Guide
My bike was stolen and I have no receipt or serial number
This guide explains the situation in Spain.
You can report the theft even without a receipt or serial number: the police report is for telling what happened. To prove the bike is yours, gather every piece of evidence you have: photos of you with it or showing its details, the purchase on your bank statement, the record from a bike register, workshop invoices, the listing and messages if you bought it second-hand, and people who can confirm it. The more evidence, the better.
By the destolen team · Reviewed on 27 October 2026.
Step by step
Look for the serial number in what you already have
Before giving up, check old photos of the bike (especially of the underside of the frame), the box or manual, the confirmation email if you bought it online, the warranty and the workshop's service invoices. If it was in a bike register or on destolen, the number is there.
Where is the serial number on a bike?Gather photos of the bike
Search your phone, your backups and your social media for photos of the bike, ideally with you in them or showing details only yours has: dents, stickers, replaced parts or accessories. Keep the original files, which usually record the date they were taken.
Get proof of payment
If you paid by card, bank transfer or in instalments, the payment appears on your bank statement or in the finance agreement. If you bought it in a shop, ask for a copy of the invoice or receipt: with the date and amount of the payment it will be easier for them to find it. If you bought it second-hand, keep the listing, your messages with the seller and the sale agreement, if you made one.
Ask for the register record
If you registered it with Biciregistro, your town hall's bike register, Bike Index or destolen, download or request the record or registration certificate: it says which bike it is and whose name it is registered in.
Think of witnesses
People who have seen you with the bike or know it is yours: whoever sold it or gave it to you, the workshop that services it, the people you ride with. Note their names and how to reach them. If someone saw the theft, the Policía Nacional report cannot be made online: you have to go to a police station.
Report it with everything you have
Describe the bike in full detail (make, model, colour, size, accessories and marks), say where and when it was stolen and show the evidence you have. Ask for a copy: you are entitled to a certified copy of your report. If you later find the serial number or the receipt, ask at the police station how to add them to the report.
What to do if your bike is stolenSo it does not happen again
With your next bike, or with this one if it turns up: note the serial number, take photos of the bike and of the number, keep the receipt and register it. On destolen registration is free and gives you a certificate with the destolen No.
What the law says
In Spain, as a general rule, someone unlawfully deprived of a movable item can claim it back from whoever holds it, even if that person bought it in good faith (article 464 of the Civil Code). There are exceptions: if the holder bought it at a public auction, you will have to refund the price to get it back, and if they bought it in a shop or from an established trader the Commercial Code applies, which may prevent you from claiming it from them (article 85). If in doubt, consult a lawyer. To get it back you will have to prove it is yours, which is why it is worth gathering all the evidence you have, not just the receipt.
If you have insurance, the law puts on you the burden of proving the bike existed; the content of the policy is a presumption in your favour when better evidence cannot reasonably be provided (article 38 of the Spanish Insurance Contract Act).
This is general information, not legal advice.
Which evidence helps most
No single piece of evidence is perfect on its own: the more you have, the better. The most useful link that specific bike to you, such as a photo of you with it, the purchase with its date and shop, a register record in your name or a workshop invoice with the serial number.
Frequently asked questions
Can I report a bike theft without a receipt?
Yes. The report is for telling what happened and you do not need the receipt. Describe the bike in full detail and bring the evidence you have: photos, the payment, a register record or witnesses.
Is a photo enough to prove the bike is mine?
It helps, especially if you are in it with the bike or unique details show, but it is better combined with other evidence: the payment, a register record in your name or people who can confirm it.
What if I see my bike for sale?
Do not contact the seller or try to get it back yourself: keep screenshots and the link with the date and take them to the police with your report.
Sources checked on 27 October 2026
- Spanish Civil Code, article 464 (BOE, in Spanish)
- Spanish Commercial Code, article 85 (BOE, in Spanish)
- Insurance Contract Act 50/1980, article 38 (BOE, in Spanish)
- Act 4/2015 on the Statute of Victims of Crime, article 6: certified copy of the report (BOE, in Spanish)
- Policía Nacional: Virtual Complaints Office
- Generalitat de Catalunya: theft report (Mossos d'Esquadra, in Spanish)
- Zaragoza City Council: Bicycle Register (Biciregistro, in Spanish)
Have your bike's details ready
Register your bike for free with photos and serial number: if it is stolen, you will have everything at hand to report it and search for it. And before buying a used one, check its serial number.