do people steal bikes to use them or sell as parts. I was reading article in guardian about lack of secure areas to park bikes and wondered if someone evented quick release pedals (or even better brakes) that you could unclip and take with you would the bike still be attrative to steal or would 'would be' theieves just walk around with a set of pedals on them to use on any bike they were going to steal?
Stealing bikes
- Thread starter Willow
- Start date
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Amanda P
Legendary Member
- Location
- York. Well, York-ish...
I've been told they use a van.
You can go, and park, almost anywhere in a van and no-one takes much notice. Just another tradesman about his work, they think.
Pull up to a bike stand and two or three bikes can be in the back of a big van in seconds. No spare pedals or brakes required; just a pair of bolt croppers and a lot of nerve.
You can go, and park, almost anywhere in a van and no-one takes much notice. Just another tradesman about his work, they think.
Pull up to a bike stand and two or three bikes can be in the back of a big van in seconds. No spare pedals or brakes required; just a pair of bolt croppers and a lot of nerve.
Keith Oates
Janner
- Location
- Penarth, Wales
It's been said before, but the people who buy them are just as much a bag of scum as those that actually steal them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
I agree. There's a thing in the times today about bike theft, saying how people who want an upgrade are heading to brick lane to buy a cheap, nicked one. I'm quite appalled at this! Is that really true??
Amanda P
Legendary Member
- Location
- York. Well, York-ish...
Ah, you see, you should have asked us here. There are honest bike recycling schemes up and down the country you could have been directed to...
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
Porridge, I agree. I found a new pashley on gumtree in York for £100. Phoned in great excitement and was totally convinced from the person I spoke to that it was stolen. Unfortunately it had already been snapped up, otherwise I was planning to buy it and take it to the police!
Uncle Phil, what recycling schemes do you know of? I want an old banger to ride round Leeds on, leaving Liesl for best.
Uncle Phil, what recycling schemes do you know of? I want an old banger to ride round Leeds on, leaving Liesl for best.
Amanda P
Legendary Member
- Location
- York. Well, York-ish...
Good plan, Cathryn. I did that when I was a student in Cardiff. I found it'd be cheaper to buy and lose three or four bangers than to insure my decent bike. I bought an ex-rental bike and nobody nicked it for three years. (It was horrible, though).
The one I know best is York Bike Rescue. They have a warehouse full of bikes waiting to be overhauled - I've seen it. Well worth a visit.
And thanks to this thread, I'm now aware of one in Edinburgh. And you know where to post if you want to know about Leeds ones...
The one I know best is York Bike Rescue. They have a warehouse full of bikes waiting to be overhauled - I've seen it. Well worth a visit.
And thanks to this thread, I'm now aware of one in Edinburgh. And you know where to post if you want to know about Leeds ones...
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
Thanks for the link! I shall continue my hunt.
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
She's not exactly an inspiration for cycling gals, everywhere, is she!
Cycling Naturalist
Guru
- Location
- Llangollen
Cathryn said:
It gets worse. According to The Sunday Times people nick bikes because the police aren't interested and, even if done on an industrial scale (one chap was doing it professionally and has stolen £300,000 worth of bikes) there's never a custodial sentence.
Cathryn
Legendary Member
- Location
- Marlborough, Wiltshire
It makes me so angry. We've had two bikes nicked since Christmas. Neither were expensive but that doesn't matter, they were OURS! We'd worked to buy them, had loved riding them and had plenty of memories on them. I totally understand that the police have bigger priorities, I get that, but it makes me feel so helpless and SO angry!
Amanda P
Legendary Member
- Location
- York. Well, York-ish...
I think I read somewhere that the police base their decision as to which crimes to investigate on a database of success rates. If a crime (like, say, bike theft) has a low clear-up rate, they don't bother trying.
Murders have an excellent clear-up rate, so you're better off sticking to nicking bikes, rather than escalating to serial killing.
The problem is, that's a self-fulfilling database. They don't investigate bike thefts, because they have a low clear-up rate. So the database records all the bike thefts that didn't get solved, because they weren't investigated, because they, er, have such a low... clear-up... rate.
I've had bikes stolen, too. And then seen them locked up again on the street with a few parts changed. And tried to persuade the police to investigate with no success.
Murders have an excellent clear-up rate, so you're better off sticking to nicking bikes, rather than escalating to serial killing.
The problem is, that's a self-fulfilling database. They don't investigate bike thefts, because they have a low clear-up rate. So the database records all the bike thefts that didn't get solved, because they weren't investigated, because they, er, have such a low... clear-up... rate.
I've had bikes stolen, too. And then seen them locked up again on the street with a few parts changed. And tried to persuade the police to investigate with no success.
