INDUSTRYNEWS
SPONSORED BY SECURIKEY
PREDICTING CRIME TRENDS –
IS IT CRYSTAL BALL GAZING?
Trying to second-guess crime trends is a thankless
task; you may as well gaze at a crystal ball.
Frequently, a widely disconnected event will have
a far reaching and totally unforeseen effect on
crime levels, both positively and negatively.
In 1973 it became compulsory for
motorcyclists to wear crash helmets.
With this new legislation, it was
predicted that hundreds of lives would
be saved. No- one expected or predicted
a corresponding dramatic decrease in
motorcycle theft.
In the late 60s and early 70s, very few
motorcycles required ignition keys and
many motorcycles were simply stolen on
impulse. When the last bus home from
a city centre nightclub was missed, it
was relatively easy to find an unguarded
motorcycle and ‘borrow’ it. The chances
were that the taker would be home before
the theft was noted or the police asked to
look out for it.
As soon as the wearing of helmets
became