Bike Jackers !

[Kingfisher101]

E bikes are really at risk and any nice bike.
There was a really nice MTB near me locked on top of all wall on some railings facing a very busy main road. I was shocked and we all thought it may have been a Police sting bike. I taped a note to it warning them that it would be stolen and not to leave it there again. It wasn't there the next day and there was no reports locally of it being taken.

 

[mustang1]

Are these gangs only targeting expensive bikes? The news story highlights all the expensive stuff but if, in Russia, no one can buy a bike, then wouldn't they be after any bike at any price, cheap or expensive?

 

[dan_bo]

Mature. I'll take that as you conceding that you have no training, experience, or expertise on the subject, and are thus unable to produce a reasoned critical response, so resorted to childish petulance instead.

You do come across as a right knob at times lad.

 

[Brandane]

You do realise Drago is an ex police officer?

So was I. Unfortunately it didn't turn me into RoboCop meets Terminator. We did get some self defence training but nothing very intensive. My guess is that anyone with basic level training in any martial art would be able to wipe the floor with your average Police Officer.

 

[Brandane]

E bikes are really at risk and any nice bike.
There was a really nice MTB near me locked on top of all wall on some railings facing a very busy main road. I was shocked and we all thought it may have been a Police sting bike. I taped a note to it warning them that it would be stolen and not to leave it there again. It wasn't there the next day and there was no reports locally of it being taken.

Just a hunch - but maybe the rightful owner moved it?

 

[Brandane]

I was thinking about bike-jackers just the other day when I was out. I would like to think that I would have the presence of mind to lay the bike on the road in a compliant way, then jump on the rear wheel to dish it and make the bike unrideable (or kick the brake disc to bend it as that would make for a cheaper repair!). Clearly not much good if they have a vehicle to take the bike away, and in reality you have to make judgements on the spot. If it was some emmaciated junkie taking a chance to finance his next tenner bag then I might be tempted to do a Drago. A gang of fit teenagers carrying baseball bats and I'm afraid it would be goodbye bike.

 

[Kingfisher101]

Just a hunch - but maybe the rightful owner moved it?

Yes they did I think. Unless it belonged to the Police.

 

[Donger]

Back in the 80s and 90s I used to think the best way to avoid having your car nicked was to drive a brown Skoda or a hearing aid beige Marina. I don't really get why anyone would commute on a high end bike. Perhaps the best way to avoid having a "high end" bike nicked is to do your own unappealing paint job on it or at least paint over the manufacturer's name.

 

[wafter]

Not wishing to come across as victim-blaming, however I still can't get my head around any semblence of value in a bike that costs £15k, nor can I see such a purchase as for anything other than bragging rights / the result of some enormous wealth; either of which I have limited sympathy for. That said, of course none of that gives anyone the right to rob you.

Personally I feel reasonably "safe" in this regard as my gear's relatively modest, plus usually steel and a bit niche. I think the only thing that might be of potential interest to thieves is the Brompton..

Not sure how I'd react if anyone tried it on - on the one hand I'm a fairly slightly-built nancy; on the other I'm hyper-sensitive to having to endure other peoples' sh*t, have a short fuse, tend to be very attached to my gear and am usually especially ballsy when I'm on the bike.

I fully appreciate that the pragmatic and mature approach is to avoid confrontation where possible; however if it came down to someone taking my gear I definitely think I'd be sizing them up... and if they did get away with it, the subsequent mental baggage would be significant

 

[HLaB]

Back in the 80s and 90s I used to think the best way to avoid having your car nicked was to drive a brown Skoda or a hearing aid beige Marina. I don't really get why anyone would commute on a high end bike. Perhaps the best way to avoid having a "high end" bike nicked is to do your own unappealing paint job on it or at least paint over the manufacturer's name.

OT My sister had a beige Skoda of that era, her neighbour caught a thieve trying to jump start it !

 

[craigwend]

So was I. Unfortunately it didn't turn me into RoboCop meets Terminator. We did get some self defence training but nothing very intensive. My guess is that anyone with basic level training in any martial art would be able to wipe the floor with your average Police Officer.

When I did martial arts (a long time ago...) the Kung Fu isntrucor was a bouncer and the Karate instructor was a policeman...

 

[Rusty Nails]

Are these gangs only targeting expensive bikes? The news story highlights all the expensive stuff but if, in Russia, no one can buy a bike, then wouldn't they be after any bike at any price, cheap or expensive?

I'm not sure that the economics and logistics would make stealing an Apollo BSO and sending it to Russia viable as a profitable criminal operation.

 

[T4tomo]

There is no other way of reading it.

You do realise Drago is an ex police officer? He DOES have training and expertise in this sort of thing.

He also doesn't have a bike that's likely to be targeted by high end bike thieves, so let's not worry too much.

 

[Brandane]

When I did martial arts (a long time ago...) the Kung Fu isntrucor was a bouncer and the Karate instructor was a policeman...

A guy I worked with in the Police used to compete at international level in karate, and was also a karate instructor. Was always good to have him around when things turned a bit nasty.....

 

[Dogtrousers]

I did a first aid course once. So if a bike jacker were to collapse I could put them in the recovery position.