Check a bike
Before buying a second-hand bike, check whether it is registered with Destolen or reported stolen. All you need is the serial number or the QR code on its certificate.
Is it an e-scooter? Check it with its DGT number
What the checker looks up
The checker is free and needs no account. It looks up the number you type (frame, motor or battery) in the stolen-bike databases we check and tells you whether the bike is recorded as stolen, without showing any owner details. It ignores upper and lower case, spaces and hyphens, but the rest of the number must match exactly.
What each result means
- Reported stolen
- The number matches a bike recorded as stolen in at least one of the sources; we tell you which. Don't buy it or pay anything up front, and tell the police.
- Recovered after a theft
- The bike is recorded as stolen and later recovered. It may be a normal sale, but ask for documents showing the seller is the owner.
- Registered, no theft reports
- The bike is registered on destolen and is not recorded as stolen in any of the sources. It doesn't tell you who the owner is: still ask for the receipt or the certificate.
- No information
- Not found: the number is not registered on destolen and does not appear in the sources. It is no guarantee that the bike is not stolen.
Limits
- “Not found” does not guarantee the bike is not stolen: many thefts are never reported, or are reported without a serial number.
- We only check the sources on this page. We have no access to reports made to other police forces.
- The Mossos d'Esquadra and Bike Index lists are copied once a day: a very recent report may take a while to show up.
- If a source does not respond, the result says so; check again before buying.
Before buying, also check the listing, the seller and the bike in person: How to check if a used bike is stolen
Questions about the checker
How much does it cost to check a bike?
Nothing. The destolen checker is free and needs no account. To prevent abuse, there is a limit on how many checks can be made in a row from the same place.
Where is a bike's serial number?
It is usually stamped under the bottom bracket (underneath, between the pedals), on the seat tube or on the rear stay, and it is usually on the receipt. On e-bikes, the motor and the battery have their own serial numbers.
Will I see the owner's details?
No. At most you will see whether the bike is registered, its brand, model and main photo (unless the owner has made it private) and, if it is recorded as stolen, which source the alert comes from. If the theft was declared on destolen, you can alert the owner from the theft page without seeing their details.
If it says “No information”, is it safe to buy?
Not entirely: it only means it is not in the sources we check. Ask for the receipt, make sure the stamped number matches the one you were given, and be wary of very low prices and pressure to close quickly.