Bike Index's November stolen bike recoveries

It has definitely been another busy month here at the Bike Index! We helped 44 bikes get back to their owners in November, and there are some crazy stories in here, such as:

  • A bike stolen in San Francisco is located 1900 miles away - in Guadalajara Mexico
  • We help recover our friend @pedalpt's stolen Viva Kilo
  • I run out and creatively repossess a stolen bike- One I personally registered this summer during Portland's Sunday Parkways
  • We help recover a bike stolen from a cross country rider who made it all the way to Portland from the east coast, only to get his bike stolen
  • An huge number of bikes being recovered by Portland Police and King Co. Sheriffs officers in Seattle. Law enforcement + Bike Index = win
  • A unique Mikkelsen is repo'd from a thief by King Co. Sheriffs in Seattle, and ID'd via the Bike Index

... and many, many, many more.

So: Here's how Bike Index's 44 November's stolen bike recoveries went down:

Thanks to a tip to Portland Police, my bike was located during a search of a suspicious person. The bike has been "modified" (all the accessories were removed, tires changed and the frame painted a bit). Having the serial # was the key to ID'ing it... 2009 Specialized Tricross sport: 11/01/2015 Recovered by Portland Police, ID'd in the Bike Index 2008 Fuji Track: 11/01/2015 Recovered by Portland Police, ID'd in the Bike Index 2008 KHS Bicycles Urban Express: 11/01/2015 Recovered by Portland Police, ID'd in the Bike Index 1996 GT Bicycles Avalanche: 11/01/2015 This was a special recovery for us - This bike was one of several bikes stolen from cross-country riders in Portland this summer in a mini-epidemic of soul-crushing thefts. This was the third or fourth high profile bike theft from cross-country cycle tourists in Portland - it was a pretty low point. Fast forward to November 2015, when one of our spotters found it for sale on Ebay. We got in touch with the seller - who we recognized as a local bike rebuilder and someone who has helped out the Bike Index in the past - and when he realized it was the same bike he shipped it back to the owner ASAP. 2015 Salsa Fargo: 11/03/2015 Local news station KATU covered this amazing recovery in Stolen touring bike recovered months after theft Bryan from Bike Index sent me a note along with a link to Craigslist. Then he pointed me to the right people to speak to from the police from the city where my bike was on sale. After we spoke to the local police about the case, they picked it up from the seller and confirmed the bike was mine. 2011 Velorbis: 11/04/2015

This is the fifth or sixth bike we've helped recover from the same suspect Craigslist seller. He continues to sell many, many bikes - and we continue to monitor his sales, because it's not like Craigslist is going to do anything about this guy...

There's a whole lot about this particular bike recovery I need to omit, because the Seattle police assisted with this one and an arrest was made - and it's not entirely done yet, however the victim confirms: "The King County Prosecutor's Office has filed criminal charges in the case in which I am a victim." Seller was a longtime suspect Craigslist seller more or less known to everyone as involved in stolen bike sales. Trek Madone 4.7 : 11/05/2015 Recovered by SFPD Tenderloin and ID'd via the Bike Index Stolen 2005 Bianchi Vigorelli : 11/05/2015 Recovered by Portland Police and ID'd via the Bike Index Unknown Trek : 11/05/2015 (Portland Police) contacted me after they arrested a drug dealer that had my bike... 2011 Specialized Spec Roubaix Elite SL2 Apex Setin Carb/Gloss : 11/06/2015 Recovered by Portland Police and ID'd via the Bike Index 2014 SCOTT Subspeed: 11/07/2015 Recovered by Portland Police and ID'd via the Bike Index 1989 Fuji Arcadia L: 11/08/2015 Recovered by Portland Police and ID'd via the Bike Index Specialized Globe: 11/09/2015 Recovered by Portland Police and ID'd in the Bike Index 2009 Kona Dew Drop: 11/12/2015 Someone saw it being ghost ridden and tweeted at me. I was able to find it locked to a street sign and called the police to cut the lock and get my bike back. 2013 Fuji Sportif 1.1 C: 11/12/2015 This bike was found for sale on offerupnow.com, the seller was contacted by the owner, who provided proof of ownership, and the seller then returned the bike. Having clear evidence of the serial and a police report were key. 2012 Specialized Tricross Elite: 11/12/2015 Someone bought it at a bike shop, checked the Bike Index and then saw it was stolen and returned it to me. 1991 Bianchi Eros: 11/13/2015 This was also a special recovery: this bike was one of two stolen in a nearby burglary - and it was I bike I had personally registered at one of Portland's Sunday Parkways earlier in the year. Fast forward to November 15th, when a nearby spotter found it stashed in the bushes in a nearby apartment complex. I ran over and, ah, repossessed the bike and delivered it to the owner, and got this great before/after photo :) Their remarks: "I am happy to have my bike home! Knowing other people out there are thoughtful and helpful like you goes a long way in restoring distrust that creeps in when a theft like this happens. Thank you!" 2010 Trek 1.2 WSD: 11/15/2015 This is another one that's still in process with Seattle PD, so there's not much I can share here - however this bike was part of a 5-bike heist worth close to $40k. We spotted one of them for sale on Offerupnow.com and alerted the owner via twitter, who engaged police, who performed a sting. Again, this is ongoing, but two of the bikes were recovered. Hopefully more are coming back shortly. Felt track bike: 11/13/2015

Some unnamed individuals who were critical in helping hook this up shall remain anonymous here. But they remain hugely appreciated. Seattle biker unity = strong.

Recovered by Portland Police and ID'd in the Bike Index Schwinn Sierra: 11/14/2015 This stolen bike recovery story comes from our friend and supporter Kevin Schmidt - MSPT, CMP, Cert. BikePT / Physical Therapist, Bike Fitting Specialist at pedalpt.com - and all around awesome guy and a huge supporter of our work here at Bike Index. Some of you may recognize Kevin from his free-coffee-on-Clinton events, which he invited us to many, many times to help us spread the word. I had a blast hanging out with the @pedalpt folks at these events all summer, so, needless to say we’re super excited we helped Kevin get his stolen bike back! Viva Kilo: 11/17/2015 We took Kevin's own writeup on this recovery and posted it here: Bike Index.org returns @pedalpt's Viva Kilo! My bike was stolen back in September, then someone sent me a link to a bike (ed: for sale, on offerupnow.com) that looked exactly like mine. I arranged to buy it. I met with police, who instructed me how to go about the purchase. They intercepted the purchase as soon as it started, and I got my bike back! 2014 Cannondale Quick 4: 11/17/2015 Here's a crazy story: this bike was stolen in San Francisco, and then bought from online marketplace 'segundamano.mx' - 'second hand' -- over 1900 miles away in Guadalajara Mexico! The owner confirmed the bike was a match, but the sheer costs and logistics of getting it back made doing so impossible. In the end, they bequeathed the bike to its new owner and the bike was de-listed from the Bike Index. Surly Disc Trucker: 11/17/2015

This is not the first cross-border bike recovery here at Bike Index, but it's the first one in a while.

Somebody saw this Bike Index post and then saw the bike and called the police and the bike was recovered. 2012 Trek Rumblefish: 11/18/2015 This Giant Anthem was stolen off a MAX train in Portland OR, and listed for sale online a few days later. The lister was a local pawn shop, so we advised the owner how to go about retrieving his bike using his police report, photos, etc. In the end the bike was returned. Giant Anthem: 11/18/2015 A woman took this bicycle for a test ride (from an online seller) and checked here (on Bike Index) first. She didn't buy the bike, but took a photo of the seller's license plate. The police then went to the seller's house and reclaimed the bike! 2014 Specialized Dolce Compact : 11/19/2015

This bike was stolen over two years ago. That's the power of the Bike Index - you never know when they're coming back....

Recovered by Portland Police and ID'd in the Bike Index. Novara Randonee : 11/19/2015 It was purchased by a used bike reseller, who looked up the serial number on Bike Index.org, where it was listed as stolen, found my phone number, called me and told me to come get my bike, no charge! I was pleasantly flabbergasted.... Thanks for doing the right thing! The bike was mostly in good shape, 1 year later, with a few missing lights and fenders, but the bones were still good! Thanks, bike index! 2000 Jamis Nova Roadbike: 11/21/2015 This bike was one of two stolen in an apartment burglary in the Pearl District in Portland OR. Two days later, someone found it stashed under weird circumstances and got in touch. From the owner: "(individual) found the bike 20 miles from where it was stolen, emailed into this website, confirmed the serial number and I met up with him. Thank you for hosting this incredible service Bike Index! " 2015 Specialized 3-speed Daily: 11/22/2015 Not to be over exuberant or anything, but I'm ecstatic. A guy named (redacted) called last night, said he was working with the police and he was almost certain this was my bike. I took the bus down to the Seattle Police Southwest Precinct this afternoon, and lo and behold, there it was. Almost 2 months later. Thank you so much, Bike Index.org and (redacted)!!! 2013 Volagi Viaje: 11/22/2015

(redacted) is a local bike-recovery ninja who has been mentioned here before - he continues to single-handedly put an enormous dent in the local stolen bike population around Seattle.

Stolen. Listed in the Bike Index. Spotted on Craigslist a few days later by a Bike Index spotter - we sent them our "I found my stolen bike for sale online" playbook and they were able to get police involved and get the bike back. 2015 FRAMED mini-sota : 11/22/2015 "Bike thieves are terrible people. They cut off my car rack and took the twice-locked bike with it." Five days later, officers with King County Sheriff's office spotted this in the wild and pulled it back after identifying it from the Bike Index listing. 2015 FRAMED mini-sota : 11/22/2015 My Mikkelsen was stolen from my condo bike cage ... they cut through the fence and then cut the lock and rode off with the Mikkelsen and someone else's bicycle. The theives also broke into 4 cars in the condo garage and stole various personal items. The theives gave my bike to a well known substance abuse offender on the street and the King County Deputy spotted him ... The person had an outstanding warrant so the bike was put into evidence storage and Deputy Nix started looking for the owner, and hit your website. So all the stars just seem to line up on this one. A very dilligent and thoughtful Depty Nix (on-bike patrol officer) and his awareness of the street life and custom bicycle makes that just didn't add up. Kudos to the Bike Index website and to Deputy Nix! Mikkelsen : 11/22/2015 Another Nix score! "Deputy Nix found it (the person ran off and left) and matched it in the Bike Index. Wahoooo! Back on two wheels! " LeMond Racing Cycles Zurich: 11/22/2015

Who finds stolen bikes? Bike Index finds stolen bikes .

I immediately registered it on Bike Index, filed a police report, and set up an IFTT alert for my bike on Craigslist. It was posted the day after it was stolen, taken down, then posted again a week later at a much lower price. My girlfriend was able to get the seller to respond to a request to buy, she met him and purchased the bike back for $200. I used the link on Bike Index to warn local bike shops that the thief was attempting to sell it locally, so after a week or so of not being able to move it locally, he was forced to sell it online at a very reduced price. 2014 Volagi Viaje: 11/22/2015

This seller is now on our watchlist.

Another recovery by the King Co. Sheriff team: "Thanks to Bike Index and the King County guys, I got my bike back! AMAZING! THANK YOU!" 2004 LeMond Racing Cycles True Temper OX : 11/25/2015 Another recovery by the King Co. Sheriff team - they were really on a tear this week. :) 1975 Windsor Super Carrera : 11/25/2015 "Portland police recovered it and emailed me through the Bike Index" 2009 Novara ponderosa: 11/25/2015 "Someone saw my bike posted as 'found' on nextdoor - they recognized it from Bike Index, and came here to message me! I am so grateful!!!" 2015 Trek 7.2: 11/28/2015 This is still in process, i.e. we're arranging the recovery, but here's the gist: "Hello! Recently I purchased a bike second hand, and when I got home I ran the serial numbers and saw the many postings asking for your bike to be returned. I can't believe it's been since 2013, because the stickers are still present on your bicycle.. I would love to set up a time to speak on this further with you and arrange a meeting to return it to you.. I look forward to your reply!" 2010 Norco Bikes Indie Hybrid: 11/29/2015 Another double recovery - "Someone in our NextDoor neighborhood online community went to the homeless camps and got the bikes back, called & returned both of them to me. Trike is in good rideable condition. The Quickie Mach II wheelchair handcycle is not rideable -- the handles were removed and one was jammed through a gear, one of the quick release axles is missing. I never thought I would see them again, so the man who retrieved my bikes is to be commended for his help!" 2011 Schwinn Roadster Trike : 11/29/2015 Stolen from a shop, and then: "... found the bike for sale near the shop on offerupnow.com. Made contact with the guy, overbid everybody and met up with him Saturday morning with the boys in blue. We now have our bike, and (the seller) from offerup has a brand new set of silver bracelets for Christmas!" 2015 Lapierre Zesty 327: 11/29/2015 The shop noted in their tweet about this theft: "Be on the lookout! The wonderful person who stole this owes us a window "Still working on this one with Law enforcement - but I did recover my other bike through a pawn shop, Craigslist and the help of Bike Index." 2012 Salsa: 11/30/2015 And that's a wrap! Personally I'm hoping the cold weather puts a dent in next month's stolen bikes, but stay tuned to find out ...


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://bikeindex.org/news/bike-indexs-november-stolen-bike-recoveries?locale=en