A blue Viva Bellisimo has been returned to its grateful owner after it was stolen in London’s West End.

The owner, Laura Quinn, was surprised but delighted to have her prized possession recovered to her in just three days, thanks to the work of officers from the Met Police and a listing on BikeRegister, the National Cycle Database.

Laura had locked her bike with a D-Lock outside the Royal Academy of Arts in Piccadilly on Thursday afternoon (31st March). 

When she returned a couple of hours later the lock was still on the pole she had attached it to, but the bike was no longer there. She reported the theft to police immediately and updated the status on her BikeRegister account to ‘stolen’ later that evening.

BikeRegister is the UK's leading online bicycle identification and registration initiative aiming to reduce cycle theft,  identify stolen bikes and assist in owner recovery.

The bike had particular sentimental value to Laura as it had been a birthday gift when she moved to London from the US five years ago. She publicised the theft on Twitter saying: ‘A long shot, but my bike was stolen today. #Londoners, help out? Please RT!’ and offered a £50 reward for its recovery.

On Sunday, 3rd April, Laura received a call from Belgravia Police to say that they had arrested a man on a routine ‘stop and search’ and discovered that the bike he was riding was listed as stolen on BikeRegister, which is used by every police force in the UK and is the preferred bike marking system of the Metropolitan Police Service.

Laura said: “I went in to collect it that evening. It was as easy and as fast as that! Quite hard to believe, actually! But all thanks to BikeRegister!” 

For further information and images contact: Jodie Fisher, Marketing Executive for Selectamark.

Phone: +44 (0)1689 487829
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @bikeregister