Thief is unlikely to be an avid bike enthusiast, and very likely he will be trying to sell it ASAP. Monitor local classifieds ads (craigslist, kijiji, or whate

Thief is unlikely to be an avid bike enthusiast, and very likely he will be trying to sell it ASAP. Monitor local classifieds ads (craigslist, kijiji, or whatever in your area) about related items. Visit "potential" thiefs. If bike found - agree on price, leave deposit. Come back to "pickup your bike" together with police officer. All "bike recovery success" stories and "how i screwed my bike thief" stories started exactly like that.