Recovery Stories

Bellevue Police officer saw a woman riding it, looked up the bike, and then arrested her for possession of stolen property. They called me at 3am & left a message, and then I picked up from BPD Evidence later in the day. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Brock Bike recovered 2020.10.30

A concerned citizen whose bike was stolen saw my bike posted online. She searched Bike Index and alerted me. Thanks to Bike Index I had entered the serial number into my original crime report, so the police were able to contact me and return my bike the same day as the operation. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Cambria Bike recovered 2020.10.29

Someone found the bike on the side of the road and decided to search for the bike online at the suggestion of one of his friends. He found my contact info through Bike Index and reached out to get the bike back to me! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Joel Bike recovered 2020.10.26

A buyer realized the bike was stolen and reached out to me through Bike Index and returned it! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Kevin Bike recovered 2020.10.25

A very kind stranger saw it in an alley, posted on their Facebook, and then their friend on Facebook saw it on Bike Index! I am thrilled to have it back!! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Allison Bike recovered 2020.10.25

A person purchased it from someone and called me once they tried to register the bike and found out it was stolen. They offered to return the bike. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike John Bike recovered 2020.10.23

Someone found it for sale on offer up and referenced Bike Index to get my contact information. Was able to get police involved for recovery! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Shawn Bike recovered 2020.10.22

Yesterday, I spotted my stolen Giant Trance Advanced mountain bike for sale on Facebook Marketplace. With the help of our local Bike Index champion, EPS took a special interest due to the amount of matching details. They set up a sting operation - I had my bike back within seven hours. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Michael Bike recovered 2020.10.22

A pawn shop looked it up on Bike Index and called me. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Benjamin Bike recovered 2020.10.20

A kind person in our neighborhood found this bike in the alley behind his house and referenced Bike Index, contacted us and returned the bike. Thank you! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Katrina Bike recovered 2020.10.19

Police found it while on a call. They found my listing on Bike Index, contacted me, and brought it to my house. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Whitney Bike recovered 2020.10.19

We found a post on OfferUp selling the bike and went and retrieved it using the original receipt and serial number. Individuals using Bike Index alerted me that it was for sale. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Katherine Bike recovered 2020.10.17

Thanks to Bryan, Nicolas, and a few other Bike Index users I was able to locate my bike on OfferUp and coordinate its recovery with the University of Washington Police Department. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Jacob Bike recovered 2020.10.17

The Seattle Police stopped a person driving a stolen car. My bike was in the trunk. This was a special bike because the frame was built by a cancer survivor who passed away. I'm a cancer survivor and I used my first bike 30 years ago to recover from cancer. This bike was irreplaceable. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Shaun Bike recovered 2020.10.14

Someone found it, checked the serial against Bike Index, and called me. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Miranda Bike recovered 2020.10.14

Someone texted me after looking up my stolen Marin on Bike Index. I immediately got in my car and drove to the spot and sure enough - IT WAS ON FULL DISPLAY ON THE SIDEWALK. The police successfully retrieved the bike and gave it back to me!!! Thank you Bike Index!! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Kathryn Bike recovered 2020.10.14

A police officer looked the bike up on Bike Index and it was a match. The bike was scuffed up a bit, but still in good condition. Thank you, police and thank you Bike Index! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Burr Bike recovered 2020.10.14

Got an email lead from a potential buyer who saw it advertised on Kijiji. He looked up the serial and got the link to my Bike Index listing. Two others also emailed me about it. The police recovered the bike a few hours later - the seller had over 30 bikes on the property. THANK YOU Bike Index! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Olivier Bike recovered 2020.10.13

Someone confronted a person riding the bike and they left the bike. The Bike Index tweet and picture made a huge difference. Thank you Bike Index and the person who recovered the bike. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Mike Bike recovered 2020.10.12

An EPS police officer found it. They found a matching bike, searched it on Bike Index, and found out that it was my bike. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Carlos Bike recovered 2020.10.12

Amazing people found our bike sitting unlocked at the base of a trail and realized it looked stolen. They brought it home and looked up the bike on Bike Index and they called us immediately! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Lindsay Bike recovered 2020.10.11

Thanks to CPS & Bike Index I have my Rock Hopper back. Be sure to register your bike at bikeindex.org. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Howard Bike recovered 2020.10.8

Someone messaged me on Bike Index that someone tried to sell it to them! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike George Bike recovered 2020.10.7

Someone found it. They were able to get the paint off to read the serial number. Ran the serial number on Bike Index and were able to call me. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Jay Bike recovered 2020.10.7

Bike found by 'The Bike Shop' near their store. An employee saw my post on the 'Stolen Bike in Calgary' Facebook group and provided me with the serial number. I filed a police report and updated Bike Index. The Bike Index checklist really kept me on track through the process. Thanks! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Jordan Bike recovered 2020.10.7

Two years later the bike popped up on a for sale page when it was flagged by Bryan of Bike Index. A buyer named Mike found out the bike was stolen and reported it, and was very gracious in helping get the bike returned to me. Thank you to the Bike Index team for all the diligent work! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Danny Bike recovered 2020.10.7

Someone texted me after seeing my bike on Bike Index and made arrangements to return it to me. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Melanie Bike recovered 2020.10.6

The bike was recovered today by two Calgary Transit peace officers in downtown Calgary. I had two bikes stolen and recovered in 5 weeks. You are amazing, Bike Index! Thank you! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Reka Bike recovered 2020.10.3

Someone was offered the bike by a Craigslist seller, and contacted me after seeing it on Bike Index. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Brad Bike recovered 2020.10.2

Bike Index was key to police being able to recover this bike from a pawn shop. Inputting the serial was very very important. Thank you for this tool. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Brian Bike recovered 2020.10.2

A police officer saw the bike, ran the serial number on Bike Index, and found it marked as stolen. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Sage Bike recovered 2020.10.2

EPS recovered it. They checked out the bike and discovered it stolen. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Derek Bike recovered 2020.10.2

The thief took it to a bike shop to fix a brake cable. The shop thought something was off and looked up the serial number on Bike Index which of course had it flagged stolen. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Chris Bike recovered 2020.9.30

Calgary Police Service returned my bike after looking it up on Bike Index - thank you!!!! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Helen Bike recovered 2020.9.30

My bike got stolen yesterday and changed hands 2X but Calgary Transit Peace officers saw the notice about my bike. If it weren’t for Bike Index I would never have gotten my bike back and definitely not as quick as I did. Thank you Bike Index and thank you City of Calgary Transit Peace officers. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Jennifer Bike recovered 2020.9.30

The police found it based on the Bike Index stolen report! Crazy. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Vletallec Bike recovered 2020.9.28

The individual who bought it from the thief found out it was stolen when they went to register it - we assume because they looked it up here! They contacted the police and the police brought it back. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Bekki Bike recovered 2020.9.27

EPS used Bike Index and got it back to me the next day! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Duncan Bike recovered 2020.9.27

Someone bought it on Kijiji then googled it when they got home and the Bike Index listing popped up. He contacted me and was the nicest person ever. He gave it back no problem. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Erin Bike recovered 2020.9.26

Spotted the ad on OfferUp with help from a Bike Index user. The local PD came with me to meet the seller. I told them it was my bike, offered proof, found that he had sold it to someone else, contacted that buyer, and then finally gave them the money they paid for my bike to get it back. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Alex Bike recovered 2020.9.25

The person who purchased it for $40 on Facebook Marketplace checked Bike Index and contacted me. 😊 translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Rachel Bike recovered 2020.9.25

Someone from the neighborhood found it abandoned on a nearby trail nearly a month after it was stolen. They checked the serial number on Bike Index and reached out to return it! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Lei Bike recovered 2020.9.24

Good Samaritan bought it on Craigslist and realized it was stolen. Looked the bike up on Bike Index, confirmed it was stolen, and then contacted me to arrange for me to pick it up. Such a great guy! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Samantha Bike recovered 2020.9.23

Edmonton Transit Services found it abandoned, searched Bike Index, and here we are! I got my bike back one week from when it was stolen and I'm completely floored! A huge thanks to Brett with Bike Index for calling me, and arranging for me to pick it up. I'm over the moon!! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Andrew Bike recovered 2020.9.22

My bike was sold within probably 12 hours of it being stolen. The guy who bought it did initially check Bike Index but it must've been before I marked the bike as stolen. However, having misgivings, he checked again the next day and realized it was my bike and contacted me to get the bike back. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Denis Bike recovered 2020.9.22

Bike shop ran the serial and identified it when it was brought in for a repair by a suspicious customer. Can’t believe I got it back! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike nick Bike recovered 2020.9.22

I was contacted by a building manager that saw my bike locked up on his building's bike rack. He looked up my serial number and contacted me. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Andrew Bike recovered 2020.9.21

The thief was caught for having stolen property from a neighboring house on the same night my bike went missing. I contacted the police involved in the neighbor's case and learned they had my bike. I would not have learned about this had I not posted my Bike Index report on Facebook. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike George Bike recovered 2020.9.20

The wonderful people at Bike Index somehow reached the right person at the right time and he noticed my bike on a rack, called me, and I came to pick it up!!! THANK YOU so very much!! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Deborah Bike recovered 2020.9.20

Someone saw the bike discarded in a bush. They checked Bike Index to see it was stolen and returned it to the bike shop where it was bought because there was a shop sticker on the bike. The bike shop contacted me to pick up. Although it does need some work I am so thankful to have the bike back! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Derrick Bike recovered 2020.9.20