PSA: Register your bikes with 529 Garage

B4_Ford · #1 10-11-2024, 01:31 AM

I recently sold a bike through Craigslist to a local older gentleman that wasn’t very tech savvy. About a week after buying it, he messaged me asking if I knew the serial number as it had been stolen. I offered to post it on 529 Garage on his behalf. He didn’t know what I was referring to, but less than 48 hours after listing it, I got an email from a police officer that had recovered the bike and found my contact info on 529 Garage. I called the officer and was able to direct him to the owner, and within 15 minutes, the cop had delivered the bike back to the gentleman. This is the 4th time I’ve used 529 Garage to return stolen bikes over the past few years in Portland. I was glad to hear from the officer that it’s the 1st place he looks when he comes across a possibly stolen bike. 529 Garage is free, easy to use, and it certainly increases the odds of stolen bikes being returned.