Bike Index's June 2018 recoveries!


Hey there! Are you ready to read some awesome bike recovery stories? Because I have some awesome bike recovery stories to tell you.

In this edition - the June 2018 recoveries - we have:

  • Lots of Seattle PD recoveries coming in - keep it up, SPD!
  • "I’m stunned to have gotten it back after 7 years, and even more stunned that it’s in decent condition..."
  • Capitol Loans in Seattle is on a total recovery tear, too ... keep it up Ian! I think you may be setting a new record for pawn recoveries.
  • "CHP found it in the trunk of a stolen vehicle" (another rare bike theft 'turducken', if you will)
  • Lots of bike shops out there recovering bikes! Thanks to Block Bikes, Downtown Bike, Bikeworks ... thank you so much to all the bike shops out there keeping an eye out for suspect bikes. Is your LBS using Bike Index yet? If not, please send them our way! We'd love to have them help fight the good fight

Before we get started: Recall that Bike Index is a 501(c)(3) non profit - so we run a tight ship.

I won't lie - it's pretty annoying to recover so many bikes and have to scrape by on donations. Or to recover a really expensive bike and get no donation in return. But, hey, we love catching thieves and finding stolen bikes, so we keep at it.

Point being: We would love it if you could donate to the Bike Index. Please help us keep these recoveries coming by donating here – tax deductible, too! We would appreciate it hugely if you did.

Now - onto the recoveries!

"A nice guy showed up with it! Apparently he bought it from the thief and knew it was stolen ... "
Surly Cross-Check - recovered: June 1, 2018
"Block Bikes in St. Johns recovered it from someone who brought it in to their shop. Thanks! "
2015 Raleigh Clubman Disc - recovered: June 1, 2018
"Seattle Police had picked it up nearby ... " (Editor's note: no other info was provided)
2013 Cannondale Synapse 6 Tiagra - recovered: June 2, 2018
"I found the bike posted for sale on OfferUp three weeks after being stolen. I contacted Mountlake Terrace PD immediately, who coordinated a meeting (under my OfferUp account). The individual was arrested at the meeting location and I positively ID'd the bike, which was returned to me the following day after police processing. Thankful to MLT PD for all their assistance in the process..."
2015 Giant XTC Advanced 1 29er - recovered: June 3, 2018
"Bike was recovered - with Seattle PD's assistance we cut the lock and recovered the bike... "
2018 Giant Escape 3 - recovered: June 5, 2018
"Hello - I found this bike in trash. Tried finding it online. No results anywhere. Still decent condition. Found on Bike Index under stolen. I really love this bike. Please contact me asap ..."
Tony Hawk Badseed - recovered: June X, 2018
Bike Index notes: this was a case where a bike thief rode in and "traded up", i.e. stole a bike and left the one he was riding behind. This one was caught on camera and went out over our SF twitter feed at @stolenbikessfo "(Bike was found via) owner and Bike index with SFPD made connections, Owner came by my house and got it! Nice work and a good ending to part of my loss ... "
2004 Felt F60 - recovered: June 5, 2018
"Hello - I think I found whats left of your bike ..." (Editor's note: no other information provided ... )
2008 Cannondale F7 - recovered: June 8, 2018
"A kind stranger found the bike, called me and then they returned it!"
2018 Giant v8 Escape Jr - recovered: June 8, 2018
"Someone recognized a man with the bike and took it from him ... (and) contacted my partner... "
Swobo Accomplice - recovered: June 8, 2018
"The Seattle Police department helped me recover my money after I found the bike on Craigslist and bought it from the seller..."
2013 Cannondale R800 - recovered: June 9, 2018
"Hey. This is (redacted) from Stolen Bikes Nola. We may have your trike! Please contact "
Schwinn Meridian 26 Single Speed - recovered: June 11, 2018
"Police arrested the person who had the bike. Bike was unrecoverable as it had been through a chop shop kind of scenario - hardly even recognized it anymore..."
2016 Norco Bikes Storm 7.3 - recovered: June 13, 2018
"Thief tried to pawn it and the pawn shop checked Bike Index before confiscating!" From the pawn shop: "Pretty hyped on this one. The guy was pretty bold, he decided to hang out for the cops and ended up in cuffs..." (Editor's note: shout out to Capitol Loans for recovering so many bikes!)
2016 Raleigh Merit 3 - recovered: June 13, 2018
"How the bike was recovered: Recovered by police (Seattle PD) ..."
Diamondback Insight 2 - recovered: June 13, 2018
"Hi, This is Ofc Scott with the Portland Police Bureau. I may have found your Rocky Mountain cyclocross bike. Please call me ..." From the owner: "I'm a bit flabbergasted as this had fallen out of my memory long ago. I was able to connect with Ofc Scott and indeed, the bike is mine. I’m stunned to have gotten it back after 7 years, and even more stunned that it’s in decent condition. Thank you for passing this on to me and or your organization’s mission and service..."
Rocky Mountain Bicycles Solo CX - recovered: June 14, 2018
"Pawn shop found it via Bike Index!" (Editor's note: shout out again Capitol Loans for being awesome and checking the Bike Index!)
2016 Cannondale Synapse - recovered: June 15, 2018
"CHP found it in the trunk of a stolen vehicle - bike was returned to me in good condition... "
2015 Trek Domane - recovered: June 17, 2018
"I believe I have your bike, it was one of couple I retrieved on a repo. It needed a lil work but in need of rear derailleur bracket still ..."
2015 Salsa Vaya 3 52cm - recovered: June 18, 2018
"Hi, Your bike was dumped in my backyard last night. I notified Seattle PD with the case number you provided below and they will coming by my house shortly to retrieve the bike and also get a description of the guy who tried to come back and get it today. Hopefully Seattle PD should be dropping your bike back you later this evening ..."
2015 Diamondback Haanjo Metro Plus - recovered: June 19, 2018
"I have recovered your bike from the weeds in an abandoned backyard ... Surprisingly intact, still equipped with wheel lights and all. Needs new tube, tire, tuneup ... "
2014 Cannondale Trail 29 7 - recovered: June 19, 2018
"Owner of Downtown Bike in Puyallup, Washington checked a suspicious bike on Bike Index and found that it had been stolen. The police and the bike shop called to let me know they had recovered it from the buyer who said he had purchased the bike at a bike swap ... "
2015 Specialized S-Works Epic Carbon 29 SRAM Blk L - recovered: June 20, 2018
"How the bike was recovered: Police (no other details were provided)"
Trek 6700 - recovered: June 19th, 2018
"How the bike was recovered: Police found it at a pawn shop ..."
2017 Diamondback Release 2 - recovered: June 20, 2018
"This bike has been recovered by the Portland Police Bureau. To claim your bike, please call us ..."
2018 Fit bike Co. BF 22 - recovered: June 20, 2018
"Bike was returned to Duvall, Washington Police Department ... "
2016 Yeti SB4.5 - recovered: June 21, 2018
"Somebody found it partially stripped about half a mile from my home. He found a number of frames after listing them in Craigslist, later checked Bike Index. Contacted me and was willing to return for free. Bike was missing headset, stem and wheel set ... "
2003 Specialized Allez Vita - recovered: June 22, 2018
"Local police (University of Washington Police Department & Seattle Police Department) found the bike within the area from which it was stolen and, after checking the Bike Index, contacted me to confirm that the theft. The Bike Index in conjunction with local police were the reasons I recovered my bike! "
2017 Jamis 4130 Double-Butted Chromoly - recovered: June 23, 2018
"Hey, how are you doing? My name is [redacted] and I was working off of 12th and Morrison where I saw your bike being taking around. I confronted the gentleman and acquired the bike ... " (Bike Index - shout out to the guy who repo'd this one, I actually got to talk to them in person and they were pretty awesome re: this recovery. I love local PDX folks helping each other out when it comes to stolen bikes ...)
2014 Cannondale Synapse Alloy - recovered: June 23, 2018
"Hey I think I found your bike down in the woods by Golden Gardens today. It was on the side of the trail that goes between the railroad overpass at Shilshole and the switchback by the park maintenance facility (2nd switchback from the bottom). It had the front wheel off and was next to a pile of other probably stolen stuff, incl. a generator. I snapped a pic of it .. Let me know if you need more info or want some muscle and numbers to retrieve it." (Editor's note: some local FB folks later went and retrieved this bike, and it made its way back to the owner)
1993 Diamondback Topanga - recovered: June 26, 2018
"OLE OLE = THANKS to this BIKE INDEX and Facebook!!!!!! LOVE IT" (Editor's note: to clarify - the FB group pnwLostStolenBikes had posted this as recovered bike, and then the owner was found via their Bike Index listing. Ole!
2016 Felt Compulsion 10 - recovered: June 27, 2018
"Bike was recovered by Corvallis Police after a prospective buyer noticed it for sale on Craigslist and reported it... "
2018 Trek Fuel EX8 Plus - recovered: June 28, 2018
"Bike was seized by the Portland Police Bureau, who then contacted me via Bike Index ..."
2018 Fit bike Co. BF 22 - recovered: June 28, 2018
"Hey. We have your bike at Bikeworks in Columbia City ... "
2017 Diamondback Century 1 - recovered: June 28, 2018


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And that's it for June.

July's wrap-up is coming up next, and it's already looking like a pretty huge one, so stay tuned.

Before you go - We would love it if you could help us out - I can't stress enough how much we need assistance from our readers, in any way shape or form.

If you could take just two minutes out of your day and do just one of these things, we'd appreciate it hugely:

  • Give Bike Index a shout-out on Facebook!
  • Tweet about the Bike Index, and tag @bikeindex so we can follow you back
  • Drop us a couple of bucks to help keep up the fight against bike thieves

Thanks for reading!