Bike Hunt Special: Stockholm, July 2021
Buckle up for Daniel and the team’s Swedish debut as they show off the fundamentals of the art of Bike Hunting. This month, our Hunters team up with the bereaved rider himself, Ludo. Come on – it would hardly be fair if we always had all the fun all to ourselves. Pumped with adrenaline and ready to recover his stolen VanMoof S3, Ludo joins Daniel and the team in this action-packed special edition Bike Hunt.
Looking out over a glowing golden Stockholm, Daniel and the team ready themselves for the Hunt ahead. Where will it lead them this time? And will Ludo be rewarded with the return of his beloved ride? Heading into the centre of the city, the Hunters link up with Ludo who, as a half Italian football fan, is thrilled to watch his team lift the trophy at the finals of the Euros. It’s not a bad start to their mission. But the next day, it’s straight down to business. Ludo’s VanMoof S3 was stolen from the centre of Stockholm and looks like it’s been taken to the suburb of Trångsund. But hold up, Hunters. We’re teaching Ludo the core principles of Bike Hunting here. It’s time to visit the scene of the crime.
In true Swedish fashion, Ludo was in the middle of a revitalising wild sauna experience when his VanMoof was whipped from right under his nose. Hardly the stress you need after sweating out those toxins, right? His bike was double locked and carried away in plain sight to a car parked up on the road. This just got personal. The team head out with a reinvigorated sense of ambition, and catch their first signals by the highway. But in Bike Hunting, groundwork takes priority. After some tips from friendly neighbors, they learn that there are plenty of backroads where dumped bikes and motorbikes are a common sight.
After scanning the area, the Hunters get some clear pings from a particular building, and seek permission to venture into the basements. But no luck there. Daniel’s sharp eye and Bike Hunting senses alert him to a shady looking guy whose tense energy is an immediate red flag. As the suspect sprints off around a corner, Daniel knows the chase is on. Minutes later, the three words every Bike Hunter wants to see light up on their phone: “Stolen Bike Found”.
From a hilltop vantage point, the team spots a very familiar set of handlebars on a balcony – the game is up. Ludo can sense his bike is nearly within reach. As the integrated Theft Defense alert echos conspicuously around the apartment blocks, it’s time to phone the local police. It’s not long before they’ve located the bike and returned it to Ludo looking as sleek as ever. Without the culprit, but with his reclaimed bike, Ludo’s happy to call it mission accomplished. Riding triumphantly down the road, there’s only one kind of celebration suited to the occasion. Karaoke. If you don’t want to witness Daniel chanting along to ABBA, look away now.
Keen to join one of our Bike Hunters? Sound off on our social channels and who knows, maybe next time we’ll be hunting with you!
Does the thought of someone stealing the VanMoof S3 & X3 send you into a cold sweat? Peace of Mind: Theft to the rescue! It’s our ironclad guarantee that we’ll recover your bike in the event it gets stolen.
How does Peace of Mind: Theft work? Simple. When you report your bike stolen in the VanMoof app, we alert our Bike Hunter team to track it down. If we can’t recover it for you within two weeks, we'll replace it with a bike of the same (or better) age and condition.