When the bike is gone: The most important steps after a bicycle has been stolen

When the bike is gone
The most important steps after a bicycle theft

6/2/2023 7:26 p.m

According to the insurance industry, 140,000 insured bicycles were stolen last year alone. But what should victims do after a bicycle has been stolen?

It is probably a shocking moment for most people when they realize that their bike has been stolen. Once you have recovered from the initial shock, you should act as quickly as possible.

What needs to be done in detail and what evidence do injured parties have to provide to the police and insurers so that they can see their bike again or have it replaced? The police, the General Association of the German Insurance Industry (GDV) and the General German Bicycle Club (ADFC) provide tips on this.

What should you do first after discovering the theft?

The most important thing is to report the theft to the police. The injured party should submit a frame number. This number is usually stamped on the fork or bottom bracket and should not be confused with the production number or serial number. Because these are assigned several times. It is best to photograph all numbers after buying a bike – the police will then assign the numbers.

What role does time play in the police report?

“I would always file a complaint as soon as possible,” says police chief Karin Reuchlin. She heads the “Dynamo” bicycle theft investigation group in Stuttgart. This also applies if you don’t have all the necessary information ready right away and then hand it in later using the case number. Or even if the bike was bought used.

The ADFC refers to a judgment by the district court of Oldenburg (Az.: AG Oldenburg, E7 C 7019/00), which ruled: A notification only after five days and without specifying the frame number, which is available on the invoice, was therefore late and incomplete, so the insurer did not have to pay.

Which documents are important in addition to the frame number?

The purchase invoice helps, the manufacturer and model are usually named there. More photos of the bike are a good idea, especially if you have changed things on the bike afterwards.

It’s about individual features: a conspicuous bell, high-quality pedals or a different saddle. Keep the bill for that too. The more precisely the bicycle is described, the easier it is for the police to match it to the owner.

Where can I file a complaint?

At every police station around the clock, in person, but also by phone. For busy people, this can also be done via the so-called Internet watch on the network. The police always issue a certificate of filing a report with the time of the crime, information on the stolen object and the name of the injured party.

What evidence does the insurer require?

In the event of damage, the injured party needs the above-mentioned certificate of the reimbursement of a theft report, then they inform their insurer. Like the police, they usually want proof of purchase and frame number. Photos are helpful here too.

When is bicycle theft covered by household contents insurance?

A certain percentage of the entire insured household contents is usually set for the protection of the bicycle in the household contents insurance. Here is a sample calculation from the German Insurance Association (GDV):

If the household contents are insured for 50,000 euros and the bicycle theft for one percent of that, the insurer compensates the theft depending on the replacement value – with up to 500 euros. Incidentally, the lock will also be replaced within this amount.

As a rule, all of the family’s bikes – including those of children studying abroad – are also insured under parental household contents insurance.

How can very expensive bicycles and pedelecs be insured?

Some noble racing bikes, cargo bikes or high-tech pedelecs are really expensive. For such high-quality models, the sum calculated above can be increased for household contents insurance or special bicycle insurance can be taken out. Comparable to the fully comprehensive insurance for the car. Individual components are usually also insured – the noble leather saddle, the extra-light carbon fork or the retrofitted lighting system.

What are the basic requirements for compensation?

A sticking point is: The bike must have been connected to a fixed object. Household contents insurers usually do not specify the quality and price of the lock.

The situation is different with special bicycle insurance policies. They can have quality requirements for the lock, and in the event of damage, you then have to submit corresponding proof of purchase.

Rule of thumb of the GDV: You should invest 5 to 10 percent of the bicycle price in the lock.

What if a GPS tracker shows the location of the stolen bike?

In the digital age, some cyclists with expensive bikes have a GPS bike tracker. Mounted on the bike, it can reveal the location after a theft and display it on the cell phone. So what?

Be careful if you take the initiative. Observing covertly from a distance, even taking a photo from a safe distance, is not fundamentally wrong. But Karin Reuchlin clearly advises against a confrontation. “I would always dial 110,” says the police chief inspector.

If you find your bike using the tracker, you should not just take it, but call the police anyway, because there is still a criminal offense and the bike is potential evidence.