Recovery Stories

Edmonton Police saw someone riding it and searched Bike Index. They repossessed it from the new owner who bought it out of somebody's trunk at a gas station for $80. This site really does work! I wouldn't have got the bike back without it. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Stephen Bike recovered 2021.5.20

I was contacted via Bike Index. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Matthew Bike recovered 2021.5.20

Santa Monica Police did a fantastic job by being quick, effective, and on point. Registering with Bike Index and keeping the serial number were instrumental in retrieving the bike. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Greg Bike recovered 2021.5.17

Thanks to Bike Index. A woman saw the ad on FB marketplace - I was also notified by Bike Index. She purchased the bike then looked it up online and saw it listed as stolen and contacted me. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Jason Bike recovered 2021.5.17

EPS caught the bike thief and returned my bike. This was due to this great Bike Index site. EPS highly recommend this site and so do I. Spending the time to record my bike serial was the key according to the police. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Russ Bike recovered 2021.5.15

I got my bike on May 14 after my bike was stolen on May 11. Bike Index really helps to increase exposure and awareness among civilians and law enforcement for bike recovery. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Hadi Bike recovered 2021.5.14

An honest pawn broker checked Bike Index, then reported the attempted sale to the Edmonton Police Service's Pawn Detail. There was extra help from our local 'stolen bikes' citizen's group, and from the Twitterverse. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Hyl Bike recovered 2021.5.12

Security at a mall found it and used Bike Index to match the description to my bike. They contacted me through the website. I went in the next day and sure enough it was mine. Thank you for this amazing program! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Amina Bike recovered 2021.5.12

Someone bought our stolen bike and saw it on Bike Index after buying it. They were nice enough to give it back to us. Thank you Bike Index!! We never thought we'd see it again. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Regis Bike recovered 2021.5.11

People found this on Kijiji and also marked stolen on Bike Index and messaged me. It was stolen two days ago and I already got it back. Thank you so so much. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Anna Bike recovered 2021.5.9

Thieves tried to sell it to a local bike shop. They recognized the bike from Bike Index and held on to it and notified the police. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Eric Bike recovered 2021.5.8

Calgary Police were running a search on stolen credit cards and found the bike among others. Using Bike Index, they quickly identified it as ours. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Bob Bike recovered 2021.5.4

Two folks who saw my bike on Bike Index contacted me to let me know that they saw it on Facebook Marketplace. I managed to get it back the next day! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Rafael Bike recovered 2021.5.4

Someone's garage was broken into and their bike was stolen. He called me - apparently the thief arrived on my bike and left on his. He found me through Bike Index. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Kate Bike recovered 2021.5.3

A kind person realized he had severely underpaid for a nice bicycle that was likely stolen and searched for the serial on Bike Index. It was a hit! I received an e-mail from him through Bike Index and the next day the bike was back in my possession. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike AJ Bike recovered 2021.5.3

The RCMP recovered the bike almost exactly 2 years after it was stolen. They were able to find me using the Bike Index database! Thank you! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Alysha Bike recovered 2021.5.3

I found my bike for sale on Craigslist. I got a call a day later that someone had bought my bike and found it on Bike Index after the sale. I paid them what they paid for the bike, and got it back to a shop for an inspection. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Max Bike recovered 2021.4.30

The bike was sold near South Lake Union. The purchaser was very kind enough to check the serial number and reach out to me. He found the missing bike's information through Bike Index. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Suchithra Bike recovered 2021.4.29

My Bike Index ad was posted on a local Facebook group. Someone posted my found bike on Instagram, which was re-posted on the Facebook group, and a member used my phone number from the Bike Index post to contact me. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Mark Bike recovered 2021.4.26

The police found it (telling me that they identified it through Bike Index) when checking out a car full of stolen stuff. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Rick Bike recovered 2021.4.24

A Bike Index user re-tweeted the initial tweet that went out. He wrote that he possibly spotted it and gave the location. Police helped recover it. From listing it stolen on Bike Index to recovery took 38 hrs. Social media at its best! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Jennifer Cargo Bike (Rear Storage) recovered 2021.4.22

Someone found it leaning in an alley and posted a photo on Bike Index. I got in touch and picked it up. It's been slightly modified and some parts removed but is otherwise repairable. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike John Bike recovered 2021.4.20

Such a miracle! The thieves abandoned it two blocks away from my apartment. A neighbor spotted it, noted the cut lock, and reported it on NextDoor. That post was seen by a member of a bike recovery FB group, who checked Bike Index and found me. Thanks to all involved! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Kate Bike recovered 2021.4.19

Someone messaged me on Bike Index! Unfortunately, it had been stripped and all that I got back was the frame. But at least it's something to build on. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Duncan Bike recovered 2021.4.16

Calgary Police recovered it. They said having it on Bike Index made ID’ing the bike much easier and was definitely the right thing to do. Thank you for that!! I feel like I’ve been reunited with an old friend :) translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Craig Bike recovered 2021.4.13

A gentleman texted me saying he purchased my bike from OfferUp. He drove all the way from his home to deliver the bike because I don't have a vehicle. I am feeling so much positivity about things and my faith in humanity has been revived by his and his wife's kind gesture. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Varun Bike recovered 2021.4.12

Someone attempted to pawn it four months after it was stolen. The police saw that it was listed as stolen on Bike Index and recovered it. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Erin Bike recovered 2021.4.9

An individual in the neighborhood found it dumped on their lawn. After a couple of days, they checked Bike Index and found the exact match. No more than 24 hours between putting the bike(s) on this site, and one is found and returned. YAY! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Ed Bike recovered 2021.4.7

A pawn shop in Colorado Springs received this bike. We were contacted, confirmed the bike was ours, and showed proof, and now it's back. Between the police report and Bike Index it was identified as stolen. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Lee Bike recovered 2021.4.7

My bike was found abandoned in an industrial yard. The construction foreman searched my serial number on Bike Index and gave me a call. It took less than a month to get it back. It was just that easy - Thanx Bikeindex! I love this bike. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Richard Bike recovered 2021.4.7

I think the person who stole it from me decided to give it back. They contacted me through Bike Index. I couldn't get a story out of them as to how they acquired it. When I met up in person with them they just quickly gave my bike back and walked away. An interesting experience! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Annika Bike recovered 2021.4.4

A good samaritan found the Bike Index listing and called me. I directed the police to the location and they recovered the bike. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Nigel Bike recovered 2021.4.3

Someone spotted my bike in a pawn shop a few weeks ago after seeing the link I shared to a few biking Facebook groups when it got stolen. They found my number on Bike Index. The police department was amazing - I'm so pumped to be reunited with my baby after 18 months! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Brady Bike recovered 2021.4.1

Someone bought it on OfferUp and found it marked stolen on Bike Index and contacted the police. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Michael Bike recovered 2021.3.31

The bike was brought to a bike shop for repairs and an employee recognized it as a used bike they had sold out of their store. The person did not return to pick it up after repairs. The shop checked Bike Index and then called me. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Kevin Bike recovered 2021.3.26

SABRE and BRAT in Seattle had the bikes returned in less than 24 hours. Thanks also to a gentleman from Tacoma who called me with the tip! SPECIAL THANK YOU to Bike Index. He found the bikes stolen here and was able to get the ball rolling on recovery! Recovered both our bikes! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike David Bike recovered 2021.3.25

SABRE and BRAT in Seattle had the bikes returned in less than 24 hours. Thanks also to a gentleman from Tacoma who called me with the tip! SPECIAL THANK YOU to Bike Index. He found the bikes stolen here and was able to get the ball rolling on recovery! Recovered both our bikes! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike David Bike recovered 2021.3.25

The bike was turned in to the police who then tracked me down through Bike Index!! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Jordan Bike recovered 2021.3.24

Someone who tried to buy it found out through Bike Index that it was stolen and reported it to the police. The police recovered it and returned it to me. Thanks to that someone and the police!! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Edward Bike recovered 2021.3.20

I was contacted by someone who purchased a bike but felt that something was off. He went on Bike Index and found my posting. We worked together with the police. He was able to get his money back and I have my bike back! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Mateusz Bike recovered 2021.3.19

Another Bike Index user found her stolen bike, noticed the seller had other bikes and matched one of them to me. Both our bikes were recovered 500 miles away by the LAPD! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike John Bike recovered 2021.3.18

Calgary Peace Officers saw it downtown and used Bike Index to look up my information to bring it back! It has some new tattoos on it but I'm so happy and thankful it's back! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike katie Bike recovered 2021.3.18

The bike was dropped off near a community police station in NW Edmonton and I picked it up from the police. I'm assuming that because the bike flagged on Bike Index, the thief knew it was too hot to handle and left it behind. Thanks Bike Index! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Adryan Bike recovered 2021.3.17

Found it on Facebook marketplace after 3 weeks. Set up a buy with police backup. Serial number stored on Bike Index was proof of ownership. Hurray!!! Lock your bike and remember the serial number. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Jelle Bike recovered 2021.3.15

The bike was posted on Facebook for sale. Someone checked the serial against Bike Index and found it reported stolen. He contacted me via text. I facilitated a fake sale with the police to recover the bike. Bike Index helped in locating the bike and proving that I owned it. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Jessie Bike recovered 2021.3.14

A Facebook user from the “Stolen Bike SD” group found it on OfferUp and searched it up on Bike Index. She got my number and I was able to set up a meeting to buy it. Brought the Vista Sheriffs department and was able to get it back. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Mark Bike recovered 2021.3.6

Found thanks to Bike Index over a month after it was stolen! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Grant Bike recovered 2021.3.5

I set up an alert on OfferUp, contacted the seller when the bike appeared, then had the police recover the bike at the meeting site. It was very very cool. Following the recovery suggestions on Bike Index was a huge help! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Gabriel Bike recovered 2021.3.5

Edmonton Police found my bike. They checked Bike Index, saw that my bike fit the description, and gave me a call. Got my bike back 4 days after it was gone! translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Andrew Bike recovered 2021.3.4

A person found the bike by the alley next to his apartment building. He immediately called me once he saw the post on Bike Index. translated from English

Photo of recovered bike Ferchin Bike recovered 2021.3.3