CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Detective Raymon Carroll from the Clarksville Police Department delivered a presentation to the Command Staff at the CPD weekly Comstat meeting on Friday April 17. The information will assist motorcycle owners to be vigilant against the current motorcycle theft crime trends. Detective Carroll, with assistance from other CPD Detectives and Officers, compiled motorcycle theft intelligence from January 2011 to March 2015.
From Jan 2011 – March 2015:

133 Motorcycles taken in Clarksville
• 99 Sports Bikes
• 34 Other (20 Cruiser style and 14 Dirt Bikes)
• Of the total taken; 83 were taken from apartment complexes.
• 72 of those taken from apartments were Sport Bikes.
• Over half of the motorcycles taken were taken from the north side of Clarksville, closer to Fort Campbell, KY.

Common Trends
• 62% of stolen motorcycles since 2011 have been taken from apartment complexes.
• 74% of stolen motorcycles since 2011 have been Sports Bikes.
• 73% of stolen Sports Bikes have been stolen from apartment complexes.

Top Trending Motorcycles
• Suzuki GSXR series- 28 Taken Jan 2011 to Mar 2015
• Honda CBR series- 13 Taken Jan 2011 to Mar 2015
• Kawasaki Ninja series- 13 Taken Jan 2011 to Mar 2015
• Yamaha R1 / R6 series- 12 Taken Jan 2011 to Mar 2015

One reason Sports Bikes are taken is because they are light weight. Stealing a Sports Bike can be a one or two-person job. Sports Bikes can also be sold piece by piece. They can be easily taken apart and sold to individuals who are able to put a bike together or to replace damaged parts on Sports Bikes used in racing and/or stunts. The parts can be purchased at wholesale prices.

More motorcycles are stolen during the summer months, especially in July and August. Motorcycle owners usually store their bikes inside during the winter months and have them out during summer months, making them more accessible for criminals. At apartment complexes, motorcycle owners are more likely to store their bikes outside of their apartments or in the general parking spaces.

Methods of Stealing the Motorcycles
1. Riding off from location-
a. Some motorcycle criminals only look for bikes with the keys in their ignitions.
b. Some criminals have the tools and know-how to replace ignition switches. The best way to prevent theft is proper storage.
2. Due to the light weight of Sports Bikes, lifting the bike into the back of a pick-up truck can be a one or two-man job.
a. Two suspects previously loaded a Sports Bike into a pick-up truck from an apartment complex in Clarksville in less than 40 seconds.
3. Some criminals push the motorcycle into an ideal location and load it into a rental truck or trailer.
Storage Suggestions for Motorcycle Owners that Live in Apartment Complexes
• Do not park in the general parking area and avoid parking motorcycles in view of major thoroughfares.
• If available on site, rent a garage.
• Rent an apartment on the ground floor and bring the motorcycle inside.
• Rent a storage unit if there are no garages on site and drive to the motorcycle.
• If you rent, rent a home with a place to store your motorcycle.

NOTE: Citizens that Report Suspicious Activity are taken seriously by CPD. In 2012, a resident of a Clarksville apartment complex reported someone photographing a motorcycle in the complex. Acting on the suspicious activity, investigators installed cameras in a vacant apartment. A Sports Bike was later stolen and the camera recorded the theft. The motorcycle was lifted and placed in the bed of a truck. Photos were disseminated through the media. The suspect’s Mother recognized the truck that led to the arrest of two suspects.

Anyone who observes suspicious activity is urged to call 911 so police can prevent a crime from occurring.