lungimsam

How can I know if the bike I am buying isn't a stolen bike?

katcorot

If the bike is terribly under priced for its quality or make. Could be stolen.

AndreyT

You can't.

All you can hope for is that the seller of the bike might be kind enough to provide some reasonable proof, like a purchase receipt or the original set of manuals/accessories etc.

TrojanHorse

You can probably trust your instincts... if it's a $10,000 race bike and the seller is a beer guzzling slob, it's probably not his. If he's 5'6" and the bike is a 62 cm frame, it's probably not his. If he's "selling it for a friend" it's probably not his.

And frankly, I don't have proof of purchase for any of my bikes although I might have a really wrinkled shifter manual laying around, so I'm not sure that's an infallible sign either.

bkaapcke

Another red flag is a seller who wants to meet you away from his home or apartment. I always figured if a seller doesn't want you to know where he lives, he has something to hide. bk

chandltp

Doesn't Craigslist recommend this as a safety procedures?

SlimRider

It could also be because he doesn't want any hassles about how some component cracked the day right after it was purchased. Now buyer wants a refund. If only he knew your address, eh!

tagaproject6

Incorrect! The seller does not know the kind of buyer he/she is dealing with as well. Going to someone's home is a good way to see what they have and case the joint. You must live a very sheltered life

DVC45

Of course not, it is his friend's.
Doesn't mean it's stolen.

DVC45

Yup, I agree.

billyymc

I bought a Tricross Comp a few years ago on Craigslist. When I asked the seller questions via email, he seemed to know almost nothing about the bike. He couldn't answer basic things like is it a triple or double (couldn't tell from the pics). When I showed up at his house to test ride it, the thing was about two years old (it was a 2007 and I bought it in March 2009) but it was clearly completely unridden....had the little hairs on the stock tires. The guy did NOT look like a cyclist at all. His story was that he used to ride, moved here and bought a nice bike thinking he would ride, but a medical issue prevented him from riding...he rode the bike 4 miles home and parked it and never touched it again. Sounded fishy...and he didn't exactly live in a nice part of town.

After test riding it, I went to the LBS where he said he got it. I told them I was looking at a used bike and wanted to verify the guy bought it there and it wasn't' stolen. They said "Is it "Sellers' Name"? Yes, he bought it here. Please buy it so he'll stop calling here asking questions about it!" Apparently every time I emailed him with a question, he called the shop and asked them!

I went right back with $900 in my hand and bought the bike. He had paid $1,700 for it new and rode it four miles. Since then I've put about 7k miles on it

mikescooling

You can call the cops and have them run the numbers, but if it comes up hot, they are going to want the bike.

Digital_Cowboy

That is if they even if they have a database of S/N for bicycles. I am pretty sure that in my city has some sort of database of S/N's. As when I registered my bike the gal who I was working with made a phone call to (I'm guessing) verify that the bike that I was registering wasn't/hadn't been stolen.

One could also ask the seller for the S/N of the bike letting them know that you're going to call the police and have them check the S/N to see if it has been reported as stolen. If they balk at giving you the S/N then it's probably a very good indicator that the bike in question was stolen.

And of course if it is stolen and you haven't purchased it yet, be prepared to be asked to turn over the information that you have on the seller.

geo8rge

Does the craigslist ad have enough info in it for the owner to find their stolen bike with a text search. Are there clear pics that the previous owner could use to identify it. A stolen bike would not likely be advertised in such a manner.

Does the owner give you their correct name and address. Ask to see their ID to confirm who they are.

As others have said, it the price too low? Why?

floatsinwater

There's several questions you can ask to help you determine if its a stolen bike. All these should be asked over the phone or in person, to not let the seller have time to look it up on the internet:

1) Ask for the exact model/year. If the seller doesn't know or has to "look it up," then there's a higher chance its stolen.

2) Ask which store the bike was bought from.

3) Ask which components are upgraded from stock.

These are pretty general questions that any owner should be able to answer right off the bat. If I want to see how honest the seller is, I'll ask how long its been since the chain was replaced, then compare with a chain checker that I bring. If the owner doesn't know, then its probably stolen. If the owner lies, then its either stolen or the owner is dishonest.

tagaproject6

Wow...can you really determine the truth about the bike's origins and the sellers character by asking these simple questions that play on a lot of assumptions? Should we be more wary if the seller is wearing a hoody?

bud16415

Last summer there was a CL ad posted with two Photos inside a garage of a Cannondale Road bike with minimal information about bike except frame size and that it came with another set of wheels. It did have a price of $85. No phone number. I answered the ad and got a reply within minutes saying he just listed it and was surprised to get a reply so fast. Gave me his address and said come see it asked for my first name and said I was the first to reply and had first crack at it if I came to see it that day. As it happened he was about 15 minute drive and it was lunch time and I had a bike rack on the car. So I go over thinking I have to be careful an $85 Cannondale is most likely hot. Nice neighborhood nice car in drive. Older guy comes to the door and takes me to the garage. Garage is full of packing boxes and he tells me he’s moving to Fla. has a new road bike down there and this bike he loves can’t go. Bike is in perfect condition with a high end air pump attached another set of wheels and maybe 2 tiny paint chips in the BB paint from a stone. He also has a weight machine with 6 stations for sale for $50 Weider brand. No one robs a weight bench I thought. He tells me the bike has never been wet and says I almost forgot here is the owner’s manual and paperwork on the wheels and pump. I said I’ll take it and he said I thought you would offer $75. Haha. I said no $85 is fine with me. I put a foam cover on the top tube made from a pool noodle and started hanging it on my bike rack and he said that’s a first it’s never been on a rack before. I told a friend about the weight machine and it was gone within a couple hours also. So there are deals too good to be true on CL. Most of the time I find the other ones mentioned above. If I had the slightest clue the bike was hot I personally wouldn’t have bought it. Pic below. Because I know without pics no one believes the story lol.

tmat

I agree. I've found some really good deals on bikes and motorcycles on CL. I've even gave a few people smoking deals on bikes there. Were the bikes I sold stolen? Nah. I needed room in the garage and would rather see a quick sale than a hassle.

To the OP: Check to see if the serial number is still on the bike. People who steal bikes and then resell them will often grind off where the serial numbers are.

muzpuf

I have bought 3 bikes off craigslist printed off the ads had the seller sign the copy stating he sold it for $XXX you are covered you have the ad the signature and the posting ID on the ad which can be traced back to the seller

Tuc

All good suggestions here and CL has some amazing deals sometimes that you just can't pass up and if the buyer passes most of the test questions put on this thread - follow this advice when you put your money down to cover yourself.

Digital_Cowboy

Would that really protect one if the bike was stolen?

NightShift

If you show up with a uniformed law enforcement officer and the seller doesn't get nervous, you're probably ok. And in the unlikely event it does turn out to be stolen the cops aren't likely to blame you.
If it's a REALLY great deal, offer to buy a cop lunch and tell them why.


Most legitimate sellers won't mind you showing up with a cop friend. Anyone selling stolen goods is probably going to be very nervous, and may simply refuse to sell (which may prompt the cop to do some checking).

Unless you're best friends with a cop this isn't always practical, but it's worth trying.

NightShift

You wouldn't get to keep the bike, but it would make it very unlikely that you would be charged with possession of stolen property, and would make it more likely the thief would be caught.

bud16415

I find a dozen bikes on CL or at garage sales over the course of the summer and fix them up. Some are ok quality some pretty beat and good for parts. I also have people giving me bikes they have no use for as they know I will find them a good home. At least a couple times a year I see someone posting that they need a bike and have limited money on CL. I will check them out and when I see they really need a bike as basic transportation I just give them something I know will work for their needs. It’s not always about money you are right. Sometimes I feel like I’m wasting my time hauling a bike across town to sell for 10 bucks but giving it away seems to make the trip more worthwhile.

High end bikes stolen and then posted with a photo on CL in the same town I would think would be a pretty stupid thing to do.

But then again 50% of the people in the world are below average intelligence.

Tuc

Yes it would protect you, since there are no titles to bikes and no real registry to check, it is a minimum of due diligence on your part to verify your paid ownership of the bike. A pic of the seller with the bike is good too.