August 26, 2009
In Liaoning, a high rate of bicycle theft has led to unconventional anti-theft measures.
According to today’s Liaoshen Evening News, bicycle repairmen in Shenyang have rolled out a new service that may sound like the opposite of what a repairman normally does: vandalism.
At a bicycle stand north of Liaoning University in Huanggu District, this reporter witnessed a scene bicycle smashing.
When Li Yugang came to the stand with his new bicycle, Guo Bin, the repairman, asked him: “Do you want me to smash it?”
Li Yu was surprised by the question and asked why.
“Your bike looks so new. If you don’t make some dents in it, you may miss it very soon,” Guo said.
“So you think it won’t be stolen if it’s been smashed? But it’s such a new bike,” Li said.
“The thieves are not interested in old bikes. Even if they steal them, they can’t get a good price reselling it. It’s fine if you don’t want to, but I’m doing you a favor by asking.”
Within an hour, three customers came to the bicycle stand to ask the repairman to help them beat up their bicycles.
The article goes on to mention another strategy for evading bike thieves: parking in mid-air.
The owner of an electric bike has managed to hold on to it for two years by suspending it against the side of the building rather than parking it on the ground.
- Liaoshen Evening News via Xinhua (Chinese): Smash your bicycle to avoid it being stolen