What to do if your bike is stolen

Thanks for the advice

Spotted this morning by one of our members - fancy Mercian audax bike on sale for £100 at a jumble sale in Tottenham. If you have had one stolen recently, tell us about it and if it matches we will send the details.

Great thread. Very helpful. Thanks.

Thanks for this

seriously helpful thread. thank you.

Thanks, all.

Guardian article today:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog/2012/nov/19/cyclists-police-bike-theft

great thread. thank you.

very helpful, thanks

what ever you do don't go with E&L insurance - they have spent a month wasting my time only to refuse to take liability for my locked (with sold secure bronze) bike stolen from outside the resturant i was in

Interesting but worrying, reading. remote control exploding saddles get my vote.

very helpful...ta

nice thread.. :)

The advice on hiding notes/contact details inside the bike is a good call, would just say don't put anything too sensitive on it though, you don't want the person who stole your bike to know where you live.
Keeping photos of you with the bike is also a must but don't underestimate the power of securing properly in the first place. Invest a sensible amount in it. £60 on a good D-lock is not much if saves a £600 loss, always at least 10-20% remember a good lock can last for life.
Frame numbers alone don't hold much security, working in a bike shop I've seen bikes come in with the numbers shaved off. Its a easy step criminals can take to prevent you tracing your bike.
Personalising it in other ways or having intimate knowledge of the marks/dings/starches and specific components can also help you prove the bike is yours.

Great advice :)

Kryptonite New York Locker is the key :-)

I take photos of myself with the bike every time I change a part or retape the bars. A friend of mine etches the fork steerer with his name. I learned the hard way after seeing my road bike at a pawn shop and the cops said there was nothing I could do to get it back short of buying it again.

what ever you do don't go with E&L insurance - they have spent a month wasting my time only to refuse to take liability for my locked (with sold secure bronze) bike stolen from outside the resturant i was in

Over here, bikes can come under the umbrella of homeowner's insurance or renter's insurance. Check your policy and make sure to tick the box for coverage. My homeowner's insurance went up $12 per year.

Report to the police!

Over here, bikes can come under the umbrella of homeowner's insurance or renter's insurance. Check your policy and make sure to tick the box for coverage. My homeowner's insurance went up $12 per year.

Same here! I added all seven of my bikes to my household contents insurance for £50!
Bargain!

Great thread, thanks. If anyone has seen my Peugeot PKN that I cycled across UsA on in 1980, please say - http://t.co/yrB0fsHj

Interesting reading!

I bought a lock recently with an alarm fitted to it. Its definately given me some piece of mind, but still use it conjunction with a chain and padlock. It's a bit geeky but I'm sure it would put off a would be thief as it gives out 115db.
The only problem i find with it is that its sooo sensitive, that you can't lock it up next to other bikes without them setting it off when they come go with theirs :D
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kabrus-Alarm-Cable-Lock-for-Bike-Motorcycle-Motorbike-Security-Static-Locks-/181069188705?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Cycling_BikeLocks_SR&hash=item2a28908e61

About 10 years ago my eldest son had his new Specialized Hot rock 24" wheel mountain bike pinched from outside the paper shop in the town where we live in leicestershire, I spent 2 evenings around the parks & where the local kids hang out to no avail. 3 days later I was looking in the local paper & in the classifieds was a Specialized Hotrock, I contacted the seller who admitted he had only had the bike a couple of days and claimed he had bought it for his brother from a car boot sale the other side of Leicestershire, I arranged to view it & informed the police who said they could do nothing without proof it was our bike.

I went to the guys house in a rough part of Leicester and sure enough it was my sons bike, I assured the guy I was very interested and just needed to check that my son wanted it. I went straight to the police but they refused to help as they were too busy ffs. I rang the seller back & arranged to go back at 6pm the next day, 5pm the next day I went back to the police & they reluctantly agreed to go & see the seller. The police did recover the bike & admitted they knew the seller. He even asked for a reward for returning the bike to its rightful owner!

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h255/chris_t50/Picture0003_zps9d5d8ecd.jpg

Hello all, anyone in Cambridge area please have a look at the above link and keep your eyes peeled for a dark green Raleigh frame with orange and white No Logo wheels. Gutted to have lost it (in the King's parade area) and would LOVE to get it back. Not worth a lot of money, but rides surprisingly well and is adored by its owner. Rewards, etc.

good read, a couple of solid locks needed