Project 529 Delivers Theft-Busting Petition to eBay, Craigslist

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Üma Kleppinger, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Portland-based Project 529 has delivered their petition to Craigslist and eBay executives in an effort to shut the door on stolen bike sales.

The petition, launched in Spring 2014, requests that the two companies require serial numbers on all bike sales made through their channels. The 51,203 names collected were printed and sent to Craigslist and eBay on December 3rd. As of yesterday, according to company founder J Allard, there had been no response.

“We’re hopeful the petition will be well received and that the modest ask we are making of these two organizations will be satisfied,” reported Allard. “Most law enforcement agencies estimate that between two-thirds to three-quarters of all stolen bikes are sold on eBay and Craigslist. So, narrowing the funnel on these channels would be a huge step in the fight against bike theft.”

The company brainstormed ideas about how to deliver the signatures and engaged supporters at ADX in Portland ro help craft a distinctly Portland presentation of the petition.The signatures were printed and bound in wooden binders, etched with the formal request that the companies begin to require serial numbers on all online bike sales, effectively making it more difficult for thieves to flip stolen bikes.

While driving the petition has been a focal point for the organization, the company is by no means resting on its signature-gathering laurels. “The petition has been wrapped, but in some ways this is still just the beginning,” said Allard.

Project 529 has developed a smartphone app—the 529 Garage—to register bikes with serial numbers, other identifying features, and photos. In the event of theft, a push of a button activates the user's entire social network as well as the 529 Garage community, as well as preparing an instant report for police and insurance company.

“Right now about 18 million bikes a year are sold, but only about 70,000 bikes are registered," said Jason Scott, Project 529 co-founder and VP of Marketing and Business Development. "The percentage of registered bikes is small, but so is the percentage of users who even know what—or where—their serial numbers are. Of course, we want to register as many bikes as possible, we also want to drive awareness—not just of how to prevent theft, but also how to engage the community to recover stolen bikes.”

At the time of publication, Craigslist and eBay have declined comment.

For more information, please visit www.project529.com

Üma Kleppinger is a Portland-based copy writer, author and bike addict. A recovering sesquipedalian who writes about life in the saddle and outdoor adventure, she is also the author of Bike Yoga, a flexibility and recovery program for cyclists. When not writing, she can be found riding and racing her mountain bike throughout the Pacific Northwest.