Advice needed - Bike seized

[raleighnut]

HI guys. After one week and a day. i finally got my bike back Horah

Thank you for all your support and advice.
I decided not to complain in the end as the main issue would have been down to the BTP incorrectly seizing the bike and i didnt have their names. After all the running around i had to do to get this back i couldnt be bothered with more form filling and phone calls to find out who they were.
The complaints process of the website seems to want you to direct your complaint at a particular officer or station and as several were involved it would have just been a mess.
Not even confident i would have got anything out of it for my effort.
The main thing is my bikes back with me.
Im now going to cover it in Urine and blood samples to prove it is mine for the future.

One more thing, where about will i find the serial on this so i can jot it down.

Thanks again.

Get the Police to mark it with your postcode (usually free) you may well come across the same scrotes again.

 

[Keith Oates]

A similar thing happened to me about 5 or 6 years ago when I was in the UK. Two guys came up to me and one said he thought I was riding his stolen bike, and it was also one I had bought from new. I told him this and he said he didn't believe me and that made me angry so after some not very pleasant verbal's they both went away and I also carried on cycling. I must admit I was not happy for a while afterwards.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Arjimlad]

I sold a bike like that to my mate a few years ago. I shall check he still has it and it hasn't been nicked. !

Glad you have it back.

 

[jefmcg]

Get the Police to mark it with your postcode (usually free) you may well come across the same scrotes again.

Police don't do postcode marking anymore, or at least not the Met. They mark it with a code, and register it. I've been registered by the met on https://www.immobilise.com and https://www.bikeregister.com

You can register them yourself on those websites, which I'd advise you to do. As the police use them, I'd assume they would count very highly as proof of ownership. They could also - possibly - get a bike returned to you that you hadn't reported stolen.

Edit: GMP use and recommend immobilise.com http://www.gmp.police.uk/live/nhoodv3.nsf/section.html?readform&s=B599E810136508C280257B8100444515

Registering your bike

When stolen pedal cycles are recovered it is often difficult for Police Officers to trace them back to their original owners. Take a photograph and keep a note of the make, model and serial number.

It is recommended that you register your bike onwww.immobilise.com.

Immobilise is a FREE property registration database. It is used by Greater Manchester Police to reunite stolen goods to their rightful owners. You can register any item of property with a serial number, such as pedal cycles, mobile phones etc

Edit 2: I was marked by the Met (ok, just my bike was marked) early in 2011. I got an email from immobilise.com. 6 months later I got a second email, this time from bikeregister, from the same marking event. Subsequent markings by Met or possibly City of London have been with bikeregister.

 

[classic33]

Police don't do postcode marking anymore, or at least not the Met. They mark it with a code, and register it. I've been registered by the met on https://www.immobilise.com and https://www.bikeregister.com

You can register them yourself on those websites, which I'd advise you to do. As the police use them, I'd assume they would count very highly as proof of ownership. They could also - possibly - get a bike returned to you that you hadn't reported stolen.

Edit: GMP use and recommend immobilise.com http://www.gmp.police.uk/live/nhoodv3.nsf/section.html?readform&s=B599E810136508C280257B8100444515

West Yorkshire Police urge you to do the same, and back the same scheme. Unfortunatly they don't have anyone to check bikes as they come in.