The public became aware this past fall that the British Transport Police would no longer investigate specific forms of bike theft. Following widespread criticism, the policy shift was reversed in January. 

What's happening?

According to an October report from the BBC, a policy previously introduced by the BTP meant that officers would no longer investigate thefts of bicycles that had been left outside transit stations for more than two hours.

The BTP also said that thefts of bikes worth less than £200 and thefts of cars left outside stations for more than two hours would not be investigated either. 

According to Bike Radar, the policy was "revealed" this past fall but first introduced in some form in August 2024. The outlet reported in October that the BTP sought to clarify its intentions amid criticism of the policy change, including its prioritization of more harmful crimes for investigation.

"When we do not have a clear time or location for the offence, or if there is a lack of [closed-circuit television footage], witnesses, or other evidence, it can be very difficult to solve a crime," the agency said in a statement. "If it is available, we will review around two hours of CCTV footage to try to identify the incident, but it is not proportionate to review longer periods."

The BTP also said this past fall that it would explore other methods for investigating such thefts, suggesting artificial intelligence might be a helpful tool. Following public backlash, however, the policy was ultimately reversed in January.

Why was this policy concerning?

The October-announced move came as quite a shock to many British commuters. Many often bike to train stations and leave their bikes on racks outside those stations or in specially built bike parks that utilize CCTV cameras to deter theft. 

The previously announced policy would have effectively decriminalized a huge amount of bike and vehicle theft, allowing people to steal bikes from train stations in broad daylight with little chance of consequences. 

"Lots of people across the country cycle to a station every day and their possessions aren't being looked after," Simon Feldman, a victim of past bike theft, told the BBC. "They're not safe. Hundreds of thousands of pounds are being thrown into secure bike parking, and it isn't secure."

Opting not to investigate bike and car thefts on this scale could have dramatically impacted the British rail system. 

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Countless commuters may have decided to drive to work instead of risking their property in municipal lots or racks. Potential unintended consequences could have included increased carbon emissions from combustion engine vehicles driven longer distances and more frequently.

What's being done about this?

Residents and advocacy groups called on the BTP to either resume investigating bike thefts or transfer the investigative responsibility to local police departments.

"Many victims of theft in the capital just stop cycling," Tom Fyans of the London Cycling Campaign told the BBC last fall. "If we want to reduce car trips in London and encourage cycling we have to redouble enforcement against cycle theft."

On January 27, Bike Radar reported that the BTP had announced a reversal of the policy surrounding bike thefts specifically. The charitable organization UK Cycling, which had underscored that the proposed policy could disproportionately impact those relying on affordable transportation options, posted a video on social media thanking those who had called for the reversal.

"We wrote to BTP, we highlighted it on BBC Breakfast, and we wrote to [members of parliament]," UK Cycling said in the video. "We managed to secure a meeting with the assistant chief constable, and he confirmed that they will continue to investigate bike theft, and they've trained their staff on how to look into it better."

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