Basement Bike Theft, Same-Day Recovery
From a 5 a.m. alert to a same-day find, here’s how BikeFinder made the difference
Kai relies on his bike as his primary means of transportation, so he was shocked when it was stolen from a dedicated bike rack in a locked communal basement of his apartment building. Like many cyclists, he assumed that if his bike were ever stolen, it would happen in town, not at home. But unfortunately, this type of theft is becoming increasingly common.
Here’s what happened, and how his BikeFinder helped him get his bike back within hours.
Kai’s story:
I woke up on a Sunday morning at 5 a.m. to an alarm from the BikeFinder app, alerting me that movement had been detected on my bike. I ran down to the basement where my bike was parked, but by the time I got there, the bike was already gone. Since only residents have access, I immediately realized someone had managed to enter from outside.
“I woke up on a Sunday morning at 5 a.m. to an alarm from the BikeFinder app, alerting me that movement had been detected on my bike.”
– Kai, BikeFinder User
Since I rely on my bike for transportation, I had to wait until 10 a.m. to borrow a car, and I drove to the GPS location from the tracker.
The signal led me to a kindergarten. I checked the area, looked through the windows, and walked around with Bluetooth turned on, but I couldn’t find it. Eventually, I had to return home.
A few hours later, at 2:30 p.m., I received a new alert on the BikeFinder app.
So, I borrowed a car once more and drove to the updated coordinates. After searching around, I suddenly saw my bike standing next to a van. The bright green color made it easy to recognize. I grabbed it and drove away with it.
The thieves had taken my biking gloves and helmet, and the bike had some damage. But the BikeFinder customer support agent reminded me that my BikeFinder subscription includes insurance, something I had completely forgotten in this moment of adrenaline. I was already so happy to have my bike back. So finding out I was covered for the damage made it even better after such a stressful day.”
A note from BikeFinder
Bike theft from private residential buildings, especially communal bike storage areas, is something we see very often. Contrary to what many expect, it happens more frequently than thefts from city centers.
With BikeFinder, riders like Kai not only get real-time alerts and GPS tracking. They’re also supported by quick customer service and optional integrated theft insurance that helps cover eventual damage after recovery.
