During the course of the year, the police department recovers numerous abandoned and stolen bicycles. If the bicycle is registered, owners can be located and bicycles returned.
“In 2014, we started offering bicycle registration free-of-cost to residents,” said Police Chief Rick Gramza. ”On average, we probably recover more than 100-150 bikes a year that nobody comes forth and claims.”
He added that oftentimes, somebody will steal a bike to get from Point A to Point B, and then dump the bicycle. If the dumped bicycle is found and has been registered, officers can return the bicycle to its rightful owner. Though unfortunate the owner could not be found, unclaimed bikes are auctioned, donated, or put to use in the Children’s Miracle Network Bike Rodeo.
Basic bike information required on the registration form (which lasts for five years) includes:
- Make
- Serial number
- Frame color and size
- Number of speeds
Residents are encouraged to register their bicycle at the Marshfield Police Department Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
You can also pick up bicycle registration forms at The Sports Den and drop them off at the Police Department.
Local business, The Sports Den, also helps new bicycle buyers fill out the registration form after purchase.
“Since 2016, The Sports Den has attempted record the make, model, and serial number of all bikes brought in for service as well as the customer contact information,” said Breanna VanDehey, manager. “This is another way to help you recover lost or stolen bicycles, or to help track down the owner of bikes you may find. We have done this for years and nearly every school year we get calls from families with students in college that have had their student’s bike ‘re-located’.”
VanDehey added that Sports Den customers are welcome to call and staff will be happy to look up a bike’s information, which can then be submitted to the Police Department.
“Registering your bike is a great way to attempt to recover your bike should it be stolen or ‘re-located,’ but it is always better to be on the offensive!” she added. “A good quality bike lock goes a long way to ensuring your bike stays in your possession. While cable or coil locks may be appealing because of their size, weight, and affordability all it takes is a set of cable cutters for someone to walk off with your ride. We highly recommend a U-lock when locking your bike, many of which even come with an insurance policy to cover the cost of your bike should something still happen to it!”
