Are you on the hunt for getting your stolen bike back? If so, this article is for you. Even if you’re not the victim among thousands of other bikers who get their two-wheelers nicked every now and then, you can always use this resource to your advantage in the future.
So, how to deal with your stolen bike situation? Well, there are a few steps you can take to at least make sure you’ve put in your best effort to get it back. What else can you do, right?
So, don’t feel blue, and hold yourself together. You’ve got some work to do. And do read this article to know what steps you can take once your bike is stolen.
Article Contents
6 Most Important Tips To Follow If Your Bike Is Stolen
Stealing a men’s road bike is pretty common these days since road bikes are mostly kept outside the building complex rather than in the garage. Riders are more concerned about getting their stolen off-road or hybrid bikes since they’re high-end and more expensive.
However, you must value a common road bike since it offers you great utilities, including commuting to places of work, study, shopping, or sometimes, different city crossovers.
Hence, it’s essential to take prompt action regarding your stolen bike.
Let’s get on with the six best tips to follow when it comes to attempting to retrieve your bicycle at the earliest:
1. Report To The Police
Have you reported to the nearest police station about your bike if it’s supposedly stolen? You can do the right thing by calling the non-emergency number of the police to let them know about your stolen bike.
But don’t hasten the call because you must be prepared with all the necessary details about your bike as well as yourself.
Make sure you provide them:
- The location where you kept your bike the last time and where it’s supposedly stolen from.
- Information about any weapon or tools you found nearby your bike’s last location.
- The most possible time of the theft.
- Your bike’s serial number, color scheme, design & features, etc.
- Any clue on the vandals
Once the police attend to your call and collect all the information as required, they’ll create a record on their database. Then you’ll receive a CRN (Crime Reference Number) from them, which you must save in your memory or somewhere retrievable.
2. Report To Bike Register Organization
There’s a good reason why registering your bike after buying one is significant. Bike registration works in your favor since you’re sharing the details of your bike. This, in turn, can help you in many ways; tracking the bike, for instance.
However, if you’re biting your nails that you haven’t registered your stolen bike before, worry not! Most bike register companies still accept registration if you go to them. The procedure remains the same since all you have to do is report the stealing and provide the bike and personal details to them.
This way, your bike remains a legally purchased product while its whereabouts will be under tracking by the organization.
3. Updating The Social Media Platforms
Social media is the biggest platform to get any news out and get it viral in no time. So, why not use it to your advantage? Yes, post your stolen bike on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumbler, and many more.
Don’t shy away from providing the details of your bike because that will help your followers and friends to look out for the bike. Besides, go for social media groups or pages where people talk about bikes and their relevant aspects.
Posting about your lost bike will stir the page followers or group members to collectively be watchful about your offender and the bike itself.
4. Keep Your Eyes Open About Bike Auctions And Sales Ads
If your bike was new with some ecstatic features, chances are there that the offender might put it for sale or auction. So, staying updated about nearby bike auctions or sales ads will be wise.
Search online for the upcoming or closest auction or bike sale dates. The thieves won’t take the risk of keeping the stolen bike to themselves for longer with the prospect of being caught by law enforcement.
If you’re not finding your bike on the auction list, put an alert notifying the authorities about your bike with details. This will keep them alert about informing the police and yourself if they suspect anyone with your stolen bike’s possession.
5. Don’t Delay The Insurance Claim
Bike insurance covers various aspects like cycling accidents, bike theft, vandalism, etc. So, to get your stolen bike covered, you must report it to your insurer immediately.
Don’t wait for another day to do it, as it will be most effective to do it within twenty-four hours of the theft. It’s because processing the insurance papers and claims takes time, and by notifying the insurer quickly, you’re actually saving precious time.
However, if you haven’t covered your bike with insurance, look for what your home insurance has to say. A homeowner’s insurance, renter’s insurance, or condo insurance might cover your bike to an extent.
If the bike was insured, the insurer would require the CRN you received from the police along with the bike purchasing documents as proof of ownership.
The significant point to be noted here is, the bike claim might affect your monthly or annual premiums in the insurance company. Thus consider thoroughly whether your bike was worth the amount of money to be adjusted with the premiums so far. If not, you better go for a new bike.
6. Search The Local Pawn Shops
It’s obvious that the offender hasn’t stolen your bike to ride on it and go places. The thief needs cash and they need it fast. So, one of the best ways to cash in is to sell your bike to pawnshop owners.
Thus if you can quickly contact the local pawn shop owners to keep you updated about anyone approaching them with your bike, you might be one step ahead of the thief. So, it’s important that you give your bike details, including color, design, size, type, and features.
This way, the owners can keep information about the possible offender while informing the police in time.
Bottom Line
You may want to replace your stolen bike once you’re done with all the required steps to getting back your bike and not finding any positive results for a while.
The decision is completely yours since it depends on your budget, preference, and desire for a better and newer two-wheeler model. However, you can’t deny the importance of the necessary actions to take once the unfortunate incident takes place.
Moreover, we suggest you take preventive measures like bike registration, safe parking, advanced lock-system, etc., to save yourself from being robbed of your bike.
