Do you know your bike’s serial number?

Cyclists are being urged to take a note of their bike’s serial number as we continue to target thieves stealing bikes in the Lincoln area.

Officers following a number of lines of enquiry and carrying out proactive searches have been successful in recovering multiple bikes believed to have been stolen in and around the city centre – and we now need to trace their owners.

If owners were to have a record of their bike’s serial number, along with images of their bike, this could be included in the crime report and provide officers with a sure way to reunite the cycle if they were to become a victim of crime.  

It would also provide us with the evidence needed to prove that a bike found in the possession of a suspected thief is stolen. 

The serial number is stamped deeply into the metal crank shaft on the underside of most bikes. The crank shaft is the section which joins together the pedals and chains. 

In the last three weeks, more than 90 bikes have been stolen in and around the city centre – that amounts to four a day. Sergeant Nathan Addlesee with the Lincoln Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) said tackling this issue is a priority. 

He said:

“It is really upsetting to become a victim of a bike theft, and we want to help anyone who does end up in that position to recover their property wherever possible. Having the serial number record may be vital to your cycle being returned to you as it is very difficult for a thief to remove and can help prove legitimate ownership. This is because we would have a very specific marking which is difficult to remove or cover up, which we can check on any bike which we may believe is stolen. And we’ve got a message for thieves – we won’t tolerate it, and when you are caught, you will be prosecuted.”

This latest call for action complements our existing crime prevention advice, increased patrols in the area, and using both overt and covert tactics to prevent and detect further cycle thefts. We also work closely with the City of Lincoln Council, including their CCTV team. 

Our work to tackle this issue is ongoing, and we will continue to work with other organisations who have the same aims as us to reduce this type of crime.

Cllr Sue Burke, Portfolio Holder for Reducing Inequality at the City of Lincoln Council said:

“Bike thefts are increasing in the city, and they are not just minor opportunistic crimes. A bike can be used as currency for the drug market, and is an attractive asset for a thief, and many stolen bikes may end up for sale locally through place like Facebook marketplace.
“For many people, this can be the theft of their main form of transport and can therefore greatly disrupt their everyday lives. Anyone who owns a bicycle is urged to get it security marked and registered, as well as make a note of their serial number. We will continue to work with our local partners to do what we can to stamp out this issue in the city.”

We have had a number of successful arrests and charges in recent weeks:  ​

• On Monday 17 October, Lee Booth, 42, of Archer Street, Lincoln was charged with one bike theft.
• On Monday 10 October, Jose PAZOS, 41, of Hermit Street, Lincoln, was charged with two bike thefts and will appear at Lincoln Magistrate’s Court on 3 November. 
• On Saturday 8 October, Luke Moran, 25, of 106 Gaunt Street, Lincoln charged with three bike thefts.

All three will appear at Lincoln Magistrate’s Court on 3 November.

WATCH: How to find your bike’s serial number

Sergeant Nathan Addlesee explains how to find your bike’s serial number in about 30 second