Is it pointless to file a police report over a stolen bike?

Question

since the chances of getting it back are so small?

Answer 1

Only if you want to make an insurance claim.

Answer 2

No, because in the event you see some idiot riding down the street on your bike you can call the police and have documentation the bike was stolen.

In the long run it will probably be fruitless, but you might as well file it.

Answer 3

it is probably pointless xD because as you said the chances of getting it back are small. :D

and it will just waist their time as policemen because they have bigger jobs to do everyday like trying to find a missing child, or chasing after a robber that stole an old ladies purse =]

but only if it had valuables in it or something. which it probably didn't right? but they'll probably think that "wow, this kid is really wasting our time because we have bigger and better things to do than search for a missing bike."

i'm not trying to be rude or anything, but they might think that. =] you never know what else is going on in the world today, right?

:D

* hoping for best answer *

Hope This info. Helps! - Cali Gurl  

Answer 4

No, you'll need the police's crime reference number if you want to make an insurance claim.  But there's next to no chance of the cops getting the bike back.

Answer 5

If you're claiming on insurance you will need to report it.

Also there could be other bikes going missing and if there is a pattern in a certain area then the police will become more pro active, they can only do that if everyone reports it.

Answer 6

Yep, it's pointless.  They can't even find stolen cars most of the time...much less a bike.

Answer 7

Report it - even if you don't get it back, the police track where and when things are stolen and adjust their patrols.

Answer 8

You should file anyway.  The police aren't going to go looking for it, but if they find a garage full of stolen bikes, they might check their records and give you a call if they find a match.

Answer 9

You rpob wont get it back being honest, but hey, no harm in trying is there?

Answer 10

If people don't report crimes then they are not logged as a statistic, and so the government can say thing like "crime figures are down" just because the public are so apathetic towards getting their stuff back. Plus you might be able to claim on your household insurance.

Answer 11

now it is not if u spent a lot of money on that bike u should file a report and walk around myb u will see it in some ones yard or u wil see someone riding it or mab some mistaked your bike for theres

Answer 12

No at all, if you want to be able to get money back from your insurance company, you will need to provide them with a police report.

Answer 13

Absolutely not.  In the basement of our local police department, there are about 150 bikes that have been found throughout the city in parks or on the side of the street and when they get a report, they go check the confiscated bikes. You never know, they may already have your bike!

Answer 14

Without a police report your chances of getting it back are nil.  The police are always busting burglars and thieves and sometimes they find garages full of stolen merchandise, including bicycles.  If your bicycle is listed as being stolen on a police report, you will get it back after the trial of the criminal.

Answer 15

Yea you should because if it's ever found they'll know it's yours.  

Answer 16

Report it, you never know they may have already found it.

Answer 17

If you had a serial number etched into the frame and/or you paid a lot of money for the bike.  Some bikes are over $1,000 so if you can replace it for under $500 most people wouldn't bother.    

Answer 18

its not if you would like to put forward an insurance claim,

but if you'd like them to do something about it, probably not,

i had a gent on ebay a few years ago, sell me something so i paid in full, which was over £600 and miraculousy this power seller with 100% possitive feedback did a runner with mine and number of other buyers money and i'm still waiting for an outcome after bringing it to the police's attention?

maybe just my luck?

Answer 19

Heck NO!  Whoever is stealing bikes is getting the message it is ok and I am not going to get caught.  they might be selling them and doing drugs...

why enable someone to steal or do wrong? REPORT IT...you might be saving someone's life !

Answer 20

No, never say that. The police are there for you, and theft is a big crime - no matter what it is. The police will look in to it and you may get it back and get the thief arrested.

Go for it.

Craig.

Answer 21

Not really, I borrow my cousin's bike and was stolen. The bike was expensive one. I report it to police with serial number. my cousin was at bike shop recognize his bike. He call the police, prove it with serial number. He get it back at the end.  Not totally useless, you have to do most of work to get it back.

From, this experience, check the nearest bike shop for your bike.

Answer 22

You never know.. there's a chance the person could try to sell it in the pawn shop, or a cop could see a person riding it near your neighborhood....

Answer 23

no i got mine back after 8 months unfortunatly they had sprayed it green ;(

also most bike shops need some form of proof of ownership.

Answer 24

The sad fact is the most police reports are useless, as are most cops.  They don't give a hoot about your bike and care even less about getting it back for you.  It's a catch-22 situation.  If you don't report it, and then something else is stolen, they will be suspicious about why you didn't report it the first time.  If you do report it, and then something else happens, they will accuse you of abusing the system and filing too many reports.  

Answer 25

You will have no chance of the police returning it if you don't report it.

Answer 26

Always report it.  You never know, they may just have found it abandoned.

Answer 27

You should report it, as it might be covered in your house insurance, and you will need a police incident number to claim.

Answer 28

Sometimes it feels like that but if you have the serial # or  picture of the bike it is really helpful in recovery. Police impound hundreds of bikes a year and never find the owners because they don't have the needed information or don't file a report. There is nothing that says you can't request to look at their recovered bikes every month.

Answer 29

report it anyway

especially if you have insurance

you never know and it costs noting but a bit of time

do it!

Tony E

www.treather.com

www.treathim.com

Answer 30

never hurts to report it... one of my colleagues had his scooter stolen and the cops found it in a stolen truck that was speeding and got his bike back

Answer 31

Your chances of getting it back are small, but if you don't file a report your chance of getting it back are zero.  Also it helps the police track crimes and know if there is a group stealing lots of bicycles in your neighborhood and whether they need to be watching that neighborhood more closely.  File a report.