Every year an estimated 1.5 million bicycles are stolen in the US, which amounts to roughly one bike being stolen every 20 seconds. Not to mention the fact that half of all bike thefts go unreported. This takes the bike theft market to an estimated $350 million. These statistics don’t just reflect the magnitude of the bicycle theft market but also the vulnerability of security locks on these bicycles.
Fancy electronic locks equipped with GPS tracking and RFID can easily be picked with a taser. U-Locks can be cut open with crowbars or hacksaws. Some thieves make use of high-end tools such as blow torches and angle grinders to cut through quality locks.
SkunkLock – security lock for bicycles
San Francisco-based entrepreneur, Daniel Idzkowski, witnessed a similar situation when his friend who had used two locks, worth $120 each, had his bike stolen. Determined to deter thieves from stealing bicycles, Idzkowski teamed up with Yves Perrenoud to design a security lock to combat thieves. The solution is named SkunkLock because of the stinky gas it expels when a thief attempts to cut the lock. Although it is particularly built for bicycles, it works well with scooters, motorbikes and mopeds too.
SkunkLock’s founders, who are both avid bicyclists, invented this antitheft solution to put a stop to thousands of bikes that get stolen each day across the world |
Design and build quality
SkunkLock is claimed to be made of hardened medium-carbon steel that exceeds 450 brinell and comes with a pressurised noxious chemical deterrent inside that can deter any potential thief. The chemical is said to be so repulsive that it can induce vomit in almost all cases, and also causes shortness of breath, impaired eyesight and an instinctive response to run away.
Legal compliance and shipment
To mass produce this anti-theft device for bicycles, Idzkowski is raising money on the crowdfunding site Indiegogo. The crowdfunding campaign has already raised over $26,000 of its $20,000 target with the help of over 200 backers. The bicycle security solution is said to be compliant with US laws and regulations and will be shipped to their earliest backers by June 2017. The company also intends to expand their foothold by establishing compliance in some of the most bike theft stricken countries including United Kingdom, Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Japan and more, as early as summer 2017.
SkunkLock’s founders, who are both avid bicyclists, invented this antitheft solution to put a stop to thousands of bikes that get stolen each day across the world. Their mission to put a dent into bicycle and motorcycle theft may very well transform the bicycle and motorcycle security industry.
