Bicycle Theft a Big Problem

[mycolumbus]

Living in an Asian country, you will soon realise the dependence the local people place on their bicycles. Used for everyday shopping, transporting members of the family in replace of a car and basically is the main means of getting around for many.

Now you can see why some people get irate to find their loved bicycle to be stolen. Bicycle theft is a big problem in many Asian cities. Police in Urumqi, China hope that large cash rewards will help them put the brakes on bicycle thieves.

Residents who help police arrest the thieves stand to receive up to 5,000 yuan (US$641) in reward money. A huge chunk of change for Chinese standards.

It's interesting to note that the majority of bicycle theft occurs by drunk office workers returning home late at night.