Bicycle thefts in Brussels-Capital Region surged by 70% from 2,900 to 5,001 between 2015 and 2022, according to a study by safe.brussels public safety bureau.
The study, whose findings were released on Wednesday, was conducted in partnership with the Federal Police’s Brussels Coordination and Support Directorate.
It also highlights the rapid increase in bicycle use in the Brussels region over the past decade: the number of bicycles at reference counting points has increased fivefold since 2010.
The Brussels region aims to triple bicycle use for short trips by 2030, targeting a 15% usage rate.
The study finds that central Brussels suffers most from thefts in public spaces, while suburbs see more thefts on private property.
At the European level, Copenhagen has the highest rate of bicycle theft, with 26 such incidents per 1,000 residents in 2022, followed by Amsterdam (13) and Antwerp (8). Brussels and London lag significantly behind with 4 and 2 thefts per 1000 residents respectively.
The disparities in theft rates could be attributed to some extent to differences in bicycle usage among the cities.
Copenhagen is the most bicycle-friendly city with a modal share of 41%, according to estimates. Amsterdam and Antwerp report similar mode-shares and theft rates, whereas Brussels and London feature lower bicycle usage and theft rates.
