Can A Stolen Bike Be Traced?

When your bike is stolen, you can trace it down with the GPS devices. A lot of bike aficionado would install GPS tracking devices to their motorcycles, mountain bikes or motocross bikes in case of bike theft.

Is it possible to find stolen bike?

The local police have a good handle on the area and may be able to trace your bike within minutes. It’s not uncommon for the police to spot the thief riding your bike. Once reported, the police will give you a crime reference number.

What are the chances of getting a stolen bike back?

But the fact is that almost half of stolen bikes are eventually recovered by the police. And the only reason that just 5% of stolen bikes are returned to their owners is that the police can’t link the bikes to the owners.

How do you check if a bike has been stolen?

BikeChecker is a FREE service for people purchasing second-hand bikes who wish to check the status of a bike on the BikeRegister Database. Thieves often try to sell on stolen bikes in the quickest and easiest way. This can often be through classified ad sites or indeed 2nd hand bike stores.

What do you do if someone steals your bike?

What to do if your bike is stolen

  1. Report your bike as stolen on BikeRegister.
  2. Report the theft to the police.
  3. Report the theft to your insurer.
  4. Alert your community and local bike shops.
  5. TIP: What to do if you see your stolen bike for sale.

What happens if you buy a stolen bike without knowing?

As soon as you think it’s stolen you need to call the police on 101 or take the item to your local police station. They’ll try to return it to its original owner. You shouldn’t keep the item or return it to the seller yourself – this might be considered ‘handling stolen goods’, which is illegal.

Do bikes have trackers?

While some GPS trackers are obvious, some of the best GPS tracking units are those that aren’t easily detectable by thieves. Some are mounted in seat posts, handlebars, or in the frame of a bike, while others hide in plain sight, like those hidden within a bike light.

Do police care about bike theft?

Investigation rates for bike crime are dire, 90% of thefts are screened out by officers believing they have very little chance of being solved. This is often despite the victim having identified incriminating CCTV or having found the stolen bike for sale online, we wrote about the problem last year.

Can police help with stolen bike?

Whilst it’s possible to report your stolen bike by phone and in some cases online, it can be more beneficial to go into your local police station. Provide as much detail as possible, the more the better, including: Exact details about the theft (where/when/how) Frame number, bike make/type, parts and unique features.

How do police recover bikes?

In the event of theft, registered users can issue an alert and make the most of help provided by the 529 Garage community to recover their bike. When a bike is found, police officers can easily return it to the owner if they are registered on 529 Garage.

Can you look up a bike serial number?

Almost all bicycles will have a unique identification number all so known as a bike serial number engraved on the bottom of its bottom bracket on the frame. You are looking for a number that is around six and ten digits long. And you need to register and can check the serial number in the bicycle registers database.

What does a bike serial number tell you?

It helps the manufacturer and bike shops with inventory, making it easier to match compatible parts to that bike. Each manufacturer has their own identification system. But the first numbers usually indicate the year, and then month of manufacture. And the remaining numbers indicate the specific ID of that bike.

Where do most stolen bikes go?

Way 3.
Usually, bike thieves steal bikes and put them on Craigslist, Kijiji, eBay, Gumtree, etc. for quick resells since they don’t want to keep their “crime evidence” for too long. If you find your stolen bike, don’t meet the seller on your own. Instead, ask the police for help.

Where is bike theft most common?

They’ve realised that they need to spend a bit of money on a decent lock, learn how to secure their bike properly and lock it every time they leave it.

  • New York City, NY.
  • Los Angeles, CA.
  • Portland, OR.
  • San Francisco, CA.
  • Chicago, IL.
  • Washington, DC.
  • Philadelphia, PA.
  • Seattle, WA.

Why do thieves steal bikes?

Acquisitive: These thieves steal bicycles for financial gain and usually trade them for cash or goods. The bikes may also be sold in pieces for drugs or money. In Portland, Oregon bike thieves are often drug addicts who provide stolen bicycles to drug dealers in exchange for drugs.

What happens if you return something you stole?

Returning an Item That Has Been Stolen
However, if you stole the item yourself or knew that the item was stolen and tried to return it for cash or store credit, your act is considered a crime. The theft will be categorized with the item at hand as either petty theft or grand theft and punished accordingly.

Can a bike get stolen without lock?

First of all: always use it. If you turn your back on your bike even for a few seconds, lock it. Lots of cyclists have just nipped into a shop only to find their bike gone on coming out. Without a lock, anyone can just walk off with your bike.

How can I track a bike without GPS?

What is SIM based tracking? SIM-based tracking or SIM consent is a robust and accurate way of tracking system helps you to locate the exact position of the cellular network without using a GPS device or without making a call. SIM-based tracking works the same as tracking with GPS devices.

How do I track a bike location?

A bike tracker is a typically small device mounted on your bike. Once installed, you can track the device, generally via the relevant brand’s smartphone app. Many will be able to notify you if it has moved when the bike is unattended – and where it is.

Can thieves detect a tracker?

Once installed with all the incredible features and functionality that come with a car tracker, you might assume that it’s impervious to car thieves and could never be stolen. Sadly that’s just not the case. We’d be lying to you if we said any system we sell, or any system at all, is completely 100% theft-proof.

Can you call 999 for a stolen bike?

If your bike is stolen, never put yourself at risk. Call police immediately on 999 if you see it being stolen or report a crime online or call 101 if you discover it has gone.