Is Battery Theft Really a Thing?

[Gazzy]

I was reading elsewhere some ebike owners fretting about battery theft. Searched here and only found an old thread. With the increasing popularity of ebikes, it got me wondering. Is this a thing that you have personally experienced, or someone you know personally experienced?

 

[m@Robertson]

Yes.

Just take your battery inside with you when you are at the store. Mine, plus everything not nailed down on the bike (panniers, tool kit, lights) goes in the bag that held the bike lock.

Look at it this way: Do you leave items costing hundreds of dollars that are easy to walk off with in plain sight in an unlocked car when you walk into the mall (you may have to google what a mall is depending on your age)? Same rules apply here.

Like anything, there are times you'll figure the risk is worth it for a variety of reasons. Just don't be dumb about it.

 

[Gazzy]

Yes.

Just take your battery inside with you when you are at the store. Mine, plus everything not nailed down on the bike (panniers, tool kit, lights) goes in the bag that held the bike lock.

Look at it this way: Do you leave items costing hundreds of dollars that are easy to walk off with in plain sight in an unlocked car when you walk into the mall (you may have to google what a mall is depending on your age)? Same rules apply here.

Like anything, there are times you'll figure the risk is worth it for a variety of reasons. Just don't be dumb about it.

Thanks. Has it happened to you, or someone you know?

 

[JRA]

I don't know because Portland is littered with eNike share bikes with batteries mounted on the down tube that don't look like they would be too hard to get off there? All the ones I saw had batteries in place in some sketchy locations but doesn't mean that some don't get stolen but they are pretty low hanging fruit and would light up your homeless camp for the night anyway?

 

[indianajo]

I park my bike while shopping, meeting, listening to concerts. Twice at a grocery store two of the 18 screws holding my battery mount together were unscrewed somewhat. As they are elastic stop nuts; takes a lot of patience to remove the nut all the way. Thieves don't have a lot of patience. Also the way I designed my battery mount, takes an 8" long shaft philips screwdriver to hold the screw still while turning the nut. Not a common tool.
Three times while shopping or at a meeting my tire was knifed. Sign of a frustrated thief. I cable my bike to power poles, steel fences or light poles, live conduits, gas meters.