Thefts of electric bicycles have increased over 100 percent in one year in northern Sweden

During the first five months of the year, 176 electric bicycles were reported stolen in the North police region.

The year before, the corresponding figure was 85.

That is an increase of 107 percent.

Every fourth stolen bicycle runs on electricity

If you look at the country as a whole, every fourth stolen bicycle is an electric bicycle.

So far this year, 20,525 bicycles, of which 4,920 electric bicycles, have been reported stolen.

The police in Västerbotten see that there are people who have specialized in stealing expensive bicycles and bicycle parts, and electric bicycles are also included in that category.

- I see an increase in electric bike thefts, recently we have seen that people carry battery-powered grinding wheels that cut the locks in just a few seconds, says Per Rudberg, crime coordinator at the police in Västerbotten.

According to the Swedish Theft Protection Association, the risk of losing your electric bike is greater than losing a regular bike.