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Chico, CA - April 21, 2005 – Chico resident Sarah Poloske was pleasantly
surprised to learn her $300 bicycle, which had been recently stolen, had been recovered
by a Good Samaritan who bought it for $40. Thanks to the National Bike Registry,
the only nationwide bike registry database and online lost and found return service,
Poloske was able to be notified.
Loretta Raynor, visiting friends in Chico at the time, purchased the bike from an
individual who was selling several bicycles, and later noticed the National Bike
Registry label. “As soon as I saw the label, I knew the bike had been stolen,” she
said, so she notified the Registry.
Poloske, a college student, said her bike had been stolen, despite being locked
in the garage of her home. “It means a lot to have it back. It’s a $300 bike and
one of my main means of transportation.”
Fortunately for Poloske, she had registered the bike with the National Bike Registry,
which made it possible to notify her of the recovery and get the bike back to her.
The National Bike Registry is a division of BoomerangIt, a global lost and found
return service that works with law enforcement, Good Samaritans, and others to help
return lost and stolen property to their rightful owners.
“I know what it is to lose a bike,” Raynor said, and asked only that Poloske reimburse
her for what she paid for the bicycle. The National Bike Registry and Raynor are
also working together with local police to investigate the theft and illegal sale.
Poloske’s bike is being returned to her at the Chico Bike and Board store at 845
Main Street in Chico today, where she will meet Raynor and pick up her bike. The
Chico Bike and Board store is where Poloske purchased her bike and The National
Bike Registry registration pack.
“Every bike owner should register their bike(s) with the National Bike Registry.
It is a smart investment,” said Brian Daellenbach, owner of Chico Bike and Board.
“Because of the National Bike Registry, we are here today to return a stolen bike
to its rightful owner.”
Since Raynor recovered Poloske’s bike, the National Bike Registry facilitated the
return of a second found bike in Chico. Chico police contacted the Registry after
finding the second bike, which had also been purchased at the Chico Bike and Board
store, which sells the National Bike Registry pack.
Daellenbach added, “The National Bike Registry gives my customers peace of mind
that they will recover their bike if it is lost or stolen. Bikes can cost upward
to a couple of thousand dollars. When you are buying something that expensive, you
need to protect it.”
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