Spotting a stolen bike

Image from NYCurbed.com

So, imagine this... you finish your cup of tea, stop reading this blog, and head out into the big wide world. And the first thing you spot is an advert for one of the bikes listed as stolen here. Or one chained up outside the local pawn shop. Or even one being ridden down the street.  What do you do? Tell us, of course, but have a read of this first.

First off, check once, check twice that it's the same make and model of bike. Keep an eye out for any identifying details in the description. Bear in mind that most bikes are mass-produced items and there will usually be several people with the same make and model in a big city like Bristol.

Email us rather than posting in the comments section. There's no automatic notification for when a comment is posted and it can be a while before anyone spots what you've written.

We'll normally pass your information on to the owner and the police, although:

• We've got to be certain it's the same bike.
• We've got to be fairly sure it's stolen.
• Static sightings (a bike in a shop, a bike listed for sale) are far more useful than spotting a bike out on the street, as it'll be long gone gone by the time your email reaches the relevant people.

Now go forth and detect!