The story behind
Britain's stolen
bike crisis.
300,000 bikes are stolen in the UK every year. BikeRegister is the database that sits at the centre of police recovery, buyer protection, and owner registration. We can help you tell this story accurately, with data and with access to the right people.
BikeRegister in the press
Recent stories we've contributed to, provided data for, or been quoted in. Journalists we've worked with before are welcome to contact us directly.
'Bike theft surged 18% in London last year — and most victims never see their bikes again'
Data story'The undercover operation targeting stolen bike markets on Facebook Marketplace'
Investigation'Why buying a second-hand bike is riskier than you think — and the database trying to stop it'
Feature'How police forces are using BikeRegister to close down organised stolen bike networks'
News'Tested: does checking a serial number before buying a second-hand bike actually protect you?'
Feature'One in three cyclists has had a bike stolen. Here's what happens next — and why most bikes are never found'
NewsWe can provide data and background for stories about bike theft in the UK. We are not able to comment on individual criminal investigations, name specific police operations, or disclose information about registered users. All data provided to press is anonymised and aggregate.
Available for comment
Our spokespeople have spoken to national press, BBC Radio 4, and regional television. All are available for advance interviews — contact us to arrange.
James co-founded BikeRegister in 2008 and has spent 16 years working with police forces on stolen property recovery. He has given evidence to the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cycling and has been quoted in national press more than 200 times on bike theft and cycling security.
Sarah manages BikeRegister's relationships with all 45 UK police forces and has direct experience of how stolen bike recovery operations work in practice. She is particularly well-placed to speak on secondhand marketplace fraud, the economics of stolen bike networks, and what police can and cannot do with current law.
Mark produces BikeRegister's annual stolen bike data reports and manages the database methodology. He is the right contact for journalists who need to understand how our data is collected, what it can and cannot tell us, and how it compares to police-recorded crime figures. He can provide regional breakdowns, trend analysis, and custom data cuts on request.
Paula runs BikeRegister's annual survey of cyclists and regularly speaks on the human experience of bike theft — the financial and psychological impact on victims, the barriers to registration, and what motivates buyers to check before buying. She is particularly suited to consumer-facing publications and long-form features on cycling culture.
Press assets
Everything you need to publish a story. All assets are cleared for editorial use in print and digital publications. For commercial or advertising use, contact us first.
All assets are cleared for editorial use. Please credit "BikeRegister" and include a link to bikeregister.com where format permits. For broadcast use contact press@bikeregister.com.
Facts & figures for editorial use
These figures are cleared for use in editorial copy. Please include the source attribution where space permits. Contact us if you need a figure that isn't listed here.
| Fact | Figure and source |
|---|---|
| Bikes stolen in the UK each year | Approximately 300,000 Source: ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales, 2024 |
| Estimated value stolen annually | Over £400 million Source: Association of British Insurers, 2023 |
| Bikes registered on BikeRegister | 7.5 million+ as of January 2025 Source: BikeRegister internal data |
| UK police forces using BikeRegister | All 45, including Police Scotland, Police Service of Northern Ireland, and all 43 forces in England and Wales Source: BikeRegister, verified with National Police Chiefs' Council |
| Recovery rate — unregistered bikes | Fewer than 5% are ever returned to their owner Source: National Police Chiefs' Council data, 2023 |
| Recovery rate — registered bikes | Registered bikes are approximately 10 times more likely to be recovered Source: BikeRegister analysis of police recovery data, 2023–2024 |
| Most stolen city in the UK | London, accounting for approximately 30% of all reported bike thefts Source: Metropolitan Police crime data, 2024 |
| Peak month for bike theft | July — warm weather, lighter evenings, and increased outdoor bike locking Source: BikeRegister seasonal theft analysis, 2024 |
| BikeRegister founded | 2008 Incorporated in England and Wales |
| Average value of a stolen bike | £874 Source: BikeRegister registered bike valuations, 2024 |
How BikeRegister grew
A brief history for background reference. Full company history available on request.
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2008
Founded
BikeRegister was founded in response to the gap between the number of bikes stolen and the near-zero recovery rate for unregistered bikes. The founding insight: police recover bikes every day that they cannot return because there is no owner record.
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2012
First police force integration
BikeRegister became the first civilian database to integrate directly with UK police systems, allowing officers to check recovered bikes in real time. The Metropolitan Police was the first force to adopt the system formally.
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2016
1 million bikes registered
BikeRegister passed one million registered bikes — a landmark that made it the first stolen bike database in the UK to achieve meaningful scale for police use. Coverage expanded to include 22 UK forces.
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2019
All 45 UK forces integrated
BikeRegister completed integration with all 45 UK police forces, making it the only stolen bike database with universal police coverage. The National Police Chiefs' Council formally endorsed BikeRegister as the recommended database for cycle theft investigation.
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2022
E-bike plate registration launched
BikeRegister launched e-bike plate registration in response to the rapid growth of electric bike ownership and associated theft. The plate scheme allows police to identify e-bikes from a distance, mirroring vehicle registration.
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2025
7.5 million bikes registered
BikeRegister surpassed 7.5 million registered bikes, covering an estimated 30% of all bikes owned in the UK. The database processes over 40,000 new registrations each month.
Common press questions
- Yes. We can provide theft and recovery data broken down by police force area, region, or local authority. These breakdowns can include theft volume, peak periods, most commonly stolen bike types, and recovery rates. Contact our Head of Data, Mark Delaney, via the press team. Allow 48 hours for custom data cuts outside of our standard reports.
- Sometimes. We maintain a list of owners who have previously indicated they are happy to speak to press about their recovery experience. We cannot guarantee availability or a specific story angle, but we can try to match your needs. Contact us with the type of story you're working on and the kind of case you're looking for.
- All figures in the key facts table above include their primary source. For BikeRegister-sourced figures, we can provide the underlying dataset and methodology on request. For figures from third parties (ONS, NPCC, ABI) we can point you to the original publication. Email press@bikeregister.com with the specific figure you need to verify.
- Yes, using the public bike checker at bikeregister.com/check. Enter the serial number and you'll get a result immediately. For broadcast productions filming on location, we can provide an operator who can run live checks on camera — contact the press team to arrange this in advance.
- No. BikeRegister is a private company, incorporated in England and Wales. We are not part of any police force or government department. Our integration with UK police forces is a commercial and operational partnership, endorsed by the National Police Chiefs' Council. We do not have law enforcement powers and we do not share user data with police without a formal legal request. This distinction matters — please use "police-linked" or "police-endorsed", not "police-run" or "official government database".
Contact the press team
Use whichever method suits your deadline. We respond to all press enquiries — but email is the most reliable route for anything requiring documentation or data.
For all media enquiries, interview requests, data requests, and asset licensing. Include your publication, deadline, and story angle in your first message.
press@bikeregister.comFor urgent enquiries and breaking news. Monday to Friday, 9am–6pm. Out of hours, please email and mark your message "URGENT".
+44 (0)1234 567 890For quick questions, corrections to published stories, or to flag time-sensitive coverage. Twitter/X DMs are monitored during working hours.
@bikeregisterOur full annual data report is published each January. Journalists can be added to the advance embargo list — email us before December to be included.
Download 2025 report