In a world where bike thefts are increasingly frequent - nearly half a million each year in France alone - many cyclists are looking for solutions to protect their precious belongings. This is the case of a Breton bike courier who, after experiencing a mishap, was able to recover his stolen bike thanks to an Invoxia GPS tracker. Discover his testimony on the importance of geolocation to ensure the safety of his belongings.
Let’s get to know each other a bit, can you tell me more about yourself in a few words? #
I am 40 years old, a bike courier in Brittany, and interested in new technologies that make life easier.
What led you to equip yourself with a GPS tracker? #
Being a bike courier in a city where many bikes are stolen every day, it was necessary to add a geolocation system in addition to the lock. The bike stays outside for a few minutes each time but many times during the day, and a bike can be stolen in a few minutes. I wanted it to be found in case it was still stolen. Plan A a good lock, plan B a tracker.
Why did you choose an Invoxia GPS tracker? #
It seemed the most reliable, with the best value for money, French, and with customer support, so exchanges are possible in case of problems.
Were you afraid to hide your GPS tracker in a too visible place? #
I tested several places, not too visible, and checked that the signal passed. I quickly found where to put it.
Were you afraid that your GPS tracker would be too visible? #
Yes, I was afraid of finding only the GPS, if the thief had seen it, he would have kept the bike and thrown away the GPS!
Your bike was recently stolen, can you tell us about this mishap? #
My bike was in the bike room, attached, with an approved lock, to a fixed point. I left my house and by reflex, I always look in the bike room. Surprise, my bike was no longer there. I was surprised because I did not receive any alerts of tilt or movement change. In hindsight, I understood: I had changed smartphones and had forgotten to activate the tracker notifications on my new phone!
I opened the Invoxia app and was able to see the new location of my bike. I contacted the municipal police, who quickly arrived at the location where my bike was. We searched for it while another officer was patrolling. The signal became stronger and stronger on the app, and I was able to make the tracker ring. I spotted my bike hidden in a bush and was very happy! The accuracy was about 33 feet, it was really great.
How did your Invoxia help you recover your bike? #
The police did not know this object, I just shared the link with a friend just in case.
Did you encounter any difficulties in recovering it? #
I recovered my bike, but I wanted to file a complaint because that day, there were several thefts. My lock disappeared, and I was a bit traumatized by the experience. Without a complaint, no statistics are recorded, so if the authorities do not record complaints, for them, there are no thefts.
The police initially refused my complaint, insisting they agreed to take it, but it was a statement (which is useless), and in a third step, they accepted my complaint since I had made a pre-complaint online. You have to be motivated to file a complaint!
Do you think that tracking your belongings to protect them is in vogue and that the use is becoming more widespread? #
Yes, but it is becoming more and more expensive, and people are wary of subscriptions, hidden costs, and do not trust these technologies.
If you had to summarize this mishap in a few words, what would you say? #
I am glad I invested in this object that allowed me to recover a bike worth 2500 euros! It’s a shame that insurance and the police do nothing with these new technologies, though. The insurance premium could be cheaper if you have a tracker, for example, it might cost them less in the end than reimbursing all these stolen bikes. And there would be fewer thefts: it’s a virtuous circle!
➙ Send us a message on our networks or at emma@invoxia.com to tell us your great stories with your Invoxia GPS tracker ❤️