Events

Introducing Bike Hub’s Stolen Bike Database

By Matt · 51 comments

It’s an unfortunate reality that just about every day we see yet another stolen bike reported in our forums. In an effort to better track thefts, identify stolen bikes and the contact owners of recovered bikes we’ve put together a Stolen Bike database.

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It’s a more organised means of keeping track of reported stolen bikes than the current forum provides.

Bikes are listed with some key information in a set structure (Make, Model, Year) to allow for more useful searching. Along with colour(s), serial number, photos and further details / special features to assist in identification.

The aim is to allow for quicker identification of a stolen bike and an easy means to contact the owner. Additionally, over time the data will give a picture of trends across geographies, brands, etc. to further assist in combating bike thefts.

Reporting a theft
Any registered Hub member can report a theft. The report will include sections for information about the bike along with the date, location and details of the incident.

Once a report is created a forum topic is automatically added to the existing Stolen Bikes forum. Any replies on the forum topic will also be visible as comments on the Incident Report page.

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Bike registration
We’ve also added a feature to allow you to privately register your bikes. We often see that people reporting bikes don’t have any or at least any clear pictures or haven’t noted the serial number. The registry allows you to store this info just in case you ever need it (although we sincerely hope you don’t).

Existing reports in the forum
If you’ve already reported a stolen bike in the forum we encourage you to please add it to the database. We will merge comments to ensure a single thread exists for the incident.

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Take a look – we’d like to hear your feedback and suggestions on what we can do to improve to this going forward.

https://www.bikehub.co.za/stolenbikes/

Comments

BigBoy10

Dec 9, 2014, 9:35 AM

except if its a chinarello  :ph34r:

then it will have two

Chris2003

Apr 27, 2015, 5:14 PM

http://soweto.olx.co.za/cannondale-iid-797995318

 

Found this on olx yesterday. Anyone lose one of these recently?

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UpShift_Cycles

Apr 27, 2015, 7:16 PM

http://soweto.olx.co.za/cannondale-iid-797995318

 

Found this on olx yesterday. Anyone lose one of these recently?

At 10k they don't know the price either. probably bought it for 6 or 7k

Ampandy

Apr 27, 2015, 8:26 PM

Thumbs up big time

Iwan Kemp

Apr 20, 2016, 12:19 PM

Not enough stolen bikes are reported in the Stolen Bikes section. We need every single Hubber to list their bikes and get their mates to list their bikes as well. Then we need every single rider who's bike has been stolen to report it in the stolen bikes section.

 

That's at least one (very effective) way to help curb the problem. Lets close some loops for these people.

 

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Eugene Oppelt

Apr 20, 2016, 12:35 PM

Brilliant stuff

So necessary

EmptyB

Apr 20, 2016, 1:14 PM

Very good indeed....

Irons

Nov 3, 2016, 9:32 AM

Quite new to cycling, but I thought I'd bring up a concerning topic. I have a guy who works for me on the weekends at our home in Greenpoint. He lives on the street, so he has his fair share of exposure to crime, and when he saw that I had purchased a new road bike, he casually made mention of how often he gets the request to steal bicycles.

 

When I enquired a bit more, he was able to name some of the top bicycle names, i.e. Specialized, Santa Cruz, etc. - because the requests are quite specific, and it turns out they are coming from fairly wealthy people.

 

Lock those bicycles up properly.

Tony Paulo

Feb 6, 2017, 11:35 AM

It is great to have a forum on this subject BUT ...,, is anyone finding these stolen [emoji1452] bikes

 

It is all a little futile and frustrating . Could anyone look and find these as a business. For financial reward?

 

There must be professional detectives that could specialize in this matter

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pure Savage

Feb 6, 2017, 11:48 AM

It is great to have a forum on this subject BUT ...,, is anyone finding these stolen [emoji1452] bikes

 

It is all a little futile and frustrating . Could anyone look and find these as a business. For financial reward?

 

There must be professional detectives that could specialize in this matter

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Its complicated, once the expensive bike is stolen, 9/10 times its insured so the owner just reports it stolen and starts planning the next build. 

 

The insruance company then has to try follow up, but with the sheer numbers, this is a tricky task.

Tony Paulo

Feb 6, 2017, 8:57 PM

At 10k they don't know the price either. probably bought it for 6 or 7k

Page already deleted.....hmmmm.. well spotted

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Tony Paulo

Mar 20, 2017, 3:46 PM

Does any mountain bike ever get recovered? Ever?

 

 

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Tony Paulo

Mar 20, 2017, 7:53 PM

Why we even post.

 

 

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akaMrQ

Apr 5, 2017, 8:56 AM

Why we even post.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Found a mtb yesterday with the assistance of the community a week or so after it got stolen/reported.

andydude

Apr 5, 2017, 2:24 PM

Does any mountain bike ever get recovered? Ever?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nope

Yes
MTB1000

Jun 15, 2017, 10:11 AM

Hi all please see photo of CCTV footage of person riding off on my MTB. Friday 9th June 2017.  Full Carbon Rocky Mountain - ML70 - XT/Raceface setup. Rondebosch Cape Town

DIPSLICK

Oct 9, 2017, 9:26 AM

Matt I have asked in the past please post that HOT MAP and maybe figures again I cant find it

thanks

DIPSLICK

Oct 9, 2017, 9:30 AM

on the stolen bikes page 17/20 bikes stolen is cape town

Trail-Blazer

Jan 5, 2018, 9:19 PM

Police arrested suspect in possession of stolen bike, if this Giant is yours, contact Bellville Police Station. Pic attached.

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Dean111

Aug 12, 2022, 2:35 PM

Hi Everyone.

I would just like to know. How can i make certain a bike i am buying is not stolen if the owner do not have receipts. Can a reputable bicycle shop check for me ?

Regards

D

esCape-ist

Aug 12, 2022, 2:47 PM

9 minutes ago, Dean111 said:

Hi Everyone.

I would just like to know. How can i make certain a bike i am buying is not stolen if the owner do not have receipts. Can a reputable bicycle shop check for me ?

Regards

D

Normally when you buy a new bike you need to register it online for the warranty. So maybe the local agent for that brand of frame could help verify who the original owner was….. but with POPI act not sure they would be willing to share that information, and they also need to delete/trash those records at some point once the warranty expires. 

Prince Albert Cycles

Aug 12, 2022, 3:02 PM

25 minutes ago, Dean111 said:

Hi Everyone.

I would just like to know. How can i make certain a bike i am buying is not stolen if the owner do not have receipts. Can a reputable bicycle shop check for me ?

Regards

D

I do not have receipts for any my bike purchases . If you have doubts walk away .

MTBRIDER1234

Aug 12, 2022, 3:08 PM

4 minutes ago, Prince Albert Cycles said:

I do not have receipts for any my bike purchases . If you have doubts walk away .

Yep, I have bought many bikes and parts and have never needed the owner to show me a receipt. Common sense should tell you if a deal is too good to be true or looks shady, not a receipt.

ChrisF

Aug 13, 2022, 4:32 PM

On 8/12/2022 at 4:47 PM, esCape-ist said:

Normally when you buy a new bike you need to register it online for the warranty. So maybe the local agent for that brand of frame could help verify who the original owner was….. but with POPI act not sure they would be willing to share that information, and they also need to delete/trash those records at some point once the warranty expires. 

 

Having registered my bike online I can download that data any time.

 

So even though I no longer have the receipt (which I should have kept for the warantee), I CAN prove original ownership.

 

 

Also, who of us buys a bike and dont take pictures ?  EXIF data of the photo will confirm 3-year old photos to go with the 3-year old bike .... not a receipt, but certainly something a thief wont have.

esCape-ist

Aug 14, 2022, 7:36 AM

14 hours ago, ChrisF said:

 

Having registered my bike online I can download that data any time.

 

So even though I no longer have the receipt (which I should have kept for the warantee), I CAN prove original ownership.

 

 

Also, who of us buys a bike and dont take pictures ?  EXIF data of the photo will confirm 3-year old photos to go with the 3-year old bike .... not a receipt, but certainly something a thief wont have.

Yes, you can download the data from the warranty database, but in the case of a bike that has changed hands once before, I doubt the manufacturer will provide that info to a third party such as the potential buyer.

 

Agreed. Photos would probably be a good source. 

 

But as said already by someone else in this thread, if any part of this sale is getting your spidey senses tingling, it's probably best to walk away.

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