Rise in Bike Thefts in Boston Area

Brookline's cyclists may want to upgrade their locks, as bike thefts appear to be on the rise in and around the Boston area. 

Bike thefts here in Brookline are up by 40 percent, Police Lt. Phil Harrington told the CBS I-Team.

Early last month, the Brookline Police Blog ran an announcement about bike thefts and a new abandoned bike removal program. The announcement reported the highest volume of bike thefts since recent years. Adding that the area around the Brookline High School, as well as Tappan, Station and Linden Streets are some of the hot spots for bike theft.

From the announcement: 

During the warmer months, most bikes are stolen while left unlocked in driveways, outside of schools, stores, or open garages. We advise all residents to stay alert and properly secure their bikes, especially for the upcoming months. Last year, the greatest volume of bike thefts occurred during the months of August, September, and October.

Boston Magazine suggests adding your bike to the National Bike Registry, and Lifehacker has instructions on how to make one cheaply out of an old T-shirt, a length of chain and a padlock.

To keep your bike from falling onto the abandoned bike removal list, keep in mind the following rules of parking your bike in Brookline. 

BICYCLE PARKING ON THE PUBLIC WAY

• Bicycles ARE permitted to park against a building, street sign pole, or on a bicycle rack or other facility specifically intended for that purpose.

• Under NO circumstances shall a bicycle obstruct the pedestrian path of travel or handicap access ramps. A parked bicycle must leave at least 36 inches of an obstruction free path of travel.
• Bicycles are NOT permitted to be parked to: fire hydrants, hand railings, benches, trees, trash receptacles and parking meters. Bicycles in violation of the above regulations shall be tagged and removed immediately if presenting a public safety hazard as noted in this section.
• Bicycles shall NOT be parked longer than 72 consecutive hours at the same location on any public way or sidewalk. If the bike is determined to be working bike, a green colored tag will be affixed, and after a 72 hour time period be removed for storage purposes. The Department of Public Works (DPW) will transport the bike to Police Headquarters, and the sector officer will generate a report, identifying the bike and removal date. 
• No motorized vehicles shall be parked on a bicycle rack or other facility specifically designed and intended for bicycle parking. Violators are subject to immediate removal by the Brookline Police Department. Motorized vehicles parked on sidewalks will be issued a parking citation and towed.

ABANDONED BICYCLE ON THE PUBLIC WAY
A bicycle with one or more of the following defects will be considered abandoned and can be removed and destroyed:

(a) No tires or wheels
(b) Have warped wheels or frame
(c) Missing, rusted or broken chain in such a state that renders the bicycle inoperative
(d) Missing or warped handle bars

If the bike is determined to be in one of the conditions described above, a red colored tag will be affixed the Police Department and the Department of Public Works will be notified for immediate pick up and destruction. The Officer will sign, date, and place the time on the tag for documentation purposes. The tag will be secured to the bike where it is visible to clearly observe.