How to Recover a Stolen Bike: Facebook Groups

In Italy, nearly a thousand bicycles are stolen every day. A staggering figure and a huge waste for cyclists. There are no guarantees when leaving a bike on the street, but a few simple and quick measures can certainly make a difference and deter bike thieves.

First of all, when you're not using it, make sure the bike is securely fastened to the rack where you've decided to place it. Remember to always secure the sturdy parts of the bike, not just the easily removable parts like the saddle and handlebars.

But how do you tie up your bike? This is where you need to be careful, and proceed as follows:

Always set the frame (not just the wheel) to a fixed, solid object.
If you can, also block a wheel together with the frame.
Choose well-anchored poles or racks (not signs that can be removed).
Keep the lock high from the ground and with little internal space: it is more difficult to break.
The thickness of the chain links must be greater than 12–14 mm, Thinner links are easily cut with wire cutters. Also, avoid light chains made of low-quality materials and always look for chains made of hardened steel. The right length of the chain is between 100 and 120 centimeters.
Also choose a good lock: leave aside the spiral ones and those with thin cables which are easier to break into and opt for the "U" or "python" shaped ones which are more secure. It is even better to use two different locks: requires more time and tools to force.
Try giving your bike a vintage look: it will make it less attractive to potential theft.
If you have an expensive bicycle, avoid leaving it on the road for too many hours.
Note the chassis number and photograph the bicycle: it can be useful for identifying the vehicle after its discovery.
A simple trick could be to place a piece of paper inside the handlebar grips or on the seat tube with your details, even just your name: this could be useful for identifying our bike in the event of theft or to prove that it is our vehicle if we encounter it on the street after the theft.
Never leave your bicycle without a lock and chain, even if you need to park it for a few minutes.
Always park in places where there are lots of people and where anyone can notice a possible theft. Instead, avoid alleys and hidden places where there are few people.
When you park your bike, remember to take all the accessories with you. Accessories which could be easily stolen such as the odometer, the cycle touring bag, the water bottle and so on.
Always report any theft of your bicycle.
Never buy a bike on the street or in places not designated for official sales: in most cases, these are stolen bikes. Always choose authorized shops and repair shops, or buy and sell from someone you know.

What to do in case of theft

In any case, there are some things you should do when your bike is stolen. Don't be discouraged, because it's not true that the chances of finding it are zero.

Make a formal report to the Police or Carabinieri
The ideal is to choose a station close to the area where the theft occurred.
Please include a photo of the stolen bike with your report. Better yet, include the frame number.
Try to describe your bike as accurately as possible. Every detail can be valuable.

Facebook sites and groups

So how can you avoid the unpleasant surprise of walking down the street and missing your bike? Many Italians have decided to register their bikes in the Italian Bike Registry, a platform also accessible to law enforcement. This platform allows you to identify the owner of the bike, report a theft or discovery, and check whether the product you're purchasing has been stolen.

Then there are Map Your City, a portal that acts as a permanent observatory on the phenomenon of bicycle thefts and the recovery of abandoned ones, and Rubbici, a reference point for those who have lost their two-wheeler.

And there is an ever-increasing number of apps designed specifically to prevent bicycle theft.

It's a GPS device that attaches to the handlebars of a bicycle, and an app that lasts for three years. It's essentially like a social network that works like this: if the bike is stolen and passes near a social network user, their smartphone automatically sounds an alarm. In practice, BiCiclope connects bike users into a single network, forming a community to protect themselves from bike thieves. The small system costs 30 euros.

Further help in preventing and combating bike theft comes from a project by the University of Pisa's Faculty of Information Engineering, a finalist for the 2018 RegioStars award, which recognizes the best initiatives implemented using European Union funding. The project has come up with something as simple as it is innovative: it will allow urban cyclists to feel safe when using bike-sharing services.
This is a real satellite anti-theft device for bicycles, which works through an app and a website: each frame is assigned a code through registration, and so the user can monitor the bicycle's movements in real time.

How do you track your bike? Using RFID sensors (absolutely sustainable because they're low-cost and passive, meaning they're self-powered).

As with Telepass, the bike can be located whenever a traffic officer equipped with a tag reader sends a notification to the rightful owner. This notification is sent immediately upon the discovery of a stolen bike. If this doesn't deter thieves from stealing bikes, the creation of secure areas for leaving the bike and an audible signal or cell phone alert in the event of theft are also being considered.

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