Angle grinder theft has long been the thorn in the side of bicycle security manufacturers and insurance providers alike. It’s no secret that most standard D/U Locks on the market can be cut in less than a minute. You may have seen viral videos of people stealing bikes with angle grinders in broad daylight. That’s why Hiplok founders, Ben Smith and John Abrahams put their heads together to design the world’s first portable anti-angle grinder bike lock – the Hiplok D1000. It’s safe to say the D1000 has been a game changer in the bicycle and motorcycle security industry ever since.
This month we received an email from a customer, Andrew, who was delighted to inform us how the D1000 saved his motorcycle, which had previously been stolen (and recovered) twice before. Below is Andrew’s story of how the D1000 saved his bike and left the thieves stumped.
ANDREW’s Story
Angle Grinder Theft Attempt 1
On the 4th May 2022, I was greeted with a broken lock where my motorcycle was parked. I had a decent-sized Abus lock on the bike. I managed to recover the bike a couple of miles away, about five hours after it was stolen, thanks to the Apple AirTag hidden on the bike. In that time, they had wrecked it by ripping off the fairing to get to the electronics, doing £3600 of damage.
Angle Grinder Theft Attempt 2
When I got the bike back, I thought I would be clever. I used TWO U locks, front and back, one Abus and one Kryptonite. On the 11th August 2022, my motorcycle was stolen AGAIN! The bike was recovered a few hours later, this time with £1800 of damage to locks, fairings etc. Unquestionably I cannot tell you how effective AirTags are for recovering a stolen motorcycle!
Angle Grinder Theft Attempt 3
On the 3rd May 2022, I came out to find this letter on my bike. Three youths on two motorbikes were seen attempting to steal my bike using an angle grinder. Police were called and arrived just as they had given up.
They only managed to make the smallest of impressions on one side. As you can see there is angle grinder dust everywhere. The lock still works perfectly. Not surprisingly I cannot tell you how great it was to think that we managed to frustrate them. The best bit was that they were beaten, and I don’t even need to buy another lock. Yes, it’s marked, but solid as anything.
Conclusion
This story is precisely why we do what we do. As a brand, we are proud to be a design-led company with innovation at our core. Since we launched the world’s first wearable chain lock the Hiplok ORIGINAL in 2011, we have brought a series of innovative products to market that solve problems which we as cyclists have on a daily basis. The D1000 is just the tip of the iceberg. Design and innovation will always be our core values, so stay tuned to see what we come up with next.
Is your ride safe? Find out more about the Hiplok D1000 here.