A number of bicycles that have found their way into the custody of Oxford Police Department, and officers are searching for their rightful owners.

According to Officer Kevin Houston, the department is in possession of 12 bicycles, which are classified as found property.

“Some were found in dumpsters, others were collected on the side of the road,” Houston said. “We’re trying to find the owners, but if not, we’ll have to figure out what to do with them.”

Two of the bikes were involved in wrecks, and as a result are damaged and involved in investigations. However, the majority of them are in fairly good condition, Houston said.

OPD tweeted last Friday about the bicycle issue, but in the following days, no one has come in to claim them.

“We had a couple people call to see if we had their missing bikes, but their descriptions didn’t match any of the ones we have at the moment,” Houston said.

According to the National Bike Registry, over 1.5 million bicycles go missing every year, either through theft or abandonment – but only one-third are reported. The chances of losing a bicycle are significantly higher for college students, according to NBR data.

Those who think their missing bike might be in OPD’s possession are encouraged to call Houston at 662-232-2400 anytime between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

In order to claim a bicycle, callers must be able to provide a description of the color and brand, as well as any distinguishing marks.

Bicycles that aren’t claimed will be donated to charity, Houston said.