looks down on those sorts of crimes, and communities rally against it. In the UK everyone is defending their balaclava clad scrotes.
If you cause too much trouble for the police in China you will probably just disappear.
Plus society looks down on those sorts of crimes, and communities rally against it. In the UK everyone is defending their balaclava clad scrotes.
If you cause too much trouble for the police in China you will probably just disappear.
I saw the same in Athens, scooter parked up with the keys in.
Odd becuase on the same trip a guy in a green shirt followed us, even after we doubled back.
Wanted my rucksack with the kids Ipad in it I guess.
Luckily a Police officer was standing on a corner.
Think that was the closest I ever came to getting mugged.
Odd becuase on the same trip a guy in a green shirt followed us, even after we doubled back.
Wanted my rucksack with the kids Ipad in it I guess.
Luckily a Police officer was standing on a corner.
Think that was the closest I ever came to getting mugged.
I don't know much about China but I was in Valencia à couplé of weeks ago and was struck by the same thing. Hundreds of bikes and scooters of all types parked all over the city centre and maybe 1 in 30 with any sign of visible security. ( Mrs Aigle got sick of me pointing it out 😀 )
I've spent a bit of time over the past few years in Tenerife and visiting lots of cities on the mainland.
Scooters and big sports bikes parked everywhere, and very few with a lock on.
The faff of having to carry two discloks, one alarmed, as well as a heavy chain and padlock (Looking at nearly £350) was another nail in the coffin of my 46 years of riding and owning motorbikes.
Scooters and big sports bikes parked everywhere, and very few with a lock on.
The faff of having to carry two discloks, one alarmed, as well as a heavy chain and padlock (Looking at nearly £350) was another nail in the coffin of my 46 years of riding and owning motorbikes.
Aren't the figures something like 500 a month stolen in London? with the next biggest area, the whole of the west midlands including Birmingham at about 80? Greater Manchester at about 40 and Edinburgh and the borders about 10?
Living most of my life in north Wales and Scotland i have never locked a bike up parked away from home for the shops or a cafe. including some with no ignition keys.
Living most of my life in north Wales and Scotland i have never locked a bike up parked away from home for the shops or a cafe. including some with no ignition keys.
BenEK9 said:
Aren't the figures something like 500 a month stolen in London? with the next biggest area, the whole of the west midlands including Birmingham at about 80? Greater Manchester at about 40 and Edinburgh and the borders about 10?
Living most of my life in north Wales and Scotland i have never locked a bike up parked away from home for the shops or a cafe. including some with no ignition keys.
Bike theft in Scotland is rife. Edinburgh is beyond believable Living most of my life in north Wales and Scotland i have never locked a bike up parked away from home for the shops or a cafe. including some with no ignition keys.
Courser said:
BenEK9 said:
Aren't the figures something like 500 a month stolen in London? with the next biggest area, the whole of the west midlands including Birmingham at about 80? Greater Manchester at about 40 and Edinburgh and the borders about 10?
Living most of my life in north Wales and Scotland i have never locked a bike up parked away from home for the shops or a cafe. including some with no ignition keys.
Bike theft in Scotland is rife. Edinburgh is beyond believable Living most of my life in north Wales and Scotland i have never locked a bike up parked away from home for the shops or a cafe. including some with no ignition keys.
752 Motorbikes stolen for the whole of Scotland and 381 recovered from April 2025 to March 2026
63 a Month, half of which are recovered. I wouldn't call that rife.
"752 motorcycles were recorded as stolen in 2025-26, and of those 381
(51%) were then recovered. The number of motorcycles stolen in 2025-26
decreased by 8% (or 64) from the 816 recorded in 2024-25, while the number of
those recovered increased by 11% (or 37) from the 344 recorded in 2024-25"
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/go...
Edited by BenEK9 on Tuesday 20th October 21:20
Watchthis said:
For context, Edinburgh has a population of around 530,000. London has a population of just over 9,100,000
What sort of half arsed context is this? How do my posts need context but none of the other anecdotal guff comparisons do?Everything points to a London problem not a UK wide problem.
Here is some more context if you are keen on that sort of thing, annualised.
19 Thefts per 100,000 in Edinburgh and borders.
13.5 Thefts pers 100,000 SCOTLAND
27 Thefts per 100,000 UK
34.3 Thefts per 100,000 Germany
47.4 Thefts per 100,000 France
53.8 Thefts per 100,000 Italy
66 Thefts per 100,000 London
Figures are sketchy beyond this, but London is thought to be third, behind Paris at 2 and Rome at 1.
Dublin, Athens and Amsterdam have similar thefts per 100k as London.
Don't let the truth get in the way of a good old broken Britain story tho!
(havent looked and dont care about china)
Edited by BenEK9 on Tuesday 20th October 23:29
BenEK9 said:
Courser said:
BenEK9 said:
Aren't the figures something like 500 a month stolen in London? with the next biggest area, the whole of the west midlands including Birmingham at about 80? Greater Manchester at about 40 and Edinburgh and the borders about 10?
Living most of my life in north Wales and Scotland i have never locked a bike up parked away from home for the shops or a cafe. including some with no ignition keys.
Bike theft in Scotland is rife. Edinburgh is beyond believable Living most of my life in north Wales and Scotland i have never locked a bike up parked away from home for the shops or a cafe. including some with no ignition keys.
752 Motorbikes stolen for the whole of Scotland and 381 recovered from April 2025 to March 2026
63 a Month, half of which are recovered. I wouldn't call that rife.
"752 motorcycles were recorded as stolen in 2025-26, and of those 381
(51%) were then recovered. The number of motorcycles stolen in 2025-26
decreased by 8% (or 64) from the 816 recorded in 2024-25, while the number of
those recovered increased by 11% (or 37) from the 344 recorded in 2024-25"
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/go...
Edited by BenEK9 on Tuesday 20th October 21:20
ked after the wee s have had their fun on them. I'm not disputing your figures, but its not a win. These are being stolen just to fk about on. Watchthis said:
For context, Edinburgh has a population of around 530,000. London has a population of just over 9,100,000
Shanghai has a population of 24,000,000Beijing 22,000.000
Really brings home what a small countries England & Scotland are.
People were riding on the pavements, sometimes with their Mrs on the back and a four year old standing up in front of his dad, all without helmets, hundreds were looking at their mobile phones whilst going across busy junctions, it was quite an eye opener. I would say 5% were wearing a helmet.
BenEK9 said:
Such an odd sensationalist reply especially when I just gave you edinburgh and borders figures.
752 Motorbikes stolen for the whole of Scotland and 381 recovered from April 2025 to March 2026
63 a Month, half of which are recovered. I wouldn't call that rife.
"752 motorcycles were recorded as stolen in 2025-26, and of those 381
(51%) were then recovered. The number of motorcycles stolen in 2025-26
decreased by 8% (or 64) from the 816 recorded in 2024-25, while the number of
those recovered increased by 11% (or 37) from the 344 recorded in 2024-25"
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/go...
Don t care what the figures say . Bike theft is a serious issue in Scotland and Edinburgh is a no go area for decent bikes , especially if you are a tourist and want to continue your holiday on your bike . 752 Motorbikes stolen for the whole of Scotland and 381 recovered from April 2025 to March 2026
63 a Month, half of which are recovered. I wouldn't call that rife.
"752 motorcycles were recorded as stolen in 2025-26, and of those 381
(51%) were then recovered. The number of motorcycles stolen in 2025-26
decreased by 8% (or 64) from the 816 recorded in 2024-25, while the number of
those recovered increased by 11% (or 37) from the 344 recorded in 2024-25"
https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/go...
Edited by BenEK9 on Tuesday 20th October 21:20
Almost every biker I know won t take a bike into the city now as theft is so prevalent.
Call it what you will, I ll call it living there and knowing the situation first hand
Bob_Defly said:
Torquey said:
I often wonder how the uk would be with a Chinese like police force.
More pros than cons, if you're a law abiding citizen?
More pros than cons, if you're a law abiding citizen?
That's the silliest thing I've heard in a while.Gassing Station | Biker Banter | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff