| 06/19/2001 | Kryptonite Reveals Top 10 Worst Cities For Bike TheftKryptonite Corporation has named New York City the bicycle theft capitol of America for the third straight year. Kryptonite announces its Top 10 Worst Cities for Bike Theft each spring to warn cyclists about the dangers of leaving their bikes without proper protection. Chicago, again, was the second worst city for bike thefts with Miami, Philadelphia and the Washington, DC/Baltimore area rounding out the top five.
"Kryptonite has been passionate about protecting our customers' bicycles for 30 years," said Gary S. Furst, Kryptonite CEO. "Through this list we hope to alert our customers of the dangers of leaving their bicycles unlocked or improperly locked. As the research shows, the highest concentration of bike thefts are in urban areas and on college campuses."
Kryptonite, the innovator of the bicycle U-lock, uses its own proprietary data to create the Top 10 Worst Cities list every year. The theft data that Kryptonite has compiled over three decades contributes to the list, which has been announced for six years. Kryptonite has long been recognized as an authority on theft trends and methods, which it uses to create the best security protection for its customers and give thieves the ultimate frustration.
This year, college town, Tempe, Arizona did not make the list for the first time in many years. Kryptonite attributes this to the University's crime prevention officers working diligently to thwart thieves. Car-friendly Los Angeles and Baltimore were additions to the list becoming cities Kryptonite will be watching closely for growing trends.
The highest number of bike thefts occurs in summer months. Kryptonite warns cyclists to be alert in the following areas:
Kryptonite's Top 10 Worst Cities for Bike Theft*
1. New York, NY
2. Chicago, IL
3. Miami, FL
4. Philadelphia, PA
5. Washington, DC/Baltimore, MD
6. San Francisco, CA (includes Berkeley, Oakland)
7. Boston, MA (includes Cambridge, Somerville)
8. Portland, OR
9. Denver (includes Littleton)
10. (tie) Austin, TX
(tie) Los Angeles, CA
(tie) San Diego, CA
The latest FBI Uniform Crime Report (1999) shows that the average price of the bicycles stolen is on the rise. Over 326,000 bicycles were stolen in 1999 with the average price of more than $338. That is well over $110 million lost yearly.
"Most bikes are stolen from places where owners think they are safe such as the home, garage, college dormitories and apartment complexes," continued Furst. "Locking properly to a fixed, immovable object such as a parking meter or security anchor is the best way to protect your investment at all times."
Kryptonite has the solution for cyclists in these top cities as well as other urban areas. The New York 3000 is the ultimate thief frustration. The New York 3000 replaces Kryptonite's flagship product, the New York Lock. The New York 3000 features the "crossbar over crossbar" construction, which is Kryptonite's hardened Kryptonium(TM) steel sleeve over the crossbar, providing superior security protection. The crossbar design combined with the PikSafe, anti-pick disc-style cylinder provides the greatest defense against most
common forms of lock picking or attack. Its 5/8" shackle defeats thieves thinking it will be easy to cut through this part of the lock with bolt cutters, saws, hammers or any other common hand tool.www.kryptonitelock.com
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