How do you check if a bike has been stolen?

Suppose you see a nice used bike for sale, but you are unsure... Maybe the bike was stolen? How can you check that before you buy a cat in the bag?

Fortunately, you can pretty easy online monitoring whether a bike is registered as stolen. Through the frame number by checking national databases and platforms such as BIKEBAZE, you will quickly get clarity. This prevents you from unknowingly buying — and thereby healing — a stolen bike and helps to discourage bicycle theft. You can read below why frame numbers are so important and how to consult different sources to control a bike.

Why check if a bike has been stolen?

Unfortunately, bicycle theft is the order of the day. In the Netherlands, more than 2000 bikes stolen every day, and many of them end up on the black market. As a second-hand bike buyer, you don't want to come home with a stolen one:

• You can lose your money if the police confiscate the bike.
• You are (unconsciously) guilty of healing, which is punishable.
• You experience less cycling fun with the thought that someone else has lost their proud possession.

By always check the frame number before you buy a used bike, you significantly reduce these risks. In addition, you send a clear signal: thieves and healers are less likely to sell stolen goods.

How do you check if a bike has been stolen?

The best way to know if a bike has been registered as stolen is to check to look up the bike's frame number and checking that in well-known databases. Each bike has a unique frame number, usually engraved on the bottom of the crankshaft or rear fork. Did you find the number? Then check out these sources:

1. Stop Heling (national database): Via the Stop Heling website, the Dutch government offers a free tool to check whether a product — including bicycles — is registered as stolen. Enter the frame number; if the previous owner has filed a report, you'll immediately see a notification. Hint: try different number/letter combinations if the number is difficult to read, and use at least the first 5 characters.
2. RDW Bicycle Theft Register: The RDW (Road Traffic Service) also manages a bicycle theft register where reports of stolen bicycles are kept. On the RDW website, you can check whether a bicycle has been reported stolen via the frame number and brand. This register mainly includes bicycles that have been reported stolen to the police since 2008.
3. BIKEBAZE: The BIKEBAZE platform offers its own database (the BikeVault) where registered bicycles and theft reports are kept. Through the search function on the BIKEBAZE website, you can check by frame number whether a bike has been registered and/or reported stolen. If the bike has a BIKEBAZE® SafeTag, you can even simply scan the code with a smartphone to check the status.

In addition to these databases, you can also be alert to signs of theft. For example: a polished or unreadable frame number is suspicious, just like an extremely low price or missing keys on a locked bike. Use common sense and the tools above.

What do the results of the check mean?

• No hit (not stolen): Do none of the databases provide a notification? Then the bike is as far as is known not registered as stolen. Good news, but stay tuned: not every theft is properly reported. So please also pay attention to other instructions and ask for proof of sale or proof of ownership from the seller.
• Registered as stolen: Do you get a hit that the bike was stolen? Then you know enough: do not buy! If possible, inform the police that this bike has been offered for sale. In such a case, at BIKEBAZE, you can also inform the owner directly (the platform acts as a community, allowing honest finders to make contact with victims). Under no circumstances should you take over a stolen bike — you would be guilty of healing yourself.

Together against bike theft

Through every (re) sale to check the frame number, together, we are making the trade in stolen bicycles a lot more difficult. At BIKEBAZE, we believe in those community approach: Every cyclist who registers their bike and provides it with a SafeTag contributes to a network that scares off thieves and tracks down stolen bikes. So become a member of that movement too!

Do you want to register your bike immediately? Do it for free in our BikeVault.

FAQs

Where do I find the frame number of a bike?
On almost every bike, the frame number is engraved or printed on the frame. You can often find the number under the bottom bracket (near the pedals), on the seatpost tube, or at the bottom of the frame tube. It consists of a combination of letters and numbers. Having trouble finding it? Then check out our explanation of frame numbers for tips.

Is a bike always registered as stolen when it's stolen?
No, unfortunately not. A bicycle only appears in databases when the owner has reported it to the police or reported the theft. Some victims do not file a report, so that a stolen bicycle remains “invisible” in the registers. That is why a clean check is not a 100% guarantee — but it is a strong indication.

Can I keep a found bike if it doesn't show up as stolen?
No, you can't just keep a found bike. If you find a bike, you must report it to the police or via platforms such as BIKEBAZE. The real owner then gets the chance to get his or her bike back. Only if no one reports after a certain period of time, can you inquire with the municipality whether you may possibly take over the bike.