VanMoof promises to end bike theft by 2020

The key to more liveable cities – VanMoof launches radical campaign to end theft of its bikes within the next 16 months.

London, 7 August 2019 - This morning, VanMoof founders Ties and Taco Carlier announced a dramatic escalation of their ongoing battle with bike thieves. In a video message shared on Twitter, Taco pledged to completely end the theft of VanMoof bikes worldwide by 2020. 

Theft major barrier

Over the next 16 months, a series of bold initiatives and technological innovations will ensure that everyone knows VanMoof bikes are unstealable – keeping VanMoof at the forefront of an anti-theft revolution. This pledge arrives at a moment when fear of theft is one of the main factors holding back full bike adoption in cities across the globe. A survey conducted in partnership with global market research firm Ipsos reveals exactly how pressing the issue is:

• 25% of London cyclists have experienced having their bikes stolen. This is significantly higher than people who live outside of cities. 
• Almost half of UK cyclists say they would bike more in or to the city if they weren’t concerned about bike theft. 
• Almost 6 in 10 UK people would be more inclined to buy a higher-quality bike if they weren’t worried about bike theft.

“You don’t see people chaining up their car when they’re in the city. You just park it and get on with your day. We think it should work the same way for bikes.” 

Anti-theft by design

VanMoof has been integrating anti-theft technology into its bikes since 2016. These industry-leading features include built-in multi-phase alarms, remote immobilization systems, and a rear-wheel Stealth Lock which completely secures a bike with a single kick. Working in parallel, the company’s global network of Bike Hunters track and retrieve stolen VanMoof bikes with a success rate of nearly 80% – in comparison, city police forces average only 4%. VanMoof’s Peace Of Mind guarantee promises riders that the Bike Hunters will find and return any stolen bike within two weeks, or replace it.

“By making bikes that are practically impossible to steal, we’re introducing a new generation of riders to the benefits of biking in the city. Our bikes can take you further, last longer, and are full of smart tech that makes urban riding a lot more convenient."

Sorry thieves

On the dedicated campaign page that launched today, VanMoof’s pledge doubles as an apology – for putting bike thieves out of business. In the coming months, VanMoof will continue to release new projects and initiatives under the #sorrythieves umbrella. Each concept will tackle a different aspect of bike theft, from shining a light on the buyers of stolen bikes, to making it impossible to re-sell a stolen VanMoof.

VanMoof’s pledge can be found at sorrythieves.com.

For more information about VanMoof’s Peace of Mind service, go here. 

Revisit the video message here.