5,000 cyclists now own the Mybike.brussels anti-theft device

5,000 cyclists now own the new regional anti-bicycle theft device.

Owning the device – which is essentially just a sticker with a unique associated QR code – allows you to register on a platform managed by the Brussels Region; the QR code allows you to find out quickly if a particular bike has been reported stolen. Various other information may also be indicated by the code, such as the colour of the bike or certain distinctive elements. The system is currently being used by police.

A “bait” bike project has also been considered by prosecutors, i.e. a system that would entrap bike thieves. However, such a project has not yet secured the necessary agreement of the Brussels Public Prosecutor’s Office.

While there are more and more cyclists on the streets of the capital, there are also increasingly more bicycle thefts: 3,719 bicycles were reported stolen in Brussels in 2018.