Stolen & Abandoned Bicycles

The frustration of a stolen bicycle is oftentimes preventable, by you! Learn more about how to properly secure your bicycle, as well as how to register it with the Minneapolis Police Department: Preventing Bicycle Theft (pdf). Please note, the simplest way to recover your bicycle if it is stolen, is to write down the serial number today. If 20 blue Huffy bicycles are being held at the City’s Property & Evidence warehouse, and you had your Blue Huffy stolen, the serial number will guarantee your claim. You can also register your bicycle with the National Bicycle Registry.

Has your bicycle already been stolen? Report the theft to the Minneapolis Police Department. If you don’t report your bike as stolen, it may not be considered as such by the authorities, even if you see someone riding by on it. The MPD can also help you recover your bike. Call the City’s Property & Evidence Warehouse (673-5665) before you stop by. The warehouse is not open to the general public on a drop-in basis.

Bicycle auctions are held to sell unclaimed and abandoned bikes, several times per year. Approximately 100 bicycles are sold at each auction. Read more about where and when bicycle auctions take place.

Members of the public are encouraged to report abandoned bicycles to 311, or directly to the City’s Property & Evidence Warehouse (673-5665). A city employee will remove unlocked, abandoned bicycles upon request. If the bicycle is locked however, it will be tagged to give the owner 24 hours of notice before removal (unless it is locked in an illegal location). Legal locations include bike racks and sign posts. Illegal locations include parking meters, trees, light posts, traffic signal poles, and handrails.