Stealing a bicycle is pretty much the perfect crime; most are easy to pinch, difficult to trace and a breeze to sell on. Datatag UV etching for bicycles can’t prevent cycle crime, but it does a good job of creating a headache for thieves.
Professional thieves like to steal property that’s difficult to trace and easy to dispose of – it’s the reason that bicycle theft is rife in urban areas. Datatag makes a bicycle much easier to identify, thereby reducing its desirability to thieves. Crucially, the system also makes it easier for the police to secure a conviction – both at the roadside and once a bike has been stripped into parts.
Now you see it…stealth UV marking
How does it work?
The Datatag UV Stealth PRO system includes a four etches to permanently mark your frame and forks and a series of micro dots to mark components.
The etches feature a unique code that is visible only when illuminated by a UV torch of the kind carried as standard by British police. The micro dots also include the code and can be glued to every valuable component using a clear, UV glue.
The great advantage of the Datatag system over conventional registration scheme is that the police can check a bicycle at the roadside in seconds. Furthermore, if a person is found in possession of a large number of bicycle parts and the circumstances are suspicious, at present there is little way of determining if they are stolen goods let alone securing a convection. UV and micro dot technology enable the police to bring a prosecution and stolen bicycles and parts to be reunited with their owners.
UV etching is of particular use to owners of carbon frames because these are often sold with a frame number sticker, which are easy to remove by thieves.
Win your own Datatag UV etching system
We have one Datatag UV Stealth PRO system to give away. Simply leave a comment at the bottom of this page and we will pick a name next week.
Protect yourself from bicycle cannibals
Thieves who strip handlebars, saddles and wheels can be described as bike cannibals. As cycle locks have become more robust, this type of thief has taken to pinching shifters, handlebars and even saddles before selling them through online auction sites.
The trouble is, it’s hardly practicable or desirable to remove valuable parts from your bike. The prudent approach is to get cycle insurance from a provider that protects against the theft of parts, including quick release saddles and wheels. ETA cycle insurance covers against the theft of quick release parts as standard and does not require that they be secured – as long as the frame of the bike is locked then all parts are covered.
- Invest as much as you can afford in your lock and learn to use it properly – insurers specify that it needs to secure the bike frame for good reason. Don’t worry too much about getting the lock around the wheels or other bike parts as a good insurance policy will cover them against theft whether they are locked or not
- Bike thieves might have the equipment to cut through padlocks and silently remove shed door hinges, but they are unlikely to expect to encounter an alarm One of the most simple and cost effective ways of scaring away bike thieves is to fit a shop bell to the inside of your shed or on the back of the door that leads to your side return if that’s where you store your bike. Alternatively, and for a more high-tech approach, a battery-powered motion sensor alarm can be situated to cover the front door, back door, garage, shed or outbuildings and costs from less than £5 on eBay
- Motion-activated security lights are cheap and easy to install and thieves don’t like them at all
- Make life difficult for thieves – use a UV etching system to help end the trade in stolen bicycle parts
The ethical choice
The ETA was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Over 30 years on, we continue to offer cycle insurance , breakdown cover and mobility scooter insurance while putting concern for the environment at the heart of all we do.
The Good Shopping Guide judges us to be the UK’s most ethical provider.
Christopher Stitchman
Great tips and advice. Thanks.
Joel Levitt
Bike security is such a crucial part of ensuring your bike is safe and sound. Would love to win a Datatag UV etching system
Gavin
This tech looks very handy
James Edy
Such a good way to deter thieves.
deniz
Great article and awesome tech!
alan hickling
Well worth doing. Hopefully the police will be interested in it too.
Dick Willis
This looks like a workable system. But what happens if you sell the bike? What does the new owner do? Similarly, what do you do if you buy a marked bike legitimately?
Gra
Very good idea
Tom
Looks like a great way to protect your bike!
Oliver
How much does each kit do? One for the frame, one for the forks?
Shaun
Will ETA reduce insurance premiums on a bike that uses this technology?
George
Shocking to see what you have to do to keep up with the thieves, but looks impressive.
Ian Ramsey
Living in London and working out of three offices this seems like a bit of a must have! Thanks for the article 🙂
giuseppe
recovering a stolen bike, we’ve all dreamt of it, is like waking up from a nightmare… this makes it easier
Mike Wickson
Where can the datatag be purchased, and what would be the approx cost?
Nick
Sounds good!
Chris
Looks great! Perfect stealthy way to tag my two wheeled babies!
Peter Clark
Another innovation to get your bike back. Still more needs doing to make bikes less easy to steal.
mandi
Sounds very gd
Joyce
I love my bike , anything to keep it safe , or get it back has got to be a good thing
Matthew Bodycombe
This is handy to see as I found that the National Bike Register was not that much of a deterrent or of much use when my last bike got pinched.
Andrew
Like the idea of Datadots on everything.
Sarah
Dotty Dotty 😀
Mark Baldwin
A good piece of kit to give some peace of mind!
Vivien Sproule
Even though I have insurance, it’s good to know that there’s something else that will help me get my beloved bike back if it is stolen – and maybe something to put thieves off in the first place.
Mark B
This would be great as extra protection.
edmund white
I think I just might get this system, it seems very good. Mind you it would be nice to win it
David Hunt
A great product, but will need to ensure the data is transferred from one owner to another if the bike is sold legitimately.
Peter Chisnall
Yes please
Julia Bourne
My son could have done with this when he had his bike stolen from outside college. It’s nice to know this technology is around to help catch thieves.
Jane
Absolutely love the data dots idea. Having an electric bike and mobility problems its always worry it’s the battery that is going to get nicked and they’re heavy things to carry around with you when you’re struggling already. You can’t really secure them with strong enough locks to give real peace of mind, but this way at least there’s a chance of the cops prosecuting the gits should they ever actually catch them!
Jennie Whitford
My Brompton is very precious to me and sadly too attractive to thieves.
This piece of kit would be great and I’m sure my insurers ETA would be impressed if I had it.
Chris Lowe
This looks amazing. I recently had my bike stolen (even more sadly this was before insuring my bike with ETA) and really want to do something like this on my new bike.
The more I can do to protect my bike the better.
Helen
Microdots – how very James Bond! How many ‘moneypennies’ does the system cost may I ask?
Sharon evans
Yes please
jon faro
If its sold I think you can transfer it. I have had datatags on motorbikes and sent off a form when purchased and sold to give the up to date detail
Laura Burnard
Oh yes please we have a family of bikes that could do with this!
Paul Shorter
What a great idea would love this on my electric moped
Alastair Seagroatt
Looks like an easy way to tag your bike, or any other moveable valuables.
Charlotte
Last year my new Trek was stolen after just 2 weeks and never got recovered. I’d LOVE one the these kits for my new one!
April
Anything that helps deter thieves has to be a good thing.
Richard
Perhaps we should use a ‘contaminated with anthrax’ label
Cath Scott
A great security idea. Would love to win it.
Francis Voon
I want to deter thieves!
markymark
yes i’ll have a bit of that please!
Mark D’Emmanuele
Looks good
Annabel
Good idea one way of getting bike back.
Chris Barker
It’s good to hear that police carry UV torches. And it reminds me that I need to replace the batteries in mine . . .
Simon Mills
Good idea but I don’t know why it needs to be visible only in UV light. If it were simply visible it might prevent the thieves from taking the bike in the first place. On that note would it be paint proof so it couldn’t be covered?
David
Simon, there is a choice, you can have it with etched visible markings or UV only, both come with stickers to deter thieves and it really does put them off apparently.
Dick, you can transfer the registration online easily.
More info from datatag.co.uk
James Russell
U’ve got a great idea there.
(Now trying to make a pun out of Micro dots and Datalog)
Richard C
Good idea – but savvy thieves could work their way around this.
Darren C
This combined with insurance would definitely give some piece of mind when locking my bike anywhere.
Karen Martin
What a great idea, finally a security measure to protect all parts of the bike. Fantastic news for bike owners like my husband who values his 2 wheeler pride and joy ‘almost’ as much as me 😉
L.Clive
Great stuff for mobility scooter,in fact for anything in the house garden or shed and car
C. Sauvarin
I’m a fan of freebies, especially useful ones.
TheCyclist
One of my previous bicycles was etched with that. After it was stolen, I reported it to the police. Upon telling them about that and the fact that it was registered with BikeRegister, they had absolutely interest in doing anything about it at all. Neither, for that matter, was BikeRegister when I reported it to them. The said to report it to the police.
So, from where I’m standing, as it were, although it sounds good, unless & until the police & the BikeRegister website are prepared to take action when a bike is stolen, it isn’t really worth much.
Yannick Read
This system has nothing to do with BikeRegister. The advantage of the Datatag UV and micro dot system is that the thief cannot remove it and it makes it easier for the police to recover stolen bikes and components. However, it is not a tracking system – it cannot help the police find your bike.
Jonathan Hunt
Hands off my precious you nasty theiveses!!
Steve Todd
Smart
Ado
It is by far the best product on the market! not only can you mark the private belongings but also the products that you produce ,that helps you to better identify reclaims! Now days copies are made of almost everything and cost us producers a lot!l need if possible
Customize dna liquid with nano text of my companie name ! (Just a idea) best regards from sweden