It seems to me that something is better than nothing.  However, you are sticking your thumb in the dike.  It isn't global enough.  I believe that all bicycles, by law, should be registered at point of sale.  The process would be much like automobile registration.  I am sure that many readers would howl at the moon over this notion, but I can't think of any more positive way to connect a cycle to its owner. 

From: Cycle Re Cycle Cycle-Re-Cycle swm <cycle.re.cycle.swm@gmail.com>
To: thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 7:03 PM
Subject: [TheThinkTank] Bicycle Registry

Hello All,
Our community, non-profit bike shop, Cycle-Re-Cycle, is looking into the logistics of starting a community bicycle registry.  The local police department doesn't have anything like it and bicycle theft is pretty rampant in our community.  We keep serial numbers and descriptions on all bikes we sell, so it seems that the next step is just to print stickers with a sequential number on it to adhere to all the bikes leaving the shop.  
Has anyone ever started a bicycle registry like this?  Thoughts or tips?

Thanks
Cycle-Re-Cycle
Benton Harbor, MI

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