My stolen Trek - A Brick Lane story

[MacB]

I'd like them to arrange a massive sting operation that hits the the buyers as well as the thieves. They could observe for a while and arrest each buyer as they leave the area, out of sight of runners/spotters etc. Impound the bikes for evidence, the buyers money is retained in evidence and, at the end of the period, round up all the thieves as well.

All this, I got it from a guy for cash, don't know who, was in pub I can't remember name of etc, just shouldn't be accepted.

Well done the OP on getting your bike back, I'm not impressed with police response as reported by you.

 

[RedBike]

If there's so many stolen bikes in Brick lane. Why is nothing ever done about it?

 

[robl]

In previous Brick Lane crackdowns the police/council have carried out, the difficulty facing them (although to use the bikes may be 'obviously' stolen) is being able to quickly prove that the bikes are stolen. (and intent to sell this stolen property)

In fact, previous efforts by the police at the council's market team have been able to take action against the bike sellers for illegal trading (easier to prove) rather than selling stolen bikes.

Register your bike's frame number (and other property) on immobilise.com as the police search this database when they recover stolen bikes. (Also if they stop kids on bikes they think might be stolen, they can do a quick check of the frame number to see if there's a registered owner.) Otherwise, there's no way they can conclusively prove, at the scene, that the bike is stolen. (unless in the rare case that the owner is there with the paperwork or some proof!)

 

[Flying_Monkey]

One thing that's good out here in Japan is that all bikes have to be registered with the local police when they are bought, which makes bike theft more difficult. However the flipside of this is that it also makes just borrowing a bike more difficult (particularly as a foreigner*).

*The police here tend to assume that any foreigner riding a bike has probably stolen it. I once had two squad cars stop me because I was riding a bike that wasn't registered to me - it was my wife's - and I couldn't contact the owner right away.

 

[dellzeqq]

well, if I may inject a small ray of sunshine in to the gloom.

Our CTC section rides from North Cheam out in to the country. When I joined I led a few rides in to the centre of London, by way of a change.

We'd gone from North Cheam up to Columbia Road, by way of Brick Lane. We'd stopped at Columbia Road because one of our members had served his apprenticeship there (a little while ago), and was looking for familiar landmarks.

A bike comes up from Brick Lane, at speed, pursed by a motor scooter. The motor scooter rams the bike, and the cyclist falls off. A police car arrives at speed and pursues the cyclist...

Turns out the bike was pinched, the cyclist took off with the police in pursuit, but the scooterist (the legitimate owner) realised that he had the better chance of catching the thief.

This little morality play enthralled the Cheam and Morden. Some of them suspected it had all been put on for their entertainment.

 

[ttcycle]

Mocker - glad you got your bike back - I think we dealt with the same CID officer - I posted a link about my expensive bike being stolen here back in Mar/April - a Specialized Ruby Elite - She said that there was no way I could prove the bike was mine even though it was appearing on Gumtree for well under half it's value - had these modifications done to it to remove any items that were added by me - so it was not a standard set up- she had the frame number; it was security marked but I was told 'it's not murder'..they basically wouldn't come to assist me to pick up my bike from a guy who was stupid enough to give me his full address, had told me he had several bikes (stolen no doubt) and the advert on Gumtree was seriously suspect. At the time I was thinking of launching a complaint as the police had a new set of standards just out in Jan this year but decided it would be a waste of my time and completely fruitless in the end.

Good on you for persisting!

Saddens me that Gumtree and Brick Lane are known theft spots.

 

[Crankarm]

Nasty situation and full marks for the stake out. You're alot braver than many. It's good you got it back but only through your own endeavours. Wrt the police - IPCC complaint job to my mind re the officer's attitude and behaviour toward you and the force's systemic failing to take bike theft or cyclists complaints of theft of their bikes seriously. You don't need to make it long. Cc in the Chief Constable as well although the IPCC will be in contact with the Chief Constable. An IPCC investigation should make this copper a bit worried for a few months especially if they were really aggresssive toward you or even assaulted. You are lucky they didn't violently push you over or beat you with their baton such is their propensity for violence towards non threatening people .

When my Brompton was stolen in 2004 from the London University building in Malet Street London plod didn't want to know. I couldn't even find a plod in Central London that night. When home I rang my local force but they were definitely not interested as the theft did not occur on their patch. Barstewerds.

In the end I gave up with the pigs and just told my insurance company. My Brommie had been locked with a Kryptonite D-lock (I later found out it was as secure as a piece of string) which the thief(s) had left behind, but anyway the insurance paid up and I had a new one 3 weeks later. I guess mine went to Brick Lane market. Had I still been living in London I would have looked for it, as you did yours, as it was a fairly distinctive and precious L6 to me. But I was just too far away and it didn't make economic sense to try.

I would suggest you make a complaint to the IPCC about the officer in your case otherwise this officer will just continue being a jerk .

 

[Lizban]

No defending the police officer's rudeness. But I do have some sympathy for her in her questioning of you. She turns up and has two conflicting stories (it is clear to you what is the truth but not clear to a third party).

Overall I'm pleased you got the bike back.

(PS I ALMOST admire the thief's front of asking for the £60!!!!)

 

[Kuota M]

With London Mayor Boris Johnson's new bike initiatives we can expect a flurry of new bike riders over the next 3 years and no doubt an increase in bike theft. The authorities need to take it seriously and not make you feel like a burden even if you haven't reported the crime in the first place.

I mean, how many of us have the serial numbers of our TVs, DVD players, Radios and Computers written down at home? If you do, have you registered it on the police national database? Since the powers that be are eager to bring in ID cards, perhaps they could do something useful and add the data of all of our legally owned possessions to it.

What is the point of being the most watched nation in the world when no one is looking when you need them to?

Right, I'll get off my soap box, someone else can use it now

Thanks for the tale my friend, much appreciated.

 

[skrx]

With London Mayor Boris Johnson's new bike initiatives we can expect a flurry of new bike riders over the next 3 years and no doubt an increase in bike theft.

Just with the increase in cycling this year there's been an associated significant increase in bicycle theft.

I mean, how many of us have the serial numbers of our TVs, DVD players, Radios and Computers written down at home?

I do -- it's all on immobilise.com

(PS what's a radio? :-) )