Early on the morning of 25 June 2024, at precisely 5:15 a.m., the bicycle of George A.* in Kolkwitz, west of Cottbus, is stolen.

The perpetrators head away from the scene remarkably quickly at a speed of 56 km/h, indicating that the bike is being transported in a vehicle. First they drive to the centre of Cottbus, but then turn around and head back towards the scene of the crime before driving to the motorway. They join the A15 motorway at the Cottbus-West junction and then head towards Forst Lausitz on the Polish border, leaving the motorway at 5:45 a.m.

They cross the border at around 6 a.m. and stop in Lubsko in Poland. The vehicle remains there for about two hours, until it sets off again and finally comes to a stop in the next town, Jasień. Roughly one hour later, at 9:17 a.m., the bicycle is on the move once more. First the vehicle pulls up at a petrol station. After a break until 10:18, it starts up again and then stops once again at 10:40 in Białków, approximately 70 kilometres north of Lubsko and Jasień.

George A.* only notices the theft at 13:37. He immediately notifies the Bike Hunter Team of IT’S MY BIKE and the police who, thanks to a built-in GPS tracker on the e-bike, can start the search straight away.

Although the Polish police are on the spot after the first report, they cannot initially find the bike. But at around 19:30, the bike is on the move again. A police officer in Cottbus immediately notifies the responsible authorities in Poland. Thanks to this quick reaction and efficient coordination, the Polish police can finally secure the stolen bicycle.

*Name changed

Stock image: Adobe Stock