On: Electric bike, stupid love of my life

[treprinum]

What prevents anyone from using e.g. embedded Apple tags to monitor their bike whereabouts?

[triceratops → treprinum]

Cops often don't do anything even if you bring them tracking information. Example: https://abc7.com/ebike-theft-airtag-aliso-viejo/13091749/

Not everyone is willing to take matters into their own hands, like this person's dad did.

[Renaud → treprinum]

I recently found these tiny Invoxia GPS trackers that use the LORA network to send their whereabouts.

It’s really tiny, like half a stick of gum but lasts weeks between charges. Sends a notification whenever the bike is moved and tracks location when it’s on the move.

Also hidden an Air Tag and added a rear-light that doubles as an alarm when the bike is moved.

Still won’t leave the bike out for the night but feeling a bit better when I’m not around during the day.

[bugglebeetle → treprinum]

By the time the notification goes off, your bike is gone and the police largely do not care, unless it’s a large-scale, thief-to-reseller ring. The only thing that really works is motorcycle locks and alarms, but the effective ones are pricey.

[ndsipa_pomu → treprinum]

Wouldn't a thief receive a stalking alert if they've got an iPhone?

[woleium → ndsipa_pomu]

sop for thieves is to move the bike and leave it for a week then come pick it up if the owner hasn't come to get it.

[ndsipa_pomu → woleium]

I thought that organised bike thieves would quickly hand them over to have their parts stripped and then sold separately.

If they store the stolen bikes somewhere, then it'd be easy for police to set up a honeypot bike operation with a tracker inserted into the frame. Lock it up somewhere that's known for thefts and wait for it to be nicked.