While Jan Malmgren from Veberöd was with friends his mobile phone suddenly pinged. The phone showed that his bicycle was on the move and thus had been stolen. What the thieves did not know was that the bike was equipped with a sensor that alerts when the bike is moved and also sends real-time updates about where the bike is located. The bicycle project in Veberöd is a part of Future by Lund’s SOM project.
Smart Villages in Veberöd is part of the SOM-project and within this they work, amongst other things, to prevent bicycle theft together with the bicycle manufacturer Degavi AB, Police and Future by Lund. The intention is to find ways to stop bicycle theft by providing bikes with sensors. The sensors send signals via Telia’s Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) network which has been installed in the village for a while now.
For the test project five bicycles have been equipped with sensors. When the bikes are moved but the associated mobile phone is close by – nothing happens – but if the bike moves and the phone is not in the vicinity an app delivers an alarm to the phone.
– A notice is sent out to the phone if the bicycle is being moved, explains Jan Malmgren of Smart Villages. The owner is asked on the phone whether the bike has been loaned or stolen. If it has been stolen one can choose via the phone to forward the case to the police. Should the police find a stolen bike there will also be a feature that allows them to determine who is the owner.
The first alarm for a stolen bicycle came in October 2019 and by chance it was Jan Malmgren’s bike that was stolen. Jan was eating dinner with some friends when he heard a ping from his mobile.
– Your bike is now on Skolgatan, Skolgången, Dörrödsvägen...I was constantly informed where the bike was located. I obviously made sure to post it on the village’s Facebook page so that the village could be included and follow where the bike was. Finally the bike ended up on Maltgatan and that’s where I found it when my friends and I drove there, says Jan Malmgren.
The first real alarm showed that the system works – but also gave Jan Malmgren new ideas about how the system against bicycle theft can be improved.
– Because I was constantly updating via Facebook where my bike was located it so happened that maybe the thieves became aware that they were being observed, explains Jan. In addition, I realised that we have a unique opportunity – as soon as a bike is stolen we can post an update so that the whole village can keep an eye out for the bike.
Smart Villages is testing a variety of innovative technical solutions with projects. Many of the villagers are connected to the village’s digital communication platform veberod.nu through the website, Facebook page and app. Therefore, information about the village can be spread at the same time as it is easy to listen what the villagers think of the new solutions.
– We want to create a thief-protected village where it should be simply not worthwhile to steal bicycles, explains Jan Malmgren of Smart Villages. Our project is both a form of product development but also a possibility to test what the villagers think.
– We are positive that with the help of technological development we can prevent bicycle theft, which is Lund’s most common crime, says Joakim Nyberg, municipal police in Lund. It can help us in crime prevention because thieves may not want to steal bicycles that are equipped with this technology. With the help of the sensors we will be able to find stolen bicycles and maybe over time other objects.
The SOM-project is a part of the Strategic Innovation Program for the Internet of Things (IoT) Sweden, which is financed by Vinnova. The project started on 1 September 2017 and continues until 30 June 2020.
Photos: Smart Villages
Translation: Ben Dohrmann
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