Stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) expert, Tracker, urges commuter and delivery motorbike owners to focus on security to protect their vehicles, as it reveals that it recovered over 225 stolen motorcycles in 2016. This represents a 9.2% increase in recoveries compared to 2015, with Tracker’s award-winning technology helping police recover motorcycles amounting to a total value of £687,000.

Among the 225 bikes recovered using Tracker’s market leading VHF technology, the most expensive was a Yamaha YZF; a highly desirable superbike worth £9,500.  However, the least expensive was a scooter, a Honda Vision, famed for its urban mobility and worth just £800.  With the average value for stolen and recovered motorcycles at just over £3000, the latest Tracker findings highlight the importance of good security regardless of value.   

Top 5 Motorcycles Recovered by Tracker in 2016

1. Peugeot Ludix
2. Peugeot Tweet
3. Yamaha TRX
4. Honda Vision
5. Yamaha XP

London – the UK’s largest city and the most challenging environment for motorcycle theft - came top of the regions with the most thefts and recoveries; nearly 60% of all Tracker stolen motorcycle recoveries were made in London.  Essex and South Yorkshire followed, whilst Surrey and West Yorkshire came in fourth and fifth respectively.
 
Andy Barrs, Head of Police Liaison at Tracker (part of the Tantalum Corporation) explains, “Our latest figures show that the Peugeot Ludix is the most stolen and recovered bike, followed by the Peugeot Tweet. Indeed, 3 out of the 5 most commonly stolen and recovered bikes by Tracker are scooters.  Commuter and delivery bikes appear to be a soft target for opportunists at the moment, with a significant number being used to commit more serious crimes such as street robberies and jewellery heists. So it’s not simply high value motorcycles that are at risk of being taken.”
 
In 2016 there was a staggering 44% increase in motorbike theft in London* compared to 40% nationally, with industry statistics revealing that for every five motorcycles stolen in the UK, only two were expected to be recovered**. This confirms that owners need to make security a greater priority to protect their vehicles from thieves. 
 
Tracker’s award winning SVR solutions can play a vital role in addressing the problem.  Whilst its tracking devices will not prevent a bike from being stolen, they will significantly increase the chances of police locating and retrieving the bike before it’s broken down for parts or sold on.
 
Specially developed to protect unpowered or infrequently used assets to avoid draining the battery, Battery Powered Tracker Retrieve has its own power source and does not need to be wired into the electrical system of a vehicle, making it ideal for motorcycles, including vintage bikes. 
 
Using patented VHF technology it can track stolen motorcycles and scooters, even if they are hidden in containers, lock-ups or underground car parks. The high tech tracking technology is not stopped by GPS/GSM signal jammers and the signal can be picked up throughout the UK, as well as France, Spain, Poland, Holland, Luxembourg and Italy - perfect for those planning a summertime ride across Europe.