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Don't let your moped become a no-ped!

Don't let your moped become a no-ped!

Posted on Jun 23, 2017

We're backing the Be Safe #SecureYourScooter campaign to encourage Londoners to better secure their mopeds.

This is joint-initiative being led by the Metropolitan Police. It will complement Operation Venice, the force's dedicated crack down on powered two wheeler (PTW) crime in the capital. Its message is simple: the more visible the security, the less visible your moped is to opportunist thieves. For obvious reasons we at Principal Insurance are pleased to support this campaign. If we can encourage riders to make better use of security deterrents, we hope to see an accompanying  reduction in theft rates. That in turn could help our insurers minimise their scooter and moped insurance quotes. Piaggio Vespa 946 REDThe Met's statistics show that nearly 15,000 mopeds, scooters and motorcycles are stolen in London boroughs annually. That's equivalent to over 40 machines being lifted every day. It's not just the financial pain and inconvenience to the owner that needs be considered. Many mopeds are also stolen to facilitate other crimes. You may have read recent newspaper reports of "scooter gangs" being involved in street robberies.   Riding stolen mopeds they have been targeting mobile phone users. The Guardian has reported that one such gang is thought to have carried out some 30 phone snatches in just one hour. That was in Westminster so it's perhaps not surprising that the borough has been chosen for the Be Safe launch.

Police, cameras, action!

This will see Metropolitan Police officers hosting the first in a series of "parking bay events." Due to be rolled out across other London boroughs, these will see officers demonstrating best practice in moped security. Moped thefts London This specially commissioned and hard-hitting film will also be shown. It features a gang of thieves stealing a scooter and using it to snatch a mobile phone from a pedestrian's hand, before showing them being deterred from stealing another machine as it is visibly protected by two locks. The Be Safe message will also be promoted to owners who have left their bikes in a parking bay. "Swing tags" will be left hanging from their handlebars to remind them to use effective security and make their machine less of a theft target. The campaign is really about getting moped riders to make buying and using decent security second nature. To think about where and how they leave their park. We suspect many of you get that already but with so many thefts daily it's clear that the message needs spreading.

Moped parking security tips

→ Choose where to park with care. Ideally you want to leave your bike in a designated parking zone equipped with loop you can attached a lock to. Better still, would be a covered and secured off-street car park.  If these are not available, choose a well-lit area with CCTV cameras and a decent level of pedestrian traffic. → Be alarmed. Ringing decibels cause criminal consternation! → Make your mark. Microdot security marking systems create a unique ID for your moped and its parts. If your bike is stolen its both easier for the police to prove so and return your machine.. They're also relatively inexpensive and could earn you a discount on insurance arranged with Principal. A number of insurers on our panel offer discounts of between 2-15% if you make use of insurance approved security devices and systems (subject to underwriting conditions)  → Lock it or lose it. It's preferable to use more than one lock. Make sure these are fitted as tightly as possible - making them harder to cut - to the parts of your moped that are most difficult to remove. And lock your machine to something suitably solid.

Moped insurance discounts

Insurers recognise the importance of the message of using effective security. That's why use of insurance-approved security devices can earn you a discount of up to 15% on moped, scooter and motorcycle insurance arranged through Principal (subject to underwriting conditions.). So, make sure you tell us about all the security precautions you're taking when calling or clicking for a quote. And if you need advice on what could cut your costs, have a chat with our advisors on our specialist bike insurance team before you take out cover. They'll be happy to help!  
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