Online marketplaces such as Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp may make it easy to clear out the clutter, but they come with a serious darkside: they are a haven for selling stolen property, especially stolen bikes. We’ve been trying to get online marketplaces to take action on this for years (even gathering over 50,000 signatures on a petition to Craigslist… Read more →
Dear Annie, I don’t understand why there is a 7 character code on 529 Shields. Seems very 20th century. Why not join the 21st century and use QR codes to make the bike more easily scannable? Everyone has smartphones today! – Computers read a code kleaner CRACK, QR, or quick response codes have been around since the early 90’s. From a… Read more →
Dear Annie, I left my iPhone on the bus last winter and recovered it using the “Find my iPhone” feature from my computer. Seems that doing the same kind of thing for bikes would be the best possible solution to help recover a stolen bike. Why doesn’t 529 just add “Find my Bike” to their app and sell GPS trackers… Read more →
It’s no surprise that bike thieves have learned that one of the most effective ways to turn stolen property into cash is through online marketplaces. The stories of cyclists finding their stolen bikes on Craigslist and eBay can be found in news sites and blogs all over the Internet. Wanting to make a difference, our whole team set out to rally fellow cyclists… Read more →
