Bicycles Marking

The trade in new bicycles and second-hand bicycles is completely open to criminals due to bicycles being unidentifiable. Bicycles are stolen, altered and even sold in parts making identification impossible. DataDot helps in creating a strong system of community support to fight against bicycle crime and creating a powerful information sharing process. DataDot makes it difficult for criminals to steal bicycles and ultimately reducing the risk of cyclists becoming victims when bicycles are stolen

Bicycles have a similar identity crisis to vehicles in that they have only 1 VIN or Serial number identifier. This issue is further compounded as there is no centralised database to capture this information and link it to owners. Thus the trade in new bicycles and second-hand bicycles is completely open to criminal enterprise. Thieves are quick to swop or exchange parts on a bicycle after it has been stolen, altering its appearance and make-up, and making identification impossible by the owner or the police.

It is a requirement in terms of the Second-Hand Goods Act that when a bicycle is traded that the true identity of the bicycle must be recorded by the Second-Hand dealer, and the Act requires that any distinguishing mark (such as the serial number and / or microdot number) must be recorded. The DataDot solution for bicycles assists the owner of the bicycles in securing its identity, assists the police in identifying the true owner of the bicycle and prosecuting the thieves and enables the second-hand dealers to be compliant with the law.