3000 euros gone

Graz man finds stolen bike as an online advertisement

The man from Graz could hardly believe his eyes when he saw his bike online (symbolic image).(Bild: Fanny Gasser)

On Thursday, a high-priced mountain bike was stolen from the cellar of a man from Graz. Out of frustration, he started looking for it online - and found it on the online portal Facebook Marketplace in Hungary. But the police can hardly help him. He feels powerless - and he is not alone.

Close enough to touch and yet so far away: a man from Graz discovered his stolen bike on Facebook Marketplace at the weekend. 3000 euros and lots of memories in the hands of a thief - and hardly any chance of getting it back. Mario F. (name changed by the editors) feels powerless.

But right from the start: In a quiet housing estate in Graz-Andritz, a series of break-ins into cellar compartments is currently causing concern. On the night of May 2nd, Mario F.'s expensive mountain bike was stolen. "Someone gained access via the underground garage, broke a lock and got into the cellar," says the man from Graz.

Advertisement with a "polished" bike
He reported the theft to the police along with two other bikes from the neighborhood. The very next day, however, he decided to take action himself. "I suspected that the bikes had gone east." Without further ado, he created a fake profile on Facebook. Lo and behold, 450 kilometers away, someone had advertised his beloved bike on the Hungarian Facebook marketplace. "Polished and spick and span," says Mario F. A neighbor's bike could also be found online. He is certain: "This is a professional who is up to mischief in Graz, as quickly as he advertised it."

The Styrian Provincial Police Directorate confirms that this is not an isolated case. "In cases of commercial theft, bicycles are often resold abroad for a profit," says police spokesman Maximilian Domanyi. Prosecution is usually challenging. This is because it is questionable whether the online seller was also the thief. "And by the time an investigation is carried out in Hungary, the bikes are often gone," explains Domanyi.

In cases of commercial theft, bicycles are often resold abroad for a profit. The bikes are often gone by the time they are investigated in Hungary.

Maximilian Domanyi, Polizei Steiermark

In 2023, a total of 18,566 bicycles were reported stolen across Austria (1742 more than in the previous year), but only 9.3 percent of cases were solved. Mario F. is frustrated: "Someone is served up on a silver platter, but the police can't do anything." Even the frame number could not be used to trace the bike. Although the police made an inquiry on Facebook regarding the identity of the seller, this is not enough for the eager man. "I will contact the Austrian embassy in Hungary on Monday, maybe they can help me," says Mario F.

Like many Styrians, he asks himself: "Where am I supposed to park my bike if it's even stolen from the locked cellar compartment?" The residents of the Andritz estate remain determined to stick together and protect their community. And Mario F. has not yet given up hope of getting his bike back.