Found a bike? Check the frame number and reach the owner
If you find a bike in the UK, check its frame number here. If it matches a theft report, we pass your message and the area to the person who reported it. If it does not, we keep your message for the owner for 90 days. Neither of you sees the other's email. Do not approach anyone, and call 101 if someone has the bike.
A crime happening now? Call 999. Someone has a bike you believe was taken? Call 101.
What to do if you find a bike
Find the frame number
Look under the bottom bracket, where the pedal cranks meet the frame. Some brands stamp it on the head tube or a rear dropout instead.
Where each brand puts itCheck it here
Type the frame number into the form on this page. The check is free and you do not need an account.
If it matches a theft report, say where the bike is
We pass your message and the area to the person who reported it. If someone has the bike now, call 101. Call 999 if a crime is happening.
Do not approach or confront anyone
Do not try to take a bike back from someone, or follow them. Tell the police what you have seen and leave it to them.
If it does not match, leave the owner a message
Your message waits for the owner. If they have registered the frame number with us they get it now, and if they register it or report it stolen within 90 days they get it then.
What the law says
Keeping a bike you found
Under section 2(1)(c) of the Theft Act 1968, taking property is not dishonest if you believe the owner cannot be discovered by taking reasonable steps. Checking the frame number and leaving the owner a message is a reasonable step. If you know who the owner is, or could find out, keeping the bike is a different matter.
Handing it to the police
Most police forces stopped accepting most found property from 2019. They will generally only take a bike if it is linked to a crime. If the frame number matches a theft report, call 101 and give them the frame number.
A bike abandoned on your land
Speak to your local council before you move, sell or throw away a bike someone has left on your property. Councils set their own process, including how long to wait.
A bike you think is for sale online
Do not buy it to get it back. Check the frame number if the listing shows it, and if it matches a theft report, report the listing to the site and tell the police on 101.
This is general information about England and Wales, not legal advice.
What we keep
- The area only: a postcode district or a town. A full postcode is cut to its district, and we never store an address.
- The owner never sees your email, and you never see theirs.
- Messages are deleted after 90 days.
Make your own bike findable
A finder can only reach an owner who has registered the frame number. Register yours with Cyclesite and a finder can reach you without seeing your details, or you theirs.
Register your frame numberQuestions
Is it illegal to keep a bike I found?
It can be. The Theft Act 1968 says taking property is not dishonest if you believe the owner cannot be discovered by taking reasonable steps. Checking the frame number and leaving the owner a message is one of those steps. If the frame number matches a theft report, the bike is not yours to keep. This is general information, not legal advice.
Will the police collect a found bike?
Usually not. Most police forces stopped accepting most found property from 2019, and generally only take a bike that is linked to a crime. If the frame number matches a theft report, call 101 with the frame number and where the bike is.
What if the frame number matches a theft report?
We pass your message and the area to the person who reported it, and show you the date of the report. Do not approach or confront anyone. If someone has the bike now, call 101, or 999 if a crime is happening.
Will the owner see my email?
No. The owner never sees your email and you never see theirs. Replies come through us, and we email you when there is one.
What if there is no frame number?
Without a frame number we cannot match the bike to anyone. Check under the bottom bracket, on the head tube and on the rear dropouts, and look under stickers or paint. If the number has been ground off and someone has the bike, you can tell the police on 101.
What if nobody replies?
The owner may never see it: they may not have registered the bike with us. Your message is kept for 90 days, and if the owner registers the frame number or reports it stolen in that time, they get it then. After 90 days it is deleted.
Register your own bike