BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Bellingham Police are giving tips on how to recover your stolen bicycle following an incident last week.

The department says an owner recently filed a report about an expensive bike that was taken off their porch.

An officer on patrol downtown later noticed a man showing off a bike to others that matched its description. The man fled when approached by law enforcement, but officers took him into custody and returned the bike to its original owner.

The City of Bellingham has posted resources for people in Bellingham to reduce their risk to bike theft. One of those resources includes a free registration opportunity for any bike in Bellingham.

The Bellingham Police Department recommends taking note of your bike’s serial number and listing any identifiable features in an online report if it’s stolen. It also helps to include any sort of picture of the bike, even just a stock photo of its brand and model.

Find more information on how to avoid bike thefts on the city’s website and how to file an online report with BPD here.