So your pride and joy has been stolen and I know from first hand experience it’s not a good feeling. So here’s some tips for putting the odds of getting your bike recovered a little bit in your favour.
Report the Theft
Report the theft to the police as soon as you can, try to include as much detail as you can and if you have pictures of your bike hand a copy of these over too.They will give you a case number (keep that safe) and if possible ask for the officers details just encase you remember or find more information. There are also several online websites where you can report bike thefts (such as this one), so get online and spread the word
Search Gumtree and eBay
Search these for both the obvious keywords like the model or manufacture but also consider more vague descriptions someone might use to list your bike. FindThatBike.co.uk can help you search both at once.
Spread the Word
Get in contact with local bike shops, clubs, mailing lists, forums… anyone who may come into contact with bikes on a regular basis. It may help to have a couple of printed flyer for them, as they may be able to help spread the word further.
Get out on foot
Don’t put yourself into a dangerous situation but check anywhere that may sell used bikes so pawn shops, local markets or car boots are all good places to start.
Be Proactive
If you live in an area with a strong CCTV presence and have a rough time your bicycle was stolen, ask the business/organisation/individual to check the camera’s for you, they may not be able to tell you if they have anything but if you pass on the case number and the detectives contact details they should be able to tell them.
If you have any more top tips, please feel free to share them below!