Criminality - Clearance rate for stolen bicycles significantly decreased
Bicycle thieves are becoming increasingly rare in Thuringen. The low awareness rate for reported bicycle thefts has further decreased in the past year, as stated in a response from the Interior Ministry to a query by FDP state legislator Dirk Bergner. Out of the approximately 3,500 bicycle thefts recorded by the police throughout the state, they were able to solve only 12%. In 2020-2022, the clearance rate was between 18.5 and 16.8%.
Professional criminals and insufficient traces
The police were able to identify suspects for approximately 430 bicycle thefts in 2023. According to the Interior Ministry, there are several reasons why these cases are so rarely solved. The thieves are becoming more professional and increasingly operating in gangs, it was stated. "Many bicycles were stolen without any recoverable trace evidence, and individual features, such as frame numbers, were manipulated immediately, making identification at a later police check difficult or impossible."
Moreover, the rightful owners of the bicycles could not always describe the individual features of the stolen property sufficiently. This made the search for the bicycles even more challenging, it was stated. In particular, the frame numbers were often difficult for the owners to recall.
Erfurt as a hotspot
Bicycles are particularly often stolen in Erfurt. Out of the approximately 3,500 bicycles stolen in the past year, according to police statistics, around 1,000 were taken in the state capital alone. In comparison: In Gera and Jena, there were about 220 and roughly 350 bicycle thefts, respectively. The clearance rate for bicycle thefts in Erfurt is even lower than the state average. Only 7.6% of all bicycle thefts in the state capital could be solved by the police.
In Jena, the clearance rate was even lower: Only 6.5% of all bicycle thefts were solved there in 2023, and in Gera, it was 15.6%. The clearance rates for the past year were significantly below average in the Landkreis Hildburghausen, the Landkreis Gotha, the cities of Suhl and Weimar.
Frustration over increasing bicycle thefts
In a preamble to his query, Bergner referred to the fact that bicycle riding is currently popular. With climate protection considerations, many people are now using bicycles for their daily commute. "The frustration is all the greater when bicycles or their parts are stolen," Bergner remarked.
- Despite the decrease in reported bicycle thefts and low clearance rates, efforts to combat criminality in bicycle thefts are still a priority for political parties like the FDP.
- In the city of Erfurt, which has a higher rate of bicycle thefts than other cities in Thuringia, the 'Erfurt Enlightenment Quotient' could potentially include measures to increase public awareness about securing bicycles to minimize thefts.
- Some residents of Gera and Jena, who have lower rates of bicycle thefts compared to Erfurt, might argue that their 'Erfurt Enlightenment Quotient' is higher due to better awareness of bicycle security.
- In an effort to combat the rising issue of 'Bicycle theft steel' in urban areas like Erfurt, local police departments and city councils could collaborate to install more secure bicycle parking facilities and increase public education.
- With the concerns over bicycle thefts and the limited clearance rates, some advocates are suggesting a joint bicycle cooperation initiative between the cities of Erfurt, Jena, and Gera to effectively reduce 'Bicycle theft' in the state of Thuringia.
