Only 5% of stolen bikes are returned to their owners because the police can’t link the bikes to the owners. This fact tells us that the key to the recovery of a stolen bike is identification.
If your bike got stolen how much information would you be able to provide the police with? Is this information just the brand, model and colour of the bike? What about serial numbers, special markings, brand and model of accessories etc.
With this in mind maybe its time to create an Identification file of your bike, if you haven’t already done so. This can be a computer file or a paper file. In the case of a digital file, I suggest keeping a backup. We all know how easy it is to lose precious documents because of hardware failure.
The first things to add to the file is purchase documents e.g. Receipt, guarantee etc. (if you are creating an identification file on a computer then make sure you scan or photograph any paper documents. The opposite applies if you creating a hard copy of the file, you print any digital documents)
Next step is to create an Identification document. Here you write down the make, model, frame number, colour and other visual details of the bike e.g. logos, inscriptions, locations of scratches etc. including a list of accessories.
A picture is worth a thousand words so it is time to add photographs of your bike. Take photos of the whole bike as well as close up shots of all the details and accessories you included in the Identification document.
While you can say that your blue bike got stolen that had a 3cm scratch on the downtube a picture will convey the exact shade of blue and also the shape and the exact location of the scratch at a glance.
Bicycle Frame Number
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you record your frame number (If you don’t do any of the rest we suggest, at least do that) Most bikes have a frame serial numbers that uniquely identifies that bike. You will need this number to register your bike on-line.
Where do I find the Frame Serial number?
In most frames, you will find it stamped along with the bottom bracket under the bike where the pedals meet. It is best to turn your bike upside down to see it.
If you don’t find a serial number there then look elsewhere on the bike. It can be on the head tube just under the steering bar, on the clamp part of the seat post or even on the rear stays. Just look throughout the frame methodically starting at one end and moving slowly to the other. If you find more than one number record them all.
Not all bikes have a frame number. Some older bikes, custom-built and speciality bikes don’t have one. (In the case of a new bike ask the help of the manufacturer or the seller for the location of the serial number)
Register your bike online
Once your bike is found after it has been stolen it can be traced back to you and returned. Police forces cross reference the details of stolen bike with online registers in an attempt to return them to the owner. This service is also useful if you buying a second hand bike. Before you buy it you can check to make sure the serial number is not registered as stolen.
There are many Online resisters the main ones are bikeregister.com and immobilise.com.
Every Police Force in the UK uses the BikeRegister database to search for stolen & recovered bikes
The registration sites allow you to register your bike for free by entering the necessary information. On top of that, there are special kits that can be purchased that give an ID and deterrent stickers as well as permanent marking with unique identifiers.
A good example is the BikeRegister Membership Plus Kit you can buy from Amazon for as little as £12.99. The Bike Register Membership Plus kit contains two highly durable, tamper-resistant QR barcode labels. These can be applied to any bike frame quickly and easily. They can be scanned with a smartphone to identify your bike on the Bike Register website and determine whether it is stolen. Details of more kits will be listed at the end.
Even if you do not want to spend any extra money for the extras you should use the free registration, so you can record the basic details and most importantly the unique frame number of your bike. This will identify you as the bike’s owner straight away.
Leave your Mark
For extra identification, you can leave your mark on the bike. e.g. Mark your postcode in two different locations on the bike, with at least one of them being hidden and also somewhere that everyday wear and tear won’t remove it. Record the location in your File just in case you forget over time and also check over time that it still visible/intact.
If there is no Frame serial number You can engrave your own number (providing the frame material allows it e.g. you wouldn’t want to tamper with the integrity of a carbon fibre frame)(ask the store you bought the bike from for advice)
In frames that is possible to add an engraving make sure you protect the etched area. In the case of a steel bike, the metal will be exposed to the elements and will start to rust. It best to add some protective paint to avoid this.
There are a number of Bike Marking Kits available especially designed to add unique identifiers that are desecrated, tamper-proof and permanent.
Bicycle Marking Kits
Datatag Stealth UV: 4 x Vinyl Etching Stencils 1 x Tube of UV etching fluid 1 x Tamper QR coded Evident Warning Label 1 x Registration card for online web registration
Datatag UV Pro: 4 x Vinyl Etching Stencils 1 x Tube of UV etching fluid 1 x Tube of Data dots with UV trace 1 x Tamper QR coded Evident Warning Label 1 x Registration card for online web registration
ImmobiTag RFID Bike Tag: Immobitag Electronic Bike tagging allows bikes with uninterrupted seat tubes (CIRCULAR TUBES, may not fit elliptical tubes) to be traced back to the owner using the unique id contained within the electronic tag.