Bike thefts in Calgary have always been an issue, however in recent years, we have seen a growing trend in our city, prompting our members to explore ways to address thefts and better support victims.

A Bike Index pilot project launched by a small group of our officers in 2019, showcased success using the program as an added investigative tool for officers who recovered stolen bikes, and a partnership was born.

To date, Calgary has surpassed 25,000 registered Bike Index users, and returned hundreds of bikes to victims with an estimated value of $330,000.

An important step in returning stolen bikes to their rightful owners is that officers require owners to supply their bike’s serial number, which can often escape some owners. 

By registering a bike with Bike Index, owners are provided with easily accessible documentation of their bike’s information and serial number, which can be looked up by police and aid in a stolen bike’s return to its rightful owner. 

You will be asked to provide the make, model, colour, serial number and other defining characteristics of your bike, as well as provide photos, if possible, and a phone number or email for police to contact you should your stolen bike be recovered.

Bike Index is a free, voluntary, universal bike registration database used by individual bike owners, bike shops and police services. If a registered bike is stolen, an owner can login and make note that their bike is missing. In the event it is recovered by police, or looked up by an unsuspecting buyer, its status on Bike Index will appear as stolen and alert those searching that serial number.

It is important to note that Bike Index does not replace the need for citizens to report their stolen property to the CPS, however it is an added method to report and recover stolen bikes. 

All information registered with Bike Index is hosted by Bike Index only. The CPS is simply a third-party partner of Bike Index and the only information officers have access to is the serial number and discerning characteristics of the bike, as well as the bike owner’s phone number or email in the event officers need to contact the owner and return their stolen bike. 

Bike Index stickers can be picked up at local CPS district offices as well as participating bike shops in Calgary. The stickers connect registered bikes to user accounts and often act as a deterrent to thieves. 

Register your bike, or learn more about Bike Index.