Your bike was just stolen - what now?
Despite following our tips on how to keep your bike from being stolen, you just came out of the coffee shop to find out that your ride was victimized by one of The Worst People Ever – a bike thief.
Fret not, young city cyclist, for all that is lost may soon be found. Follow these steps and you just might get your bike back.
1- File a police report.
It’s crucial to file a police report as soon as you realize your bike is missing.
It’s helpful if you have the serial number of the bike and/or any other distinguishing details that differentiate the bike from its peers. Additionally, the more information you can give authorities, such as where you were, how long you were away from the bike and anyone suspicious you may have noticed lurking around, the better.
2- Make use of your bike registry or GPS sticker.
If you registered your bike with an organization like the National Bike Registry, this will help you recover your bike in the event that it’s stolen. The registry keeps your serial number on file so you can identify your bike and prove that it’s yours. Moreover, if you had a GPS sticker - such as the TrackR Sticker - on your bike, make sure to tell the police officers who are handling your case, because it may lead them to the bike.
Oh, and if you haven’t signed up with the National Bike Registry, now would be a good time to do so.
3- List your bike as stolen on BikeShepherd.org.
BikeShephard.org is a global community of bike lovers who work together to recover stolen bikes. In addition to allowing you to list your bike as stolen and rely on the help of other members, the site offers tons of great preventative measures, too, including free bike registration.
4- Set up online alerts for bikes that are being sold.
A lot of stolen bikes find their way to EBay, Craiglist and Gumtree, so signing up for alerts can be a great way to outsmart the crook who’s trying to make a buck off your stolen ride.
If you do find your bike online, contact the police station where you filed your report and they will help you with the next steps.
Alternatively, you could set up a meeting with the thief to “buy the bike,” then bring a private investigator with you and confront the guy on camera for a killer Kickstarter campaign. Or maybe that’s just us ; ).
5- Contact your local bike shop
When it comes to locating your missing bike (and the thief who stole it), you’ll want strength in numbers. Not only will your local bike shop and its team of employees keep an eye out for your ride, they’ll often let you post signs to alert other customers and bike lovers.
And if you really can’t find your bike and have to get a new one, you’d be surprised by how many shops will give you a “stolen bike” discount on a new one, especially after they’ve seen you go through the process of trying to recover yours.
6- Use social media.
Social media is a powerful tool that has done some amazing things in terms of returning stolen bikes to their owners, so be sure to to use it! Spread the word on every account you own, and ask your friends to share the news as well. The more people that know your bike has been stolen, the more eyes will be watching for its return.
Know any important steps that we missed? Share them in the comments below!