24
Apr
2013
By Calvin at 09:37 GMT, 13 years ago
You may have caught sight of this item on this morning’s news concerning the recent publication of a research report entitled ‘Cycle Thieves, We Are Watching You’ Impact of a Simple Signage Intervention against Bicycle Theft’ by Daniel Nettle, Kenneth Nott and Melissa Bateson of the Centre for Behaviour and Evolution & Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University.
Their study looked at the impact on crime of displaying images of ‘watching eyes’ close to some bike racks at a university campus.
It turns out that bicycle thefts decreased by 62% at the experimental locations, but increased by 65% in the control locations, where there weren’t any ‘watching eyes’, suggesting that the signs were effective, but displaced offending to locations with no signs.
It seems that these stern, staring eyes are doing the trick because it is in our nature to respond to this intimidating display as lots of other animals do. I suspect the use of cardboard cut-out policemen and security guards to prevent shoplifting may be having similar effects.
I haven’t read the report yet, but have every intention of doing so and it can be accessed from either of these two links:
