Verdict
Clear
No stolen reports found across the registries we check.
What to do
Verify the number physically at the viewing and look for tampering.
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Check any frame number against the world’s most widely used stolen-bike registry, plus theft reports from Cyclesite riders: free, in seconds, before you buy.
A reported-stolen frame looks identical to a clean one. One lookup tells you before you hand over the cash, not after.
Ground-down, re-stamped or painted-over frame numbers are the clearest sign of a stolen bike. Know what to look for at the viewing.
A clear verdict plus a quick physical check means you either walk away early or buy knowing the frame has no theft record.
A 1.7m-bike registry
The world’s most widely used stolen-bike registry, including UK bikes
Plus community reports
Theft reports submitted directly by Cyclesite riders
Frame numbers auto-checked
Matches are flagged for our Trust and Safety team to review
630
Frame checks this week
Real UK lookups run over the last 7 days.
Lifetime, across the UK
Matched to a stolen-bike record
Reviewed by Tom Southern, Founder.
Learn what we check, how fast it happens, and what each result means.
Take the 7-14 character serial stamped under the bottom bracket. Type it or paste it from a photo.
Where do I find the frame number?Cross-referenced against an international stolen-bike registry of over 1.7 million bikes, plus Cyclesite community reports, in one query.
Which databases do we check?Clear, Caution or Stolen. Each result returns with the date the record was created and the next step spelled out.
What does each verdict mean?Walk away, ask more questions or buy with confidence. Every Cyclesite listing is auto-checked before going live.
Browse stolen-checked bikesReading the result
Every check returns one of three outcomes, and tells you exactly what to do.
Verdict
Clear
No stolen reports found across the registries we check.
What to do
Verify the number physically at the viewing and look for tampering.
Verdict
Caution
A risk signal: a previous flag, a recent re-listing, or partial match.
What to do
Ask for proof of purchase and inspect the frame-number area carefully.
Verdict
Stolen
Match against a confirmed theft report in one of the registries we check.
What to do
Do not buy. Do not confront the seller. Leave safely and call 101.
Our stolen-bike check gives you an instant verdict against a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports and Cyclesite community reports, so there are no nasty surprises if you do decide to buy. Every check includes:
Stolen-bike check report
Free
for every check, forever
No signup. We only ever store the frame number you check, never who you are.
Thinking of buying
A 60-second frame-number lookup tells you whether the bike has been reported stolen anywhere in the UK, before you travel, before you hand over a penny. No drama, no signup, just a clear verdict.
My bike has been stolen
Most recovered bikes are reported within hours. Get on the registries, get a crime number, get the network looking.
Call 999 or 101
999 if it's still in progress, 101 if the bike has gone. Get a crime reference.
Add to the registry
Visible to every Cyclesite buyer, flagged before any matching listing goes live.
Post a sighting alert
Share the frame number, location and photos in our stolen-bike-alerts community.
I already own a bike
A frame number you have written down somewhere is what turns a recovered bike back into your bike. Register it free and we will email you if it is ever reported stolen here.
Crime survey data · England and Wales
What stolen bikes were worth in the year to March 2025. If you're buying second-hand, the bike in front of you is exactly the kind that goes missing.
The average stolen bike was worth £546; half were worth £250 or more. Source: ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales, Nature of crime: bicycle theft, year ending March 2025.
Police datapolice.uk releases
Police recorded 28,531 bicycle thefts across 44 UK city centres over three years. A suspect was identified in 10.1% of closed cases, and 1 in 33 reached a charge. Pick an area for the local picture.
Jun 23Down 25% in three yearsMay 26
data.police.uk · Open Government Licence v3.0
In-depth guides
Long-form coverage of frame numbers, registries, recovery tactics and what to do if your bike is taken.
How to Check If a Bike Is Stolen Before You Buy (UK, 2026)
Step-by-step checks for a used bike in the UK: frame number search, receipt verification, UK stolen-bike database cross-check and Cyclesite's free stolen-bike lookup.
Read guideHow to Find Your Bike's Frame Number (Serial Number Guide, UK)
Where to find your bike's frame number on road, MTB, e-bike and folding frames. Includes photos, brand-specific locations, and what to do if the serial is missing.
Read guideMy Bike Was Stolen: What to Do in the First 48 Hours (UK)
Exact steps if your bike is stolen in the UK: report to police for a crime reference, list on stolen-bike databases, notify insurance, check resale sites and run a frame-number sweep.
Read guideUK Police Stolen Bike Database: What It Is and How to Search It (2026)
What is the UK police stolen bike database, which forces use it, and how do you search it for free? Full guide to the registries police and insurers rely on.
Read guideFree Bike History Check: Verify a Used Bike's Ownership (UK, 2026)
How to run a free bike history check in the UK: frame number lookup, ownership paperwork, Cycle to Work finance, seller checks and tampering signs before you buy.
Read guideHow to Spot Crash Damage on a Used Bike (Frame Check Guide, UK)
How to spot crash damage on a used bike before you buy: where to inspect a carbon, aluminium or steel frame, the cracks, dents and ripples that matter, and when to get a professional inspection.
Read guideUsed Bike Inspection Checklist: What to Check Before You Buy (UK)
A used bike inspection checklist for UK buyers: how to check the frame, drivetrain, wheels, brakes, bearings and battery, the signs of a bad second-hand bike, and how to price faults into your offer.
Read guideI Think This Bike for Sale Is Stolen: What to Do (UK, 2026)
You suspect a bike listed for sale is stolen: what to do, what not to do, what evidence to screenshot, and how to report the listing to the police and the marketplace in the UK.
Read guideWhere each brand stamps its frame number, and an instant free check against UK stolen-bike records.
Local reporting steps and the right police force, plus how to buy safely in the UK's highest-theft cities.
Questions
Run a free bike or bicycle stolen-check at cyclesite.co.uk/stolen-bikes. Take the frame number, usually under the bottom bracket where the pedal cranks meet, and we'll cross-reference it against a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports and Cyclesite's own community reports in seconds. Ask the seller for the original receipt and a photo of the frame number before you commit.
Yes, Cyclesite is a free bike checker for the UK. Enter a frame or serial number and the bike check runs it against the world’s most widely used stolen-bike registry, plus Cyclesite's own community reports, in seconds, returning a Clear, Caution or Stolen verdict. There's no signup and no limit on individual lookups, so you can run a free bike check on any UK bike or bicycle before you buy.
A bicycle serial number lookup checks a frame's unique identifier against registered theft reports. Enter the bike or bicycle serial number at cyclesite.co.uk/stolen-bikes and Cyclesite cross-references it against a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports plus our community reports in one query. The serial is the 7-14 character code stamped into the frame, not a sticker (see "Where is the frame number on a bike?" below for the exact location).
Yes. Cyclesite's free check searches a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports. The same lookup works for any bike or bicycle and returns a verdict of Clear, Caution or Stolen within seconds. No signup, no stored searches.
Cyclesite cross-references a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports. We don't run our own police feed; we mirror the registries the police themselves rely on, and combine them with Cyclesite's community-submitted reports for broader coverage.
The frame number is stamped into the frame itself. 95% of UK bikes carry it on the underside of the bottom bracket shell, so turn the bike over to read it. It's always 7-10 alphanumeric characters and never a sticker (a sticker is the date code, not the frame number).
A bike or bicycle serial number is typically 7-14 alphanumeric characters, often starting with letters followed by numbers. They may be stamped into the frame metal, printed on a sticker, or laser-engraved. Examples: "WTU123456789", "SNFSC12345", "BC06M12345". Each manufacturer has its own format.
Yes. Cyclesite offers a free stolen-bike check (and the same free bicycle serial number check) with no account required. Enter the frame serial number and we'll query a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports and our own community reports in one go. Every Cyclesite listing with a frame number is automatically checked before going live.
Always run the frame-number check before travelling. Ask the seller for proof of purchase, check the number matches any documentation, inspect the frame for tampering (grinding marks, fresh paint over numbers), and meet in a safe public location.
Call 999 if it's in progress, otherwise 101. Get a crime reference, then add the bike to Cyclesite's registry and post a sighting alert in our stolen-bike-alerts community. The faster the bike is on the registries, the higher the chance of recovery.
No. A clear result means no stolen reports were found in the databases we check, which is encouraging but not a guarantee. Not every stolen bike is reported. Always combine the database check with physical inspection at the viewing.
Yes. Every Cyclesite listing with a frame number is automatically cross-checked against a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports before it goes live. Listings that fail the check don't appear.
Work from the frame itself rather than the badge, which is often missing on a second-hand bike. The model name is usually printed on the top tube or down tube, the groupset is stamped on the chainset and rear derailleur, and the frame number under the bottom bracket dates the bike. Identify the bike first, then run the frame number here to check it is not stolen.
How to identify a bikeEvery frame number a seller supplies on Cyclesite is automatically cross-checked against a stolen-bike registry and rider-filed theft reports before the listing goes live, and any match is flagged for our Trust and Safety team to review.
