A welcome reduction in thefts, but we still receive reports of wretched losses
There was a welcome reduction last year in thefts from both Winchester city and the railway station (British Transport Police) following the drop the previous year. But thefts remain a big problem; earlier this month we heard of the theft of a brand new electric foldable bike from the supposedly secure compound at the station.
Thefts at the station have fallen by two thirds and those in Winchester City by a third – a significantly bigger reduction than the 6% drop across Hampshire as a whole. The reasons for these reductions are unclear. There have not been any significant changes to infrastructure in Winchester or at the station. One can speculate that cyclists’ behaviour has changed: maybe they are using better locks and parking in safer places or maybe bikes are no longer an attractive target. But why is the reduction so much bigger than the rest of Hampshire?
However there are rumours that a bike thief had been arrested; IF this is the case it shows how much impact and misery one person’s actions can make, given the opportunity.
The map below shows locations in Winchester where bikes were taken in 2024. Click on the map for more details.
The data used here is from bike thefts crime data reported to the police in Winchester and similar data recorded by British Transport Police (bikes taken from the station) during 2024. We suspect that thefts from domestic properties are not included in these figures. Many thefts are not reported and we have to assume that this proportion has not suddenly changed.
Historically the railway station has been the leading hotspot for thefts in Winchester. Now Winchester Sports and Leisure Centre (WSLC) is vying for top spot in the list.
A tale of two signs
Whilst we don’t have any details of last year’s seven thefts at WSLC, history tells that they were most probably taken from the bike shelter and poorly-secured. It is noticeable the standard of locks used at the railway station are generally better than those at WSLC. Two years ago, after pressure from Cycle Winchester, WSLC put some signs up under the shelter and we provided suggested wording – which was ignored.
We pointed out at the time, that – whilst possibly better then nothing – the sign is so weak in its language it is almost useless. It does not say why parking in front of the building is a good idea (bikes get taken from the shelter) or what constitutes a secure lock (cable locks get cut in seconds – better to use at least a Solid Secure Gold standard device). The reference to CCTV encourages cyclists to use a location that is prone to theft. CCTV generally reduces crime by around 13% – it is a minor deterrent.
Recently a second sign has appeared from Winchester City Council. This is a much more useful sign that may well be seen elsewhere in Winchester in due course. Well done WCC!
However judging by the quality of some of the locks at the shelter the signage seems to have limited impact. Whether the new sign has not been seen or understood is difficult to know. We may need to take some direct action (tagging bikes) to highlight that seven bikes were taken last year so there is a real risk. Using a lock that can be cut in few seconds is an open invitation to a thief.
Cycle Winchester has a guide to bike security in Winchester here.
If you’ve had a bike stolen in Winchester we’d welcome hearing from you about your experience. In particular we’d like to know the precise location, type of lock used, if it was reported, any action taken by the authorities and any impact on you. Contact us via mailto:hello@cyclewinchester.org.uk.
No visible progress at the station
Meanwhile at the Railway station, there is still no progress. Two years on, the trees and bike stands are still fenced off, the secure compound remains largely inaccessible and the high risk “Bike Hub” is fortunately little used. The reduced theft rate at the station maybe due to cyclists learning (the hard way) to use the relatively safe racks in front of the station and then using adequate locks.
Hints of a solution from SWR to liberate the secure compound came to nothing as did our bid for Customer and Communities Improvement Fund (CCIF) funding to achieve the same result.