What should YOU do if your bike was stolen

As more people are starting to ride bikes in and around Omaha, we have seen an increase in bike thefts.  It's great that more people are riding, but nobody wants to be the victim when it comes to bike theft.  If your new to cycling in general or don't know how to lock up your bike properly, take a look entertaining videos below (courtesy of Street Films) to get a better idea of what it takes to keep your bike safe in a city like New York.

The first thing you should do to protect yourself from bike theft, and you should do it RIGHT NOW, is record the serial number, make, and model of your bike.  The serial number is found on bottom of your bike at the point where the pedals/crank arms pass through the frame (also know as the bottom bracket).  Having this information available will greatly increase your chances of seeing your trusty steed again.

The next bit of info comes directly to us from the Omaha Police Department's Pawn Unit (and for what it's worth, the OPD has been a VERY supportive partner with the Omaha transportation cycling community).

How to report stolen or lost bicycles:

1. Call 911 to report a theft in progress from a dwelling or storage unit, or when evidence is left behind such as video surveillance.
2. Call the Telephone Report Unit (TRS) at 444-4877 to make a police report if your theft occurred in Omaha.  Sometimes all operators will be busy and you will be asked to leave your name and telephone number.  Someone will contact you within 36 hours.  Normal hours are from 6am-10pm and reports can be taken in English or Spanish.  Please provide the following information to the operator to increase the odds of a stolen bicycle being recovered:

• Color
• Indicate if it’s a Man’s, woman’s, or kids bicycle
• Make
• Model
• Serial number 
• Special markings
• Special gear attached to the bicycle (bags, lights, stickers)
• Value

3. If you have a photo of your bicycle you can send it to the Pawn Unit via OPD’s website.http://www.opd.ci.omaha.ne.us/contact-us/pawn-squad
4. Make sure you copy down the report number (RB #) the operator provides you for your records and reference that number in any photos you send.