In fact doing a hideous paint job might not be a bad idea.

Do it with household paint and brushes. This would make it unsaleable for the thief.

Supposedly, a 100rmb or more ulock that has those keys that look like a sharp spear with 4 edges are the best you can get. It won't be enough, so maybe carry two of those. Add a 1/8 inch thick steel chain with a padlock that's the same quality as those ulocks to also lock your bike to a steel post.

Or alternatively, park your bike in only shopping centers that have underground parking. It costs more, but your bike isn't in view outside for thieves to ogle, and the guard/cashier sits at the only entrance/exit for the bike park area. The Carrefour in Nanpingjie has an underground bike park. Shuncheng has underground bike parking also.

Hate to say "I told you so "

Buying a nice new scooter or bike is a exercise in futility.

Head down to second used market tomorrow and you may be able to buy it back.

In New York City, a car thief will even put on a repair shop uniform and use a tow truck or a flatbed to steal expensive cars. Bystanders and even the police do not raise an eyebrow because it looks like "the person in uniform with a tow truck" is just doing his job towing a disabled car to the repair shop.

Alarms are totally ineffective in stopping car theft. In fact, New York City passed a law a few years back forbidding the installation of audible car alarms because they only add to noise pollution.

It is possible that your locked e-bike was lifted onto a small truck or a tricycle with a rear platform and moved to a shop where the thief can take his time to change the ignition lock.

No need to load the bike onto a small truck. I had my e-bike stolen in front of Slice of Heaven two months ago. I parked right in front of the door with the bike on steering lock, thinking I would only be inside for one minute. One minute became 3 minutes and as soon as I walked outside it was gone. They must have unlocked it in the time I was inside, with guards and security cameras of the yun'an shang pin xiaoqu only a few meters away.

Thieves have become more common and more skillful in stealing all kinds of scooters. If you have a nicer one especially, don't even think about not using an extra lock these days, wherever you are and however long you think you need before returning to your bike.

Shariah law - cut the (EXPLETIVES) thieveS hands off - they work in groups so let's donate their body parts to the beggars outside the yuantong temple (or does yuantong mean temple?). Give new meaning to the words "second hand"....hyuck hyuck.

My locked mountain bike was boosted last week - in front of the police security cameras. Gutsy move - but I still wanna cut their hands off (or heads - not picky). Kunming cops aren't interested - since bikes get boosted all the time.

I have a fairly expensive mountain bike, but its about 5 years old. What I do is:

1. Keep it dirty - don't wash it after riding in the hills
2. Scratch up the paint a little
3. Duck tape parts of the frame to make it look like its held together with pieces of tape
4. Don't fix cosmetic problems that make it look worse but don't hurt the bikes function (e.g. I lost a part of my brake on one side which makes it look uneven and have had to rubber tube a part of the fork to stop dirt getting in!).

I figure thieves will only touch a bike they can resell. So like others have said, make it look like they won't be able to sell it and you should be OK. I have been tying my bike up to trees/lamposts all over the place for 6 months and it hasn't been touched (yet, cross fingers).

Maybe try a second hand bike, I heard they attract less attention which sounds logical. Make sure it runs well.

Kunming SWAT hasn't had much to do lately and if their snipers need practice, how about baiting a couple of scooters around town? Sniper on a nearby roof. If some bastard tries to steal it BLAM! Everybody wins.

I had the biggest piece 'o' crap scooter I have ever seen. Every piece of plastic cracked scratched and chipped. No lights no brakes no speedo. Missing pieces as well. I never got a new one thinking no one, not even the most desperate thief would want to put their sticky paws on it. One day recently I was parked outside the school where I work. My scooter was of course locked. As I was leaving school I walked up on a guy just walking away from it. Didn't realize what had happened until I noticed the key slot on the lock was bent a little. Than realized that my scooter was already powered up before I put the key in. Interesting. It was a team of three guys. Two across the street looking out one working on my scoot. I walked up on him after he had already gotten the scooter powered up and was trying for the lock. I wanted to have a word but than remembered these guys think they deserve what they can get and would not have a problem puttin' a chicken bone shank in to my side. Moral of the story: If it is what it is than there is someone who will steal it. Scooter Update: That scoot has since died and was abandoned with keys in the ignition (but I snagged the batteries). Bought a second hand one but it is so clean I'm not getting attached.