Cycles in Copenhagen see surge in bag snatching

Lea Margrethe Larsen lost her bag—containing two laptops, headphones, AirPods, study notes, passport and wallet—after feeling a shove near Nørrebros Runddel in central Copenhagen.

The 24-year-old student was cycling home from work and study when she turned away after the bump, only realising her bag had been taken from the rear basket once she reached her destination.

“It’s a nasty feeling knowing someone has gone through your things,” Larsen said.

Københavns Politi reports a sharp rise in bicycle bag thefts, with 1,807 complaints filed in 2025 and 1,300 already logged this year. Major insurers confirm the trend: If Forsikring has seen nearly double the number of claims in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, while Tryg Forsikring also reports a marked increase.

“We expected summer festival-related thefts to rise, but this jump in bag snatching from moving bicycles is surprising,” said Helene Vogt Ibsen, home insurance chief at If Forsikring.

Larsen filed a police report and posted in a local Facebook group. A neighbour who had found the abandoned bag recognised her post and returned it—minus most contents.

“I’m annoyed that I now have to keep a closer eye on my bag,” Larsen said. “You should be able to leave your things alone.”