Bryan Hance, a software engineer from Portland, dedicated years to uncovering an illicit bike ring that resold stolen bikes in Mexico, including those from cities in the Western United States, such as Denver.
However, there’s a twist: While the ringleader continues to operate, the man whom Hance believes is responsible for the illegal ring denies any wrongdoing.
Here’s the bigger picture: Hance, co-founder of the bike registration and theft tracking website Bike Index, recently made headlines in Wired magazine for his pursuit of a $2 million bike ring.
The surge in bike thefts coincides with the pandemic-era boom in biking popularity. Bike Index’s counter shows that over 14,000 bikes worth more than $25 million have been recovered using their platform.
A quick recap: In 2020, Hance stumbled upon an $8,000 stolen bike, registered on Bike Index as stolen from a California apartment. It was being sold at a significant discount in central Mexico. This discovery led Hance to uncover a network of bike thefts across the western U.S., with hundreds of bikes listed for sale by a company traced back to someone in La Barca, near Guadalajara.
By the numbers: Bike thefts are prevalent in Denver, but recovering stolen bikes remains a challenge. Reported thefts have decreased by 30% in 2024 compared to the same period last year, as reported by 9News.
In 2023, Denver police recorded 2,519 stolen bikes, down from 3,024 in 2022. Unfortunately, most thefts do not result in arrests, and recovery rates remain low.
The intriguing part: Police have seen some success since launching a bike registration program last spring. The 529 Garage initiative allows people to register their bikes with the police for free, streamlining reporting and aiding investigations.
Currently, more than 22,000 bikes are registered with the program, according to 9News. Additionally, 529 Garage offers “shield” decals that serve as deterrents for potential thieves, available for around $11.
On Bike to Work Day, police encouraged cyclists to take advantage of the program and register their bikes.
Source: AXIOS Denver
