VIDEO: Thieves swap stickers to steal Citi Bikes in NYC

NEW YORK (AP/1010 WINS) — Citi Bike says it is aware of a scam in New York City in which thieves are switching the QR code stickers on rental bicycles in order to steal bikes unwittingly unlocked by customers.

The scammers swap the QR code stickers on two nearby bikes and then wait for a renter to unlock one of them using the code. The bike the rider is trying to use doesn't unlock, but the one nearby does, allowing the thief to ride off with it.

“Citi Bike is aware of this issue and, while it has not been widespread, we have been actively working to address it in a number of ways, including upgraded QR decals,” Citi Bike spokesperson Jordan Levine told The New York Post.

Video obtained by the Post shows a man trying to unlock a bike at a dock near W. 43rd Street and 10th Avenue in Hell's Kitchen as two teen boys ride away on a nearby bike.

Each rental ride costs $3. But a customer can be charged $1,200 if a bicycle they rent ends up lost or stolen.

June and July were two of the busiest months in the history of the program, with a total of more than 6.2 million rides purchased in New York City, including a single-day high of 126,099 rides on July 24 alone, Levine said.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Frances M. Roberts