Finding your e-bike has been stolen is a horrible moment, and it tends to be an expensive one. E-bikes cost more than most pedal bikes, they sell quickly and they carry a battery that's worth stealing on its own.
The good news is that an e-bike often gives you more to work with than a normal bike. Many have a frame number that's easy to find in an app, some have tracking built in, and a lot of owners add a tracker of their own. What you do in the first few hours decides how much of that you get to use.
What to do in the first hour
Start by checking it really has gone. Look around the area, ask anyone nearby and, if you live in a block, check with building management in case it was moved. Then move quickly, because a stolen e-bike rarely stays where it was taken for long.
If your bike has a brand app or a tracker, open it before you do anything else and note where it's showing. Take screenshots with the time on them. Don't go after the bike yourself. Give the location to the police and, if you have one, your recovery team.
Report the theft to the police online or by calling 101, and ask for a crime reference number. You'll need it for any insurance claim. Give them the frame number, which on most e-bikes is printed on the frame and usually shown in the brand's app as well. Then mark the bike as stolen on BikeRegister, even if you never registered it, so a shop or the police can match it if it turns up.
Our guide to the first 24 hours after a bike theft covers the full checklist, including what to post locally and which second-hand sites to watch.
What's different when it's an e-bike
The battery is the obvious one. On many e-bikes it comes off in seconds, and a thief may take the battery and leave the bike. That counts as a theft, but not every policy treats it the same way. Some insurers cover the battery as part of the bike, some need it removed or locked, and some set separate conditions. With BackPedal, a battery is covered if it's integrated or locked to the frame so it needs a key to remove. One that slides straight out isn't. That rule only matters for insurance on a battery-only theft. If the whole bike is taken, we track and recover it the same way whatever kind of battery it has. If you take one thing from this section, check what your policy says about battery-only theft before you need it.
Brand apps are the other difference. Most e-bike makers now let you see your frame number, lock settings and sometimes the bike's location in their app. Use it straight away. Some apps also let you mark the bike as stolen, which can lock it remotely or switch on tracking.
VanMoof, Cowboy and built-in tracking
If you ride a VanMoof, report the theft in the VanMoof app first. VanMoof runs a paid recovery service called Theft Proof, where its own team tracks the bike and replaces it if it isn't found. That service isn't available to UK riders at the moment. VanMoof's own Theft Proof FAQs say the company is still looking at whether it can launch it here. So in the UK, a stolen VanMoof falls back on the police, any tracker you've added and your insurance.
Cowboy bikes come with a tracker wired into the bike. It's hard for a thief to disable, and it starts signalling again as soon as someone switches the bike on. We've recovered nearly 50 Cowboys. They aren't the easiest bikes to get back, but because that tracker is so hard to kill, we often get them in the end. Our best bike trackers guide looks at built-in tracking in more detail.
A built-in tracker helps, but it isn't a recovery plan by itself. Someone still has to act on the signal, quickly and safely, and that's the part most owners can't do alone.
Getting an e-bike back
In September, a customer's Tern e-bike was stolen from a bike hangar in Hackney just before 5am. Our team had it back the same morning.
The beacons are very small and hard to find, and they give off a persistent signal, so even if a thief has found a tracker, it's not game over at all. Once we get that beacon scan, we know the bike's in the area. In this case our agent found it easily. It had just been left on some cycle racks, unlocked. James Dunn, BackPedal co-founder
BackPedal pairs theft insurance with a covert GPS tracker and a recovery team. When a bike is stolen, the team follows the tracker and works with the police to get it back, rather than leaving you to wait for a payout. We've recovered more than 1,000 bikes, and our recovery rate is 79.7%.
You can fit the tracker yourself with our self-fit kit, wherever you are in the UK. There's no excess when we recover your bike. Insurance claims, including battery-only claims, have a £100 excess. The insurance behind BackPedal's policies is provided by Sundays.
You can see how this works for e-bikes on our e-bike insurance page. If you're still comparing options, our best e-bike insurance guide sets BackPedal alongside the other main UK insurers, including Sundays.
Claiming on insurance if it isn't found
If the bike isn't recovered, contact your insurer as soon as you have the crime reference number. Have your proof of purchase, frame number and any photos ready. Insurers will usually ask which lock you used and where the bike was left, so be precise. Our step-by-step guide to claiming insurance for bike theft goes through what to expect.
If you're relying on home insurance, read the wording carefully. Many home policies cover a bike only inside the home or up to a set limit, and e-bikes can be excluded altogether. Our guide to whether home insurance covers bike theft explains the common gaps.
FAQs
What should I do first if my e-bike is stolen?
Check the brand app or your tracker and note where the bike is showing, then report it to the police and get a crime reference number. Mark it stolen on BikeRegister and tell your insurer. Don't try to get the bike back yourself.
Is a stolen e-bike battery covered by insurance?
It depends on the policy. Some cover battery-only theft as standard and some attach conditions, such as removing the battery when you leave the bike. BackPedal covers battery-only claims, with a £100 excess, as long as the battery is integrated or locked to the frame so it needs a key to remove. A battery that slides straight out isn't covered. Check your own policy documents for the exact terms.
Does VanMoof replace stolen bikes in the UK?
Not at the moment. VanMoof's Theft Proof recovery and replacement service isn't currently offered in the UK, according to VanMoof's help pages. UK owners need their own insurance and, ideally, a tracker.
Can you track a stolen e-bike?
Yes, if it has a working tracker. Some e-bikes, including Cowboy, have one built in. Others need a tracker added. A hidden GPS tracker gives the best chance, because thieves look for visible ones first.
Conclusion
A stolen e-bike isn't always gone for good. Move fast, use the app or tracker, get a crime reference and let the right people act on the location. Then make sure your insurance covers the battery as well as the bike.
If you'd rather get your e-bike back than wait for a cheque, take a look at BackPedal e-bike insurance.