Toulouse. More than 3,300 bikes stolen in 2020: here are the most affected neighborhoods
Through Thibaut Calatayud
Published on
It is the obsession of all cyclists… Bike theft is a plague that is developing in the agglomeration of Toulouse.
In 2020 alone, 3,368 bicycles were stolen from the Pink City, Blagnac, Colomiers and Tournefeuille. Despite the lockdown, the number of theft complaints increased by 2% compared to 2019.
Electric bikes more and more targeted
These data were unveiled by Toulouse Town Planning and Development Agency (AUAT) within the framework of first Observatory for cycling in the greater Toulouse area, sponsored by Tisséo Collectivité, Thursday, September 30, 2021.
Among the 3,368 bicycles stolen in 2020, we found 86% classic bikes and 14% of electrically assisted bicycles (VAE).
Thieves seize the vein of VAEs which cost between several hundred and several thousand euros. Indeed, the part of cycles with stolen electric assistance has gone from 10 to 14% between 2019 and 2020.
Where are these thefts committed?
The data collected in this study can also provide insight into the areas most successful by this scourge. Thus, we discover that 45% acts committed in 2020 were committed in a private space.
Like the previous year, it is in the Toulouse city center that the majority of bicycle thefts was recorded in 2020. With 812 offenses out of 3,368 in total, the hypercentre alone concentrates nearly a quarter.
In one year, the sectors of Abalone (+ 33%) and Jolimont (+ 19%) are experiencing a strong increase in these offenses. Conversely, they are declining at Mirail (-32%) and Saint-Martin-du-Touch (-45%).
More and more flights to Blagnac
In the municipalities on the outskirts of the Pink City, the situation is uneven.
For a year, the police officers of Blagnac face an impressive increase (+ 66%) in bicycle theft. In 2020, 156 cycles were stolen in this town.
Conversely, the flights are in free fall on the side of Tournefeuille (-32%) and Colomiers (-19%).
5 months in prison for the repeat thief
The development of cycling and the rise of electric bikes arouse the envy of thieves in Toulouse. Friday, October 8, 2021, around 5 a.m., a 22-year-old man driving at high speed with the tailgate open was intercepted by a night patrol in the Lespinet-Pech-David sector. In addition to the fact that this motorist is driving without a license, it is his load that holds the attention of the police: three bikes and a scooter lie alongside a disc cutter and cut padlocks. In police custody, the young man recognized seven thefts of cycles. Brought for immediate appearance, this repeat offender was sentenced, Monday, October 11, 2021, to 10 months in prison, 5 of which are closed. The remainder of the sentence was accompanied by a two-year probationary suspension.
Laurent Derne
.
Has this article been useful to you? Note that you can follow Actu Toulouse in the Mon Actu space. In one click, after registration, you will find all the news of your favorite cities and brands.
