Bike theft is on the rise. With the increasing popularity of e-bikes and all forms of cycling more and more people are buying bikes, and many are worth a significant amount of money.
You can add a level of security to keep your bike safe by registering it with 529 Garage. It’s free, easy to do, and helps Police return stolen bikes to their rightful owners. 529 Garage Project is a community-powered bike recovery service. Widespread use of 529 Garage has the power to reduce bike theft. The more people using the system the more powerful it becomes. The app moves with you so if you report a stolen bike immediately the community closest to the location is the first to be notified of the theft.
Local Councils, Bike advocacy groups, the New Zealand Police, and Bike shops are coming together to try and reduce bike theft and improve the chances of reuniting stolen bikes with their rightful owners. Auckland, Rotorua, Wellington, and Christchurch have already started promoting and using the 529 Garage Project.
Benefits of 529 Garage
- Your bike will be included in a secure nationwide database.
- If your bike gets stolen you can use 529 Garage to send an alert to the local 529 community.
- If someone sees your bike, they can contact you anonymously through the app.
- 529 Garage makes it easy for Police to return your bike to you if it is found.
- You can use the database to check if a second-hand bike you are considering purchasing has been flagged as stolen.
- No personal information is required to complete the registration, just an email address.
- Once registered you can add a 529 shield which is a tamper-resistant decal with a unique code that adds another layer of protection to your bike. Shields can be purchased here.
You can register your bike on the web, or download the app at:
Christchurch City Council and Police have teamed up to create this little video on how to lock your bike to keep it safe.
