Garda sources and those involved in the cycling sector say the Bike to Work scheme, under which a discount of up to 51 per cent, based on a tax break, is available on the price of a bike, has flooded the country with new bicycles, with an... It stops briefly beside a signpost where a new Trek mountain bike is chained, then drives out of the view of the car-park cameras. a three-week-old €1,100 lightweight mountain bike is gone in just under 15 seconds. The Bike to Work scheme has flooded the streets with expensive bicycles that can be stolen in less time than it takes to lock them properly. Of the 4,655 bikes reported stolen last year, 3,204 were in the capital, with the south inner city accounting for 971 incidents. 200 bikes were stolen in each city last year. While overall crime rates are falling, bike thefts have increased by a significant 54 per cent since 2008. Immediately, a young man walks up to the bike, jumps on and cycles off. Less than five minutes later the car returns.
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