Your Bike Was Just Stolen!!!!!!

These are some of the worst Facebook posts to read.  "Last night my bike was stolen!!!!!!!"  Bikes can be replaced but the memories can't.  The feeling of getting to know your new bike and how it handles is something that will never be replaced by new bike.  Most stolen bikes seem to be joy ridden and then left in a ditch or in a neighbors hedges.  So there is hope.  So let's talk about what to do if your bike gets stolen.

• Get your info together.  You should have the make, model, color, type, size of your bike as well as the serial number.  If your bike is licensed you should also have that information.  If you don't have this information, call the bike store that you purchased your bike from.  They usually have all this information at their finger tips.  City Hall can help get your license info.
• File a report with the police immediately.  If you're on a college campus report it to campus security.  You'll need the above data to do this.  Make a copies of the report.
• Create an account at Bikeindex.org and list your bike as stolen.  Add pictures and information.  They don't recover every bike but local authorities do have access to the information.  They claim to have recovered over 9 million dollars worth of bikes.  That's a lot!  If your bike goes to a different city this may be the link that gets it back to you.  At Spoke-n-Sport we register every new bike sold with Bike Index.  
• In Sioux Falls we have a Facebook group called Sioux Falls Stolen Bikes.  Post the most current picture here along with as much detail as possible.  Often these posts get re-posted on other Facebook groups and pages.  Re-post this on your own social media and make sure it's public so others can share it with their networks.
• Visit each bike store and drop off a picture of the bike with your contact info.  
• Check with the local online market places such as Facebook, eBay, and numerous selling apps.  Not necessarily easy to navigate but you can use tools like Search Tempest to search Craigslist pages for multiple cities.  With eBay you can "watch" specific items.  Don't get too specific on what you're looking for.  Cast a wide net by just searching for the make and model.
• Check with your home owners / renters insurance and see if your bike is covered.  If not, ask what you have to do to cover it for future bikes or other bikes that you currently own.
• The biggest challenge when dealing with a stolen bike is working with pawn shops.  There are some City of Sioux Falls initiatives that are reducing the number of bikes being pawned that have been reported as stolen. This isn't catching them all.  But it's catching some.  Take some time and visit the pawn shops.  Print off all the info that they will need to identify your bike.  
• Offer a reward.  A six pack of beer, $50, a high five.  Offer something.

Last but not least, plan for the future.  Get your bike covered under your insurance and make sure you're locking up your bike.  Locks are not a guarantee that your bike won't be stolen but they are likely to deter most thefts.  Any lock can be cut or broken.  The highest quality of lock is only going to slow down the best bike thief.  If you need some good advice on locks and how to use them, head over to Momentum Magazine and read their guide on the right and wrong way to lock a bike LINK.