What does identifying it do for you? I had a bike stolen a few years ago and I've seen it a handful of times since then. Police are not interested in this in my experience, basically told me to pound sand. Are you going to steal it back or what?

I've had bikes stolen a few times -- in the midwestern US, and mostly as a kid where my bike was not generally stored very securely.

Usually, they're just...gone.

The police around here do collect bikes that they find dumped in places where they don't belong -- in parks or when reported in random folks' yards or wherever. These get auctioned off if not claimed first.

But I did get my bikes back a few times.

Most memorably, I was doing some random technical work at the local PD and was heading out to have a smoke, and I saw a bike that looked just like mine just standing there on the back dock. Same purple Caloi aluminum frame, same additions (like the 90s-style Control Stix bar ends), same everything, except it had an inventory tag on it.

Which very seemed strange to me, since I knew very well that my bike was safe at home. Or did I know that? Maybe my bike wasn't safe at home. Or maybe someone else had the same mods on their own bike, which wasn't particularly unlikely since I bought all of it from a singular bike shop in town?

So I asked about it. And they're like "Well, if that's your bike, then maybe you can tell us something about it that is identifiable. Something unique that you couldn't see in the five minutes you've been standing there staring at it."

I couldn't think of anything. But that ultimately didn't matter -- they were fucking with me for the lulz.

"Maybe you don't remember doing this," they continued, "but it's got your name, address, and phone number engraved on the bottom of it."

Fuck! I did put that on there over a decade prior, and I completely forgot. That certainly was convenient for future-me.

Anyhow, it took a couple of days for them to finish their bureaucratic paperwork dance, and then I had my bike (that I didn't even know I was missing) back. Thanks, in large part, to having some identifying features.

That's fun and a good outcome. I had registered mine in the local system, run by the police department. The first time I saw it after it was stolen it was just locked on the street so I could check the frame number. I called the police and they said there was no evidence, they weren't going to come check it, and that if I cut it loose and took it that would be a felony. I saw it a couple years being ridden in traffic but didn't bother to do anything.

As of now, I haven't ever needed to steal a bike back. I view it more as theft deterrent. They'll be less likely to be able sell it, and it makes the bike look like it's not as valuable.