About Bike Theft >The Problem > Theft Techniques >
Unbolting
Thieves know how to undo bolts and quick release mechanisms. If a bike is locked by the wheel alone this may be all that will remain when the cyclist returns. If only the frame is locked then a thief may remove the wheel(s). In this case, if a cyclist leaves a wheel-less bike with the intent of picking it up later, the thief may return before the cyclist and remove the rest of the bike.
