IntroductionMotorcycle theft constitutes a major form of property crime in Nigeria. Its frequent occurrence has become a major cause for concern for many commercial motorcyclists and private motorcycle owners (Vanguard, 2012; The Punch, 2014; Leadership, 2015; Ifeanyi, 2004). Although the use of motorcycles for private, governmental and commercial purposes has been on the increase in Nigeria over the years (Arosanyin, 2007), however, the status of motorcycles as suitable targets for thieves is a relatively recent phenomenon. The proliferation of motorcycles and their use in transportation in Nigeria which began in the 1980s was triggered by the unfriendly socio-economic policies which manifested in high rate of urban unemployment and poverty (Smith, 2011). According to Gbadamosi (2006), a total of 289, 390 motorcycles were registered in 2003, while 288,474 were registered in 2004.Motorcycles have become a major player in both urban and inter-village transportations in Nigeria (Arosanyin, 2006). However, stolen motorcycles are usually difficult to track because many were unregistered by their owners (Arosanyin, 2007). Consequently, different group of criminal gangs specialising in motorcycle theft have emerged. For example, on April 5, 2015, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Osun State Police Command arrested a 5-man robbery gang that specialised in snatching motorcycles from their owners (Malik, 2015). Also, a commercial motorcycle operator was stabbed to death by two motorcycle snatchers along Saint John's Catholic Church, Minna in Niger State on October 22, 2015 (Nnadozie, 2015).Criminal victimization has serious consequences for the citizens and society (Alemika & Chukwuma, 2005). In a study conducted by Sidebottom (2012) on victims of bicycle (bike) theft in the United Kingdom, it was discovered that not only did many of the victims of cycle theft suffer multiple victimisations, but the risk of cycle theft also appeared to be contagious. Eck and Weisburd (1995) observed that a disproportionately high level of crime is likely in places that present opportunities for crime. Similarly, Ikoh (2011) contends that offenders either seek out attractive targets with low security or seize opportunities while engaging in routine non-criminal activities. Gyong (2010) laments that many crime victims in Nigeria typically do not report their loss to the Police because the distance to the police station may be too great or due to the belief that reporting to the Police may expose them to further harassment from the criminal or his friends.The report of the Institute of Highway Engineers (2014) indicates that the theft of a motorcycle is often opportunistic, and usually occurs in public places in Great Britain. The dynamics of motorcycle theft, according to Sheridan (2002), are quite distinct from the theft of other passenger vehicles. They are attractive to thieves because of their relative low weight and high value (Institute of Highway Engineers, 2014). While discussing the same problem, Phongphu and Srichandr, (2011) contend that motorcycle thieves in Thailand have many techniques through which they steal motorcycles without spending much time. Furthermore, in a study conducted in Australia, Sheridan (2002) reported that motorcycles manufactured by Honda and Yamaha accounted for over half of reported thefts, while the Harley Davidson brand recorded a particularly low recovery rate of 15% and BMW recorded a high rate of recovery at 62%.The incidence of motorcycle theft impacts the victims in multiple ways. Indeed, its occurrence has physical, social, and economic costs on the victims. Many commercial motorcyclists have been rendered jobless as a result of the loss of their source of livelihood, motorcycle, to thieves. Also, the physical attack that sometimes accompanies motorcycle theft has a tendency of resulting in grievous injury or loss of life. Apart from these, the persistent cases of motorcycle theft signify a state of insecurity and an indictment on the efficiency of the formal agents of social control, particularly the Police. …
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May 18, 2018
Miaojia Lu + 3
Open Access
