Lost and Found Bikes | Security and Emergency Management Services | Seneca Students

We Want to Reunite Lost Bikes with Their Owners

That’s why Security and Emergency Management Services is working to reunite a number of found bicycles with their rightful owners. If you’ve lost your bike recently, this is your chance to check in and see if one of them might be yours.

Lost a Bike? Come See Us

Campus Security teams across all Seneca campuses have recovered several bicycles that appear to have been left behind.

If you’re missing a bike even weeks or months ago, please visit your campus Security desk and provide:

• A brief description of your bike (make, model, colour, size)
• Location it was last seen
• Any unique features (stickers, accessories, or wear marks)
• A photo or serial number, if available

Our team will check our found-bike database to see if there’s a match. Once ownership is verified, we’ll reunite you with your bike and get you safely back on the road.

What Security Does When a Bike Is Found

When a bicycle is located on campus without clear ownership, Security will:

• Secure the bike in a designated holding area
• Record all details (location, brand, colour, serial number)
• Check reports for any matching lost-bike descriptions
• Attempt to contact the owner if a report has been filed
• Hold the bicycle for a defined period before final disposition

If you’ve found an unattended or suspiciously parked bike, please don’t move or claim it. Instead, note its location and report it to your campus Security office, we’ll take care of the rest.

What to Do if Your Bike Goes Missing

If your bike is missing, act quickly

• Report it immediately to Security (see contact details below).
• Include the serial number, brand, model, colour, and last known location
• Check in with Security. We maintain a list of found bikes that may match your description.
• Quick action increases the chance of recovery and helps us connect the right owner to the right bike.

How You Can Help

You can help keep our campus cycling community safe and connected

• Report abandoned or suspicious bikes to Security.
• Encourage friends who’ve lost a bike to check with Security even if it’s been some time.
• Keep your own records (photos, serial numbers) to make recovery easier.

Practical tips to share

When writing for your audience (e.g., security staff or campus community), you can translate this into action steps:

• Record the serial number: When you register the bike, be sure you have the manufacturer’s serial number. If it’s missing, engrave a unique identifier on the frame and optionally on wheels or other components — this adds another layer of traceability.
• Use high-quality locks: TPS recommends a “hardened steel ‘U’ shaped lock, or a hardened steel chain and padlock” rather than cheaper cable locks. Toronto Police Service
• Lock properly: Lock the bike frame and wheels to an immovable object that cannot easily be broken or cut. The best theft deterrence is good hardware and good technique..
• Promote visibility/marking: In a busy campus environment, a clearly marked bike (with registration sticker or visible serial number) stands out more and can act as a deterrent.

Why it matters on a campus

On a campus such as Seneca, bikes may be inevitable for students or staff commuting. The environment can make bikes vulnerable (lots of foot traffic, many bikes parked for long periods, maybe less supervision overnight).

Simple steps like these help reduce theft and make it easier to identify lost bikes.

Visit or Contact Campus Security

If you believe your bike may be among those recovered, stop by your campus Security office or give us a call

Or email security@senecapolytechnic.ca

TPS Bike Registry Program

The Toronto Police Service offers a free bicycle registration service designed to help deter theft and assist in recovery if a bike is stolen. Toronto Police Service Here are the key features, benefits, and practical tips you can highlight:

What the programme involves

Owners are encouraged to register their bike in one of two ways:

• Using the online Bicycle Registry system provided by TPS. Toronto Police Service
• Print out a registration form (available through TPS) and either bringing it to a local police station or mailing it to the address listed. Toronto Police Service
• The registration captures identifying information about the bike (for example, serial number, model, owner info) so that if the bike is stolen it can be more easily traced.

Beyond registration, the site emphasizes that theft can be substantially reduced if owners use effective locking equipment and proper storage/locking techniques. It also reinforces the importance of having a serial number on the bike. Many bikes come with one from the manufacturer; if yours doesn’t, the TPS advises engraving one yourself (and possibly marking other components.

Let’s Get Rolling Again

We’ve already reunited several students with their bikes and we’d love to add you to that list.

Whether you’ve found a bike or lost one, connect with your campus Security team today. Together, we can help keep Seneca’s cycling community safe, sustainable, and rolling smoothly.

If you have yet to fill a report please feel free to do so. Click here to file a report.