Tartu Postimees reported Taivo Ross, head of the investigative unit group at the Tartu Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) station, said nearly 450 bicycle thefts had been posted in Estonia's second city January–October this year, up from 177 in 2024.

"It can be said that, broadly speaking, the [overall] number of thefts is decreasing, but in the case of bicycles I wouldn't venture to state that with certainty, especially when looking at just one, two or three years," Ross said.

Bikes remain easy to steal and easy to sell, he noted.

"If people in Estonia are willing to buy bicycles from sales portals, Facebook Marketplace or elsewhere without knowing their history, then as long as that is the case, bicycles will continue to be stolen. They are simply so easy to take — all it takes is enough nerve and a pair of bolt cutters for a lock or chain. Then essentially an illegal business model like that is already up and running," Ross went on.

University of Tartu student Heleri Hunt was a victim of bike theft during the autumn. "I lost my bike by leaving it at the Tartu bus station for the weekend when I traveled to Tallinn. I also had, let's say, a somewhat more expensive bike. I left it locked, but when I went to get my bike after the weekend, it had gone."

Hunt said she filed a report with the PPA and was told that bicycle thefts are a major issue in Tartu, with the majority of victims not being reunited with their bikes.

"It simply raised a question for me that if this has happened to so many people and it is such a big problem, then how has a solution still not been found," Hunt added.

Jaanus Tamm, project manager at the Tartu City Government's urban economy department, said regular bicycle racks and more theft-proof smart parking facilities are available. The latter "can be locked using a phone or a card, are located on Küüni Street, at the bus station and at the railway station," he said.

The use of smart facilities is encouraged as thieves become more brazen and inventive, he went on.

"Current practice shows that thieves are also becoming increasingly clever and capable. They can open these locks quite easily or simply break them. The locking system of a smart parking facility is significantly stronger, and no one opens it casually," Tamm said.

The city government has been considering building more closed parking facilities, primarily in residential areas, but this has been held back so far due to funding issues, Tamm went on.

Tartu also has a Smart bike rental system.

The Facebook group Märgatud Tartus is one place where notices of stolen bikes are posted. These have reportedly seen a surge in recent months too.

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