Thousands of bikes are stolen in Australia every year. NSW alone recorded more than 7,100 bicycle thefts in the 12 months to September 2025, and South Australia Police logged 3,180 in 2025. If yours is one of them, what you do in the next few hours matters. Here is the checklist we would follow.

1. Check it was actually stolen

It sounds obvious, but check with anyone who shares the bike, the building manager, and council or transport staff if you were locked up near a station — bikes are sometimes moved or impounded. Then move fast.

2. Check your tracker straight away

If your bike has a tracker, open the app now, before you do anything else. With a Track My Bike tracker that means the Find My app on iPhone or Find Hub on Android. Note the location and the time of the last update, and take screenshots — they are useful to police.

  • On iPhone, turn on Notify When Found so you get an alert the moment another device spots it.
  • On Android, open the tag in Find Hub and check its network setting is all areas, not high-traffic areas only.
  • A location that is a few hours old is the last confirmed sighting, not a fault. It will update as phones pass by.

3. Report it to police

Report the theft to police as soon as you can. In most states you can call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 (Policelink in Queensland) or report online. Give them the make, model, colour, frame serial number, photos and any distinguishing marks or accessories. If you have tracker screenshots, tell them. Always call 000 if a crime is happening right now or someone is in danger.

Ask for the police report number — you will need it for insurance and for any recovery.

4. Do not try to recover it yourself

Every police service says the same thing: do not confront whoever has your bike. Pass the tracker location to police and let them attend. A bike is not worth getting hurt over, and a clean handover to police gives you the best chance of getting it back legally.

5. Find your frame serial number

The serial number is usually stamped under the bottom bracket (where the cranks go through the frame). It is the single most useful detail for police and second-hand dealers. If you do not have it recorded, check your purchase receipt, the shop that sold you the bike, or old photos.

6. Watch the second-hand market

Stolen bikes often reappear on Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and at local pawn and second-hand shops within days. Search for your make and model in your area every day for a couple of weeks. If you spot it, do not arrange to meet the seller — send the listing to police with your report number.

7. Tell your insurer and your community

Lodge a claim with your home contents or bike insurer using the police report number. Post in local cycling and community groups with photos and the serial number — plenty of bikes come home because someone recognised them.

How to make the next theft easier to solve

Queensland Police recommend marking and engraving your bike, recording its details and taking photos. Add a quality D or U lock, lock the frame and both wheels, and store bikes behind locked doors where you can. Then add a tracker a thief will not find:

Every Track My Bike tracker works with both iPhone and Android, runs for about a year on a CR2032 cell, and ships with the anti-stalking alert disabled so there is no beep for a thief to follow. See the range.