Bike Jackers !

[AndyRM]

Could be nonsense or a dodgy memory on my part but I'm sure I've read of people who have training in some kind of pugilistic skill getting in bother when applying said skills and doing serious damage to their adversary.

In any case, I can't imagine bike jacking being a particularly profitable enterprise, especially not in some random encounter off the streets. Most non-cyclists wouldn't have a clue what they were looking for unless they'd been sent out by some evil overlord who lives in a sea volcano or on the moon.

 

[fossyant]

Just to add, on my commute home last year, I passed someone sat on a bench on a phone, but was wearing a bike lid, but no bike (could have been behind the bench - wasn't really paying attention). Found out via the local press it was a woman robbed of her e-MTB by a group of lads. This was in a local park, but it's on a steep climb, which leaves you vulnerable, and it's very quiet for foot fall. It's never an issue in the mornings as 'the little darlings' that their parents seem to call these people, are usually in bed. I've changed my route home since.

We've also got a shared path - I do about 3-4 miles on it (called The Fallowfield Loop) and it's well known for bike jackings, and general thievery. It's never an issue during rush hour, but not recommended during the day or at night. If I have a half day, I'm usually very wary on the way home - lets say a group of four lads wearing thick hooded coats and face coverings on a warm afternoon is a little suspect. It's also known that obstructions get placed across the path, and then people robbed as they stopped. I recently moved a large drain pipe from the full width of the path, but had checked no-one was about before doing it. One of my colleagues had an attempted robbery of his e-bike on the loop. Just got passed, then stopped and 'thought about it' before doing a 'Drago' - so got back on his bike and carried on. Better to survive and and ride another day.

You've always got to be wary, especially when on your own on a decent bike, and keep your eyes out. And most bikes could be considered decent to many especially 'brands'.

 

[wheresthetorch]

Just to add, on my commute home last year, I passed someone sat on a bench on a phone, but was wearing a bike lid, but no bike

This is a good reason to keep one's phone in a pocket rather than a saddle bag, so that if someone takes the bike you can still call for assistance.

 

[Sixmile]

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.

The increase in consignment weight would surely eat into any profits.

 

[wafter]

Could be nonsense or a dodgy memory on my part but I'm sure I've read of people who have training in some kind of pugilistic skill getting in bother when applying said skills and doing serious damage to their adversary.

In any case, I can't imagine bike jacking being a particularly profitable enterprise, especially not in some random encounter off the streets. Most non-cyclists wouldn't have a clue what they were looking for unless they'd been sent out by some evil overlord who lives in a sea volcano or on the moon.

Yes, I think it's a thing that people with qualifications in martial arts have been prosecuted for using these skills - presumably on the basis that the application in question was "excessive". It's an over-aired stereotype, but it does appear that the law favours the criminal.

As for the profitability argument; a £5-10k return on a nicked high-end bike split between two or three scumbags seems like a decent return for an afternoon's work tbh.

These aren't random thefts carried out by opportunists; they're pre-planned attacks by organised, informed, equipped gangs fulfilling a shopping list.

 

[Jody]

As for the profitability argument; a £5-10k return on a nicked high-end bike split between two or three scumbags seems like a decent return for an afternoon's work tbh.

A story I saw last week was someone having their Focus RS nicked. The thiefs had the audacity to message him the day after with a video of them doing it and then the day after that to tell them it got a quick £500 for a nights work.

Probably ended up in a chop shop or container heading abroad.

These aren't random thefts carried out by opportunists; they're pre-planned attacks by organised, informed, equipped gangs fulfilling a shopping list.

Exactly that

 

[fossyant]

A story I saw last week was someone having their Focus RS nicked. The thiefs had the audacity to message him the day after with a video of them doing it and then the day after that to tell them it got a quick £500 for a nights work.

Probably ended up in a chop shop or container heading abroad.



Exactly that

It will be chopped, as there is a big market for body kit. My son's mate had the side skirts and a few other trim's taken of his Focus ST. Car's aren't alone, a contractor my son was working with, had all the front ends knicked off a row of transits from a compound. Bumpers, grill, lights etc.

 

[Dogtrousers]

So if a bikejacker nicks bikes. What does a hijacker do?

 

[fossyant]

Robs hi-viz vests !

 

[wafter]

A story I saw last week was someone having their Focus RS nicked. The thiefs had the audacity to message him the day after with a video of them doing it and then the day after that to tell them it got a quick £500 for a nights work.

Probably ended up in a chop shop or container heading abroad.

Man, that's harsh.. I'd really struggle to deal with a cherished item like that getting robbed, let alone the scumbags rubbing it in

On the other hand it was a bit of an Asbo wagon so maybe they did him a favour

 

[steveindenmark]

This has been happening to Brompton owners in London for a long time. I am really suprised that they have not organised their own sting operations. I know these thieves have knives and grinders. But I doubt if its a match for 10 guys with big bits of wood.
In Hull. We would call this Saturday afternoon sport.

 

[Dogtrousers]

This has been happening to Brompton owners in London for a long time. I am really suprised that they have not organised their own sting operations. I know these thieves have knives and grinders. But I doubt if its a match for 10 guys with big bits of wood.
In Hull. We would call this Saturday afternoon sport.

It hasn't happened to this London Brompton rider. And it almost certainly never will. I don't doubt that there may have been one or two isolated cases but that's all.

That's the thing about these clickbait articles. They're news because they are unusual. As much as we all like to fantasise about how we'd go all Jackie Chan on them if it happened to us: a) it's not going to happen to us and (b) if it did, no we wouldn't.

 

[AndyRM]

It hasn't happened to this London Brompton rider. And it almost certainly never will. I don't doubt that there may have been one or two isolated cases but that's all.

That's the thing about these clickbait articles. They're news because they are unusual. As much as we all like to fantasise about how we'd go all Jackie Chan on them if it happened to us: a) it's not going to happen to us and (b) if it did, no we wouldn't.

The whole set up for the film "Nobody" is exactly what you've described with the Jackie Chan thing. The hardest folk are generally the ones who don't make a big song and dance about it.

 

[nickyboy]

Done it once about 20 years back when three ne'er do wells tried to relieve me of £300 I'd just withdrawn from a cashpoint.

I lived.

Done it once, will do it again. I'm built like saquatch with 30 years of training to go with it. Unless they're very seriousy tooled up and actually show me the weapon I won't ever back down.

I double effing dare them...

View attachment 722323

You look in great shape, I reckon you could run a 6 minute mile of you put your mind to it

 

[mustang1]

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.

Yeah I know! But the news story go from one extreme of £15k bikes and then we have the BSO stuff.

I'm talking about the other bikes that are way more expensive than BSO but way cheaper than 15k as well.