REGISTER, REPORT, AND RECOVER
by Ginger Decker
Bike Theft
As bike values have grown in recent years, it shouldn't surprise anyone that bike theft has grown as well. In the past ten years the Northwest has been one of the hardest hit areas for bike theft growth. Crimes of opportunity by a young joy rider have been overtaken by savvy bike rings. Local thieves, usually wanting quick cash for drugs, carry lock cutting tools and some are breaking into the owners' property. Bikes are fenced to criminals across county, state and international borders who sell to ready markets and online.
A 2024 survey[1] showed 80% of American cyclists have had one or more bikes stolen and 51% of these were from the owners' property.
Why Register?
It is thought only 1 in 5 stolen bikes are reported to police in North America. Even with underreporting, various municipalities are showing doubling to tripling of reported thefts year over year since 2020. We can end this supply chain by better protecting our bikes from being stolen by using good locks (eg: ULock) and that includes bikes in our yards and garages. But thieves can cut the best of locks, so you should also register it. A registration helps you report and recover your bike.
Vancouver Police recovered nearly 2,000 stolen bikes a year pre pandemic (it is higher now). However, locating the victims was a significant challenge. They had a warehouse full of bikes until they adopted the 529 Bike Registry. It not only helped them return bikes to their owners, it gave them the ability to pursue criminal charges to prevent future thefts.[3]
The 529 Garage Bike Registry
Have you registered your bikes yet? Some of you may recall our old National Bike Registry. The company 529 Garage (529) acquired that registry in 2017 and made it a Global Bicycle Registry.
529 is a free citizen registration and reporting system designed to network communities with law enforcement, schools, bike shops and pawn shops to prevent bike theft and increase public safety. It improves the chances of getting your bike back if stolen.
It is easy to download the 529 app to your phone. You follow a few simple steps that walk you through bike information and photos of your bike from various angles. In about five minutes you've protected your bike.
These photos and the additional information 529 collects enable law enforcement to identify a bike that may have been chopped (parts taken off) or serial number was rubbed out.
Reporting a stolen bike is a simple button press in the 529 app. Be sure to also file a report with your local law enforcement. Once reported, it alerts the community and law enforcement. 529 also has a great search feature so you can look for a bike you suspect is stolen (eg: abandoned bike)
In addition to registering your bike, consider purchasing a shield for added protection. It is about $11 and can be purchased at our local bike shops or online. It signals the public and law enforcement that the bike is registered on 529. It is best to place the shield in a visible spot. Above the top tube under your seat is best.
Don't put this off. Register your bike with 529 today. You can add the shield at any time. I will be registering bikes at our next Open Streets event in August and will have free shields available to the first 30 people who bring their bikes.
Tips:
- Look for 529 Garage in your app store
- To read more about 529 or if you are not able to download the app on a mobile, visit their website athttps://project529.com/garage
- If your bike is stolen, go to the app and report it by pressing the alert button next to the stolen bike. You should also file a police report with your local agency.
- When buying a bike secondhand, check it out carefully. It may be stolen. Is it selling for far less then it is worth? Look for rubbed out serial numbers, search for it on 529, and ask the seller lots of questions including if they can provide a receipt for their purchase of the bike.
- Purchase a good bike lock. U locks are recommended by law enforcement and cycling advocates because if properly attached, it is much more difficult to fit in a cutting tool.
- Your bike's serial number is most frequently found on the underside of your bottom bracket. It may also be on your headtube. If purchased new, it may also be on your receipt and finally a quick lookup online might guide you to its location.
References
- ^ thebestbikelock.com, 2024
- ^ https://blog.project529.com/529-by-the-numbers-infographic/
- ^ Vancouver Police Department, 2017
- Bellingham Police Department, 2017
About the Author:
Ginger Decker is an Anacortes resident and cyclist. She believes we all have a responsibility to serve the greater good with crime prevention and reporting. Regardless of how small or inconvenient it may seem to us. Preventing theft starves a big stepping stone of criminal behavior. Reporting a crime enables law enforcement to pursue charges and get petty thieves help before they become career criminals. While law enforcement may not be able to remedy every crime, reported crimes give society better statistics on what, where and how crime happens.