We appreciate you taking the time to report an abandoned VanMoof to us. Your vigilance helps keep our communities clean and safe.
Why We Can't Take Action
While we're grateful for your report, there are important limitations on what we can do. We have to stick to local GDPR and Privacy Regulations, and we can't share any information about ownership. VanMoof can't interfere with abandoned bikes because of theft and fraud prevention risks as well.
Privacy Regulations
Under GDPR and local data protection laws, we cannot share rider information or contact bike owners on behalf of third parties. These regulations protect our customers' personal data and privacy, and we take these obligations seriously.
Theft and Fraud Prevention
We cannot help unlock abandoned bikes, even when found with good intentions. Without proper ownership verification (more info here), unlocking a bike creates significant risks:
- The bike may not actually be abandoned; the owner might return
- Unlocking could facilitate theft or fraud
- We have no way to verify legitimate ownership claims in these situations
Municipal Release Programs
Some municipalities have laws allowing people to claim bikes that have been abandoned for a specific period (often one year). Even in these cases, we can't unlock bikes obtained through these programs. Only the owner of a bike can unlock the app connection and ownership of the bike in question.
While the municipality may transfer legal ownership, we cannot verify these claims or unlock bikes without the original owner's credentials. Our security systems are designed to protect against unauthorized access, and we must maintain these protections consistently.
What We Do
When you report an abandoned bike to us, we:
- Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
- Forward the information to local authorities when appropriate.
- Keep a record of the report in our systems.
What You Can Do
If you've found what appears to be an abandoned VanMoof bike, we recommend:
- Reporting it to local authorities (police or local enforcements) or your municipality's abandoned vehicle department.
- Leaving the bike where it is: moving it could complicate recovery efforts, or imply theft to some local authorities.
- Not attempting to unlock or take the bike, as this could result in legal complications.
Thank you for your understanding and for helping keep our communities safe.