Was your bike stolen? Boulder police hold storage unit full of unclaimed bikes.

As the weather gets warmer and more people are on the trails in Colorado, the Boulder Police Department says they're starting to see a rise in bike thefts. In order to help, officers are encouraging riders not only to lock up their gear, but also to register it with the national bike index so officers can connect any found bikes with their owners.

According to the Boulder Police Department's dashboard, over the last 10 years, less than 1% of bikes reported stolen in Boulder have been returned to their owners, valued at more than $15 million. But only a third of those, more than 9,000 stolen bikes, had a serial number provided to the police. While BPD says hundreds come into their evidence locker, because of a lack of information, officers can't always find an owner. Last year alone, more than 500 bikes were stolen in Boulder, adding up to nearly $1 million in value.

Miguel Ortega's bike was one of the 509 stolen bikes last year when he says he stopped at the grocery store in November.

"I spent maybe 20 minutes there, and when I walked out, it was gone," Ortega said. "For a second, I believed I could see somebody riding away with it."

Otega says he depends on his bicycle to get everywhere, including commuting between his two jobs. But his loss of transportation wasn't the only thing he was upset about, as the bike had sentimental value.

"When I came here in 2020, I was struggling with finances," Ortega said. "Friends of mine pooled money to help me buy a bike so that I could commute in the area."

Ortega reported the theft to Boulder police, hoping it might eventually turn up. At any one time, the Boulder police evidence locker for found bikes can have more than 100 bikes in it, with some staying there for years as police hope to find an owner.

"This is somebody's baby, and we're trying to figure out where they belong," said Boulder Police Officer Mitch Trujillo.

Trujillo said officers can try to use serial numbers and manufacturer information to track owners, but he encourages cyclists to register their bikes with the national Bike Index. Bike Index is a national database that can help prove ownership when a bike is recovered. The Boulder Police Department has also been hosting bike registration events and handing out its own QR code stickers for additional registration options.

"The owner can record all of their contact information on there, even a photo of them standing next to their bike, which pretty much provides indisputable proof that it belongs to them," Trujillo said, "They've increased their odds of being able to be reunited with it."

A few weeks after Ortega reported his bike stolen, police got it back. Ortega says he got lucky, and someone brought the now-damaged bike to the police station. Now Ortega says he's going to look into getting it registered.

"It was missing a couple of parts. It was a little beat up," Ortega said. "But it's good to be back with the bike."

Now back on two wheels, Ortega is again commuting between jobs and making sure to always use a sturdy lock. Trujillo recommends riders use one to two U-Locks if possible.

"I don't know what I would do without a bike," Ortega said, "especially one that has such sentimental value to me."

Boulder police recommend using sturdy locks, registering bicycles, and recording serial numbers to improve the chances of recovery if a bike is stolen.