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Bicycle TheftHow to Report Stolen or Lost Bicycles Every year, thousands of bikes are lost or stolen in Minneapolis. Many of them are recovered. Yet, because of a lack of proper identification, only a small percentage are ever returned to their owners. Here are some things you can do to help recover your bicycle if it is lost or stolen and what you can do to prevent bicycle theft. How to Report Stolen or Lost Bicycles Be sure to report your lost or stolen bicycle with the Minneapolis Police Department. A lost or stolen bicycle report may be made by calling Mpls 311 or going to your respective precinct to make your report (reports may not be made by phone to your precinct). If you are unsure which precinct you are in, you may enter your address and look it up here: Police Precinct Finder. Persons calling from within Minneapolis may call 311. Persons calling from outside the city may call 612-673-3000. 311 Customer Service Agents are available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Be sure to include in your report details about color, make, model, bicycle serial number, registration number, and other unique identifiers. These details not only aid in the identification and recovery of lost or stolen bicycles and return to their rightful owners, they assist investigators with developing useful suspect information. What Happens to Bicycles Recovered by MPD Officers or CitizensA police report is made that includes descriptive information about the recovered bicycle, including color, make, serial number, etc. Bicycles are then stored at the Property and Evidence warehouse. The warehouse is located at 6024 Harriet Avenue South, one block east of Bachman's off Lyndale Avenue in South Minneapolis. Matching Recovered or Pawned Bicycles With Owners Recovered Bicycles: Bicycles recovered are compared with descriptions of bicycles reported to MPD as lost or stolen. If a match is found, the owner of the bicycle is contacted. The public may also request that a search of our database be made for recovered bicycles that match a bicycle lost or stolen from them. Contact the Property and Evidence main downtown office Monday through Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m, 612-673-2932. Public service hours to retrieve bicycles from the Property and Evidence warehouse are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m to 3:30 p.m. Phone calls to inquire about bicycles, to request a search of our database be made for a recovered bicycle, to obtain directions to the warehouse or other information may be made to the warehouse during public service hours at 612-673-5665. A valid state ID card or driver's license and proof of ownership will be required for a bicycle to be released to you. Proof of ownership includes a receipt of purchase; a serial, registration or OPID number; or a picture of the owner and the bike. Pawned Bicycles: Bicycles with serial numbers, Operation ID (OPID) numbers or unique descriptions that have been reported to the police as lost or stolen are compared with bicycles pawned via the Automated Pawn System (APS). APS contains daily transaction records from over 45 regional pawn shops. If a match is found, the owner of the bicycle is contacted as well as police investigators. Bicycles that are recovered by the police are also queried against entries in the NCIC database of stolen articles. NCIC is used by police agencies throughout the country to report stolen articles. If a stolen entry is found, the law enforcement agency that reported the stolen item is notified of its recovery and the agency will notify the owner. The public may also request that a search be made as to whether a stolen or lost bicycle may have been pawned. Call the Property and Evidence Unit Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 612-673-2932, option #2. The 2005 transportation bill approved by the Minnesota Legislature eliminated the bicycle registration program. The state will no longer be issuing bicycle registrations. You are encouraged to record your bicycle’s serial number. This is the best way for the MPD Property and Evidence Room to identify recovered bicycles. Marking Your Bicycle With an Operation ID (OPID) Number Operation Identification (OPID) is a 13-digit number assigned to you by the Minneapolis Police Department to mark your bicycle and other valuables to make it easier to trace lost or stolen merchandise. You can obtain an OPID number free from your police precinct or by calling the OPID Hotline at 612-673-2749.
Unclaimed bicycles are kept at the Property and Evidence warehouse for 30 days. They are then sold at Police bicycle auctions. Auction Schedule Bicycles are sold “as is” The average auction sale price is about $40. Bicycles can be viewed on auction days from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Victims of lost or stolen bicycles can attempt to look for their bicycle at this time. In order to claim bicycles, however, victims must show receipt of purchase; a serial, registration or OPID number; or a picture of themselves and the bike. For additional information, please call the Property and Evidence Room at 612-673-2932 or e-mail us at police@ci.minneapolis.mn.us. |