Every time you place a valuable possession in your two-wheeler’s side-box or under the seat, think about the preying eyes that are possibly watching you.
Incidences of theft of cash, gold jewellery, mobile phones and other valuables from parked motorcycle have been on the rise in different parts of the city.
An analysis of these thefts has established that they usually take place just after the victim leaves a location such as a bank, a finance firm or a sub-registrar’s office after buying/selling property, or sometimes when the victim is out for a morning walk.
The police say the perpetrators hang around and keep an eye on banks or other spots where there is a possibility of their target carrying large sums of money or gold, which they deposit in their two-wheeler.
Then, they break open the side-box or the seat lock of the parked vehicle and flee with the valuables.
Diverting the victim’s attention by spraying a substance on his/her shoulder to create a burning sensation or telling the victim they have a flat tyre are some of the innovative methods used to carry out the crime.
In many such cases, the police say, victims have been extremely careless while transporting valuables; they leave their vehicle, with cash or gold, parked out of sight while sipping tea or grabbing a snack. Generally, there is the assumption “it can never happen to me.”
Sadly, the chances of recovery in such cases of theft are very slim, the police say, adding that the best thing to do is stay alert while transporting valuables.
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What can you do to ensure that your bike and belongings are safe no matter where you park?
While there are a number of accessories that can potentially be used to help prevent thefts from two-wheelers, many stores selling bike accessories say there are not many takers for these gadgets. The one thing that seems to have gained popularity is fixing one’s bike’s side-box with a number lock. Many customers prefer these, rather than a regular lock-and-key setup, as they believe the number lock protects the contents of the box better, salesman S. Dastagir, who has a shop in Koyambedu, said.
Abul Hassan from Pudupet, however, says that customers have a better chance of protecting their bikes if they install a remote-controlled alarm. There are a number of alarms that are available on the market starting at Rs. 750, with varying levels of sophistication.
Apart from this, it is possible to protect your bike from being stolen by using a belt lock or a fork lock, which are also slightly expensive.
For scooters and other two-wheelers with a seat lock, the remote-control alarms are the safest bet. Some of them even allow the owner to lock the bike from a distance of up to 1 km and the alarm is set off when anyone touches the bike.
Although there are a number of options, very few customers actually consider them worthwhile investments until they have had something stolen from their bikes, another shopkeeper said.
(Reporting by Petlee Peter and Kavita Kishore)
