‘Together against bicycle thieves’ is the new motto of the municipality of Cranendonck. Bicycles in Maarheeze that are not locked will have a large yellow label on the handlebars. This is how the municipality wants to warn the owner. The criticism of many: this makes it very easy for bicycle thieves. Another responds: “They will be stolen anyway, yellow note or not.”
The municipality made her proud on Facebook on Wednesday new plan announced: at Maarheeze station and in the city center there will be signs from now on to warn against bicycle thieves and bicycles that are not locked will be labeled with the text ‘Lock your bicycle. Make it difficult for bicycle thieves.’
cut lock
Hilarity and bewilderment is dripping from the reactions. “Make it even easier for thieves!” is the general thrust, because in this way people with bad intentions can see at a glance which bicycle they can take with them.
A visit to the bicycle shed at Maarheeze station shows that the problem is in any case big: several labeled bicycles have no or a cut lock and you could therefore take them with you. Some bicycles with only a frame lock have also been given a label.
‘Still stolen’
It is therefore too simple to blame the municipality for a stupid action, says a passer-by who works in the area and has just gone home. “Those bicycles are stolen here anyway, yellow note or not,” she says.
According to her, the cause is the nearby asylum seekers center in Budel, which made the news more often due to various types of nuisance. “Even if there is an enforcer with his nose on top, they just take that bike with them.”
The labels at the station are hung by enforcers. Members of the neighborhood watch team do this in the center. There were no labels and no bicycle thieves to be seen on Thursday afternoon.