Bike theft increases as weather warms up

Bike theft is a crime of opportunity and as the weather heats up, the possibility of having a bike stolen increases as well.

"Obviously we don't want any bikes being stolen but if your bike isn't easy to get at, then that person is going to go after another bike," Genevieve Parker of the Reno Bike Project says.

Parker says because more people are outside riding bikes in the summer months, the number of theft of bikes goes up, especially in the weeks leading up to Burning Man.

"Everyone on the playa needs a bike and there's a scramble for them and unfortunately some folks that head out to the playa are not so moral about how they get theirs," she says.

Law enforcement says the best way to protect your bike or other belongings is to make sure they are locked up.

"We would recommend locking that bicycle up with a chain, padlock or combination lock, so whatever suits your needs," Ken Gallop of the Sparks Police Department says.

Parker recommends cyclists use U-Locks and add chains for extra security. She also says making sure your anchor is secure is important.

Bikes can also be registered with local police departments so they can be matched if they are stolen. The Sparks Police Department charges $1.50 to register a bike.

"It's an easy way to have your serial number on file so that we can get that recorded get it into a police report and get it into a national database," Gallop says.