How to check if a used bike is stolen
Enter the frame serial number. We check the Bike Index public stolen-bike registry and show the seller-claim-vs-record contradiction.
Result STOLEN REPORT FOUND (23)
Database state for query trek marlin in Bike Index right now.
Seller says: “Selling my bike, clean title, totally legit.”
The record says: Bike Index shows a STOLEN report matching this serial — 2023 Trek Marlin 5, reported stolen in Burnaby, V5H 0J8, CA on 2026-08-07.
2023 Trek MARLIN 6 DNISTER BLACK/VOLT GREEN 17.... stolen
Black/Green · serial WTU146JV0981T · stolen 2026-07-24 · Calgary, T3E 2R2, CA
View official Bike Index listing →
Source: Bike Index · JSON
Informational only. This reports the current state of the Bike Index public database for the serial/terms you entered. A match does not prove a specific bike is stolen, and the absence of a match does not prove a bike is not stolen (many thefts are never reported, and serials can be altered). Always verify the exact serial against the official listing, check local police records, and ask the seller for proof of ownership before buying.
Where is the serial? Usually stamped under the bottom bracket (where the pedals attach), or on the head tube / rear dropout.