Lately, a large number of people have taken up cycling to help the environment (and their health). Unfortunately, bikes are easier to steal than cars, and thieves are cashing in on society's new-found ecological awareness.

According to Halifax Home Insurance, a bicycle is stolen approximately once every 71 seconds in the United Kingdom. In 2006, about 440,000 bicycles were stolen, and the number was even higher in 2007.

The authorities in areas like Essex, Lancashire, Cambridgeshire, and Somerset are reporting an increase in bicycle theft. In Hertfordshire, theft rates increased 30% between 2001 and 2007. Only a very few place in the United Kingdom, like Loughborough, have reported decreases in the crime.

The people of Loughborough attribute their reduction in theft to an electronic tagging scheme that helps authorities track stolen bikes. To track the bicycle, an electronic tag is inserted into the frame. The tag cannot be removed and is linked to a database that includes a serial number and the registered owner of the vehicle. Police carry portable readers that can detect the tags. To further discourage thieves, a label is placed on the bicycle to warn potential criminals that the bike is tagged.

A lot of students are finding this method of protection more affordable than insurance--which can only cover theft from an owner's home address. The police initially offered the program for free. Prior to the tagging program, many people carved their postcode onto their frame for some protection. That engraving was easy to remove.

Bikes are a popular theft item because many people do not take the time to properly secure their vehicles as they would a car. They're also smaller than cars, and therefore easier to conceal. The government wants to encourage people to ride bikes because they're better for the environment and are cheaper to operate and keep in working order. They don't want people to have to take out extra insurance on them.

Bicycles are also cheaper to repair, and some bicycle shops offer coverage policies that will pay for damages a bike may incur. Car repairs are, of course, much more expensive. Theft, on the other hand, is a much greater expense. Many quality bicycle models are selling for considerably more than the cost of 4 new tires on a car. In the insurance world, replacing expensive bicycles can raise the premiums for everyone.

The government strongly advises that all cyclists choose some form of protection for their bikes--whether it's extending their homeowners insurance to cover it, taking out a special policy, or purchasing a theft deterrent. They further recommend that the protection is purchased as soon as the bike is, because if you put if off you may never get around to it.

Investing in some sort of protection is the best way to guard against an expensive theft. But if you do nothing else, at least get a quality d-lock.