Every spring with the rise of bicycle culture in Riga dramatically raises amount of stolen bicycles also. In 7 from 10 situations police is powerless in the terms of effective action and making real arrests. We decided to influence this problem, so we made an experiment called “Velofenders” (Bike Thief) together with weekly magazine IR and partners.

It involved five bicycles equipped with GPS trackers, multiple online cameras, 16 000 crime witnesses, every bike thief in Latvia and state police.

Bicyclists reported more than 1000 places were bicycles were stolen last year. According the map, we located five bicycles and 16 000 people through live stream watched what will happen.

After two days one thief was arrested, the first weekend in years when none bicycle was stolen, huge buzz in Twitter and Facebook and most important – IR magazine raised the topic of problem arresting bicycle thieves and state police at the moment is working for a better law that soon will be submitted to parliament.

DAY 1

- Launched web page 1st phase where everyone was welcomed to point the place in the map where his/her bike has been stolen and to share it with Facebook and Twitter friends.

DAY 2

- 2nd phase of web page – map with approximate locations of five bicycles, photos of them and live video streams from places bicycles were locked.

- Everyone could monitor web and if the bicycle was being stolen exact location on the map appear.

DAY 2

- 1 bicycle was stolen, police called, the moment of arrest captured.

DAY 3-5

- For the rest of four bicycles hidden GPS transmitters were changed every 24h.

Output/Awareness

- Besides the first bicycle theft on Friday this was the first weekend in years when no bicycles were stolen

- Unfortunately, the thief was acquitted considering the lack of evidence

- People look after other bicycles on the streets more carefully and report to police in case of something suspicious

Knowledge / Consideration

- 16 000 people watched online after bicycles on a streets

- Huge buzz in Twitter and Facebook

- More than 1000 places in Riga indicated as crime scenes

Action / Business Impact

- Weekly magazine IR sale rise for 10%

- Proposed changes in legislation by the State Police