New technology is giving bicycle owners and investigators another tool in the fight against bike theft. The search for stolen bicycles is taking to the skies as drones are increasingly being used to help locate missing bikes and identify potential storage locations. Equipped with high-resolution cameras and, in some cases, thermal imaging technology, drones can
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Sometimes, a few seconds are all it takes. When a Tour de France or Giro d’Italia team pulls into a hotel parking lot, it may be carrying more than three dozen race bikes worth up to $15,000 each, along with a small fortune in spare wheels, tools, race equipment, and team gear. Across a typical
If you’re looking for a relatively inexpensive and easy-to-use way to track your bike, an AirTag is a good option. However, keep in mind that AirTags rely on other Apple devices to be nearby in order to provide an accurate location, so they may not work as well in rural areas. If you need a
Worried about your non-e-bike / analogue going missing? The tracking landscape has changed. If you’re still searching for "Sherlock" or "See.Sense," you’re looking at ghosts of the past. In 2025, the game is about hardened cellular tech, low-power networks, and WhatsApp integration.
Stellenbosch startup 3BO.MOBI is taking on bicycle theft with smart trackers that recover bikes in minutes and give riders new confidence, writes ARTHUR GOLDSTUCK. Click here to go to Gadget to read an article on our innovative product.
They rip the door off, and load 20 bikes into a truck, drive off, and we only know about it the next morning? Not with 3BO – they touch the truck, work the door, and ALL the bikes on the inside emit a signal straight to many peoples’ mobile phones, onto their Whatsapp’s, in the
Fully integrated with Whatsapp, offering instant access and shareability in the event of a loss
Friday past, Enrico locked his bike in the centre of Stellenbosch. The bike was stolen. As soon as the theft happened, Enrico got an instant WhatsApp notification. He escalated immediately to ABC Security’s control room, also via WhatsApp. Within moments, response members were dispatched to attempt to intercept the crook. What followed was an incredible
According to a new market research report from the IoT analyst firm Berg Insight, the number of active bicycle telematics systems in Europe and North America will reach 3.9 million in 2028, up from 1.7 million active units in 2023. The adoption of bicycle telematics systems has picked up speed in recent years. There are
When we started in 2022, the decision to integrate with Whatsapp was made as it had a 96+% internet user share in the South African market, and used by +2 billion people globally This approach lowers the learning curve for users as it’s a familiar interface. Our “always-on” feature-set detects movement, instantly informs the owner,
Globally, millions of bicycles are stolen every year, yet the vast majority never find their way back to their owners. While police forces often recover bikes—up to 48% in some regions—only around 5% are returned to the rightful owner. In South Africa, the stats are even more disheartening: more than 100,000 bikes are stolen annually,
Bike theft is a serious problem in the United States. In 2021, an estimated 1.7 million bicycles were stolen, representing a 10% increase from 2020. The average value of a stolen bicycle is $500. The most common type of bicycle stolen is a mountain bike. The most common places where bicycles are stolen are from