Bike theft and indifference

[Linford]

After hankering after my Giant roadie for a couple of years, and replacing it with a Marin Hybrid which I never really did get on with, I had the opportunity last summer to swap the hybrid with the roadie from the person I originally sold the Giant to (old work colleague), so I was really quite made up with this prospect as they found the roadie too twitchy. I bought both bikes new from my LBS and so they fitted me perfectly.
Getting the Giant back, it was late, so it went straight from the back of the car into the garage which was behind a tall gate. Itching to get back out on it the following day after work, I nipped home and bolted it back together, oiled the chain, set the seat post height, etc, and took it out through the gate, As I turned to shut the gate behind me, a chavy looking kid of about 16 coame riding past on a MTB, and took a look back at the bike. Not really thinking anything of this, I took it for a spin, and was back in about 15 minutes without stopping, and not hanging around. Put it back away in the garage, with the intention of sorting out insurance for it the following day (as I didn't at the time have contents cover on the house - long story)

That night, I went to let the dog out at about 2am, looked over at the garage and thought - I've left the garage door open - go out to shut it and realise that the door is actually not there at all, and has been unscrewed off its hinges - and the Giant was gone

I took a drive around the local council estate the following day and by pure chance see this same chav on the MTB going into a house. My daughter recognises him as the younger brother of a lad she was in school with - and this chav has gained a rep for handling stolen cycles to fund a substantial drug habit. Police were worse than useless and just went throught the motions (frame marking is a waste of time IMO now), and in the end I had to just write off to experience.

I've not got another £800+ to throw at another roadie (as yet) and I have a cheap hardtail which is in all honesty horrible to ride with a knackered bottom bracket.

If I look at Ebay or Gumtree, I realistically risk picking up something which has been stolen which I really don't want to risk.

What are the other choices, and how about security measures - have you had anyone test yours and walk away as it was too difficult ?

 

[BluesDave]

After hankering after my Giant roadie for a couple of years, and replacing it with a Marin Hybrid which I never really did get on with, I had the opportunity last summer to swap the hybrid with the roadie from the person I originally sold the Giant to (old work colleague), so I was really quite made up with this prospect as they found the roadie too twitchy. I bought both bikes new from my LBS and so they fitted me perfectly.
Getting the Giant back, it was late, so it went straight from the back of the car into the garage which was behind a tall gate. Itching to get back out on it the following day after work, I nipped home and bolted it back together, oiled the chain, set the seat post height, etc, and took it out through the gate, As I turned to shut the gate behind me, a chavy looking kid of about 16 coame riding past on a MTB, and took a look back at the bike. Not really thinking anything of this, I took it for a spin, and was back in about 15 minutes without stopping, and not hanging around. Put it back away in the garage, with the intention of sorting out insurance for it the following day (as I didn't at the time have contents cover on the house - long story)

That night, I went to let the dog out at about 2am, looked over at the garage and thought - I've left the garage door open - go out to shut it and realise that the door is actually not there at all, and has been unscrewed off its hinges - and the Giant was gone

I took a drive around the local council estate the following day and by pure chance see this same chav on the MTB going into a house. My daughter recognises him as the younger brother of a lad she was in school with - and this chav has gained a rep for handling stolen cycles to fund a substantial drug habit. Police were worse than useless and just went throught the motions (frame marking is a waste of time IMO now), and in the end I had to just write off to experience.

I've not got another £800+ to throw at another roadie (as yet) and I have a cheap hardtail which is in all honesty horrible to ride with a knackered bottom bracket.

If I look at Ebay or Gumtree, I realistically risk picking up something which has been stolen which I really don't want to risk.

What are the other choices, and how about security measures - have you had anyone test yours and walk away as it was too difficult ?

If you don't get satisfactory service from a shop you complain to the manger or Head Office don't you?
The manager or Head Office of the police is the Chief Constable and the fact that you actually took them to where your stolen bike was and even the c*** who stole it means that you have the best cause for complaint I have ever seen. If that happened to me...

 

[Linford]

They wouldn't enter the property of the chav without 'good reason'. The chav was the only person to put the bike behind that gate that day apart from me.

Still really winds me up thinking about it TBH. I'd had the bike back such a short amount of time, I'd not really had time to sort anything out. I have no faith in the police or any rubber stamping measure they do to imply that they take bicycle theft seriously. They refused to come out to the house when it was reported as the garage was not bolted to the side of the house. Their answer is take a crime number and claim on your insurance.
I guess it is going to be a Ribble job as and when, but the Roadie was a lovely bike to ride - 105 groupset on it, carbon forks etc, and nice and light with it.

 

[Dave7]

My sympathies......this is not going to help you but to let you know my story with police.
5.00 a.m. we are in bed and hear the thieves-jump out of bed and there is our window cleaner and 2 mates walking off with my bike, lawn mower and other items. Wife phones the police while I get dressed and go after them. They disppeared like rats down the passageway. I get back and the police are there. I give them a name and dscribe the other 2.......police know them and give me the names. I say "go to their houses now and you will catch them".......they say (and this is absolutely true)........" can't do it....our shift finishes in 10 minutes, we don't get overtime-you will have to wait for the next shift
Next shift arrives, thieves have disappeared with my bike etc. They get arrrested, admit it and get gaol.......but I never got my bike back. Police said it would be stolen to order and sold within 10 minutes.

 

[Bicycle]

First, I'm sorry to hear about the theft. It is galling when that happens. Where it is a result of burglary rather than just stealing while left somewhere, the aftertaste can be worse. You have my sympathy.

Options now?

First, I'd sort the BB on the HT MTB you mention. It can't be all that horrible to ride and anything will ride better when spruced up, lubed and adjusted.

Secondly, I'd get contents cover.

Thirdly, I'd be inclined to cut the Police a little slack. They didn't steal the thing and they are constantly trying to juggle increasingly limited resources between several conflicting priorities.

Many people want lower taxes (not me as it happens) but want tax-and-spend levels of public service. I've always found the Police fantastic when I've had a real issue or concern. They may well know that a used road bike will barely hit the ground between theft and onward sale. We may not like it, but Dixon of Dock green retired (or was shot) some years ago.

Sort that bottom bracket out, go for a nice ride and paint a silver lining on your cloud.

 

[Linford]

That is really crap Dave - It does make me wonder sometimes where the priority lies. It took me ages to put the money together for the bike originally, and it isn't going to be any easier now. If I were to consider buying a similar used bike off the net, what are thechances it is legit ?

So many are now being stolen to order, unless you know the buyer and they can produce a receipt for the original bill of sale, you take pot luck. I refuse to play that game at risk of perpetuating the trade in stolen bikes.

 

[brokenflipflop]

That is really crap Dave - It does make me wonder sometimes where the priority lies. It took me ages to put the money together for the bike originally, and it isn't going to be any easier now. If I were to consider buying a similar used bike off the net, what are thechances it is legit ?

So many are now being stolen to order, unless you know the buyer and they can produce a receipt for the original bill of sale, you take pot luck. I refuse to play that game at risk of perpetuating the trade in stolen bikes.

Even though you have quite rudely stolen my face and in a "negative" way, I am genuinely sorry about the bike theft. Thieving scum! It's this "low level" crime that the police basically ignore is a springboard for everything else. In my book it sends out the wrong message and then the scum think they can get away with everything.

 

[Linford]

Even though you have quite rudely stolen my face and in a "negative" way, I am genuinely sorry about the bike theft. Thieving scum! It's this "low level" crime that the police basically ignore is a springboard for everything else. In my book it sends out the wrong message and then the scum think they can get away with everything.

Thanks for the sentiment. The way I see it is is that theft of anything apart from robbing banks is regarded as low level crime. It is wrong and I just feel that the attitude of the establishment is 'that is what insurance is for'

I'll happily swap this avatar out if I can find something a bit different. The 'Go for something Art house black and white like all the Guardian readers' was a bit of an invitation. Don't you know that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery

 

[Linford]

First, I'm sorry to hear about the theft. It is galling when that happens. Where it is a result of burglary rather than just stealing while left somewhere, the aftertaste can be worse. You have my sympathy.

Options now?

First, I'd sort the BB on the HT MTB you mention. It can't be all that horrible to ride and anything will ride better when spruced up, lubed and adjusted.

Secondly, I'd get contents cover.

Thirdly, I'd be inclined to cut the Police a little slack. They didn't steal the thing and they are constantly trying to juggle increasingly limited resources between several conflicting priorities.

Many people want lower taxes (not me as it happens) but want tax-and-spend levels of public service. I've always found the Police fantastic when I've had a real issue or concern. They may well know that a used road bike will barely hit the ground between theft and onward sale. We may not like it, but Dixon of Dock green retired (or was shot) some years ago.

Sort that bottom bracket out, go for a nice ride and paint a silver lining on your cloud.

Part of the problem is it doesn't really fit very well (too small) - it is what it is - a cheap bike, and after having the benefit of riding some nice ones, I'll go out on it, but not very far. It is a bit hateful

Contents cover went back on. I was getting royally screwed by the insurance co, and in a fit of pique, cancelled it a couple of months before.

I upped the security an reinstated the cover the following day, but it was very much a case of shutting the door after the horse had bolted.

I've been looking at the Spesh Allez reviews and they look like a lot of bike for sensible money. I'll be chasing down another roadie and hopefully have one for the summer. I'd of course love another Giant like my old one (OCR1 in the pic) as it was set up for me, but that model rarely comes up for grabs (it wasn't the most expensive or nicest bikes out there, but it was 'mine')

Thanks for the words of encouragement

 

[Linford]

If you take a walk through Hesters Way, you can smell the scent of Ganja in the air really strongly MrP. I think a lot of bike theft in the town is being done to pay for that which the giro doesn't stretch to. It was the case for my bike.
They reached up to one of my security lights and turned the sensor away from the garage. I've changed things around a bit now and an extra light shines directly into the house and is so high up you need a very long ladder to reach it.

I got complacent and got bitten for that (my bad). The crazy thing was that I have a ground anchor which the Motorbike is chained too, but being rushed to do something else, I chose to not to bolt the bike to it. There was tools, and other stuff they could have had, but they only wanted the Roadie.

One thing is for certain, they will have to work a lot harder if they want the next one.

 

[Globalti]

Linf, why don't you at least buy one of those personal attack alarms and rig it up in the garage so that it will sound if anybody forces the door open from outside? They are flippin' loud.

We have a strong wooden "up and over" garage door, which it would probably be easy to force as the latches are just a couple of steel strips that slide sideways into slots. I reckon a really good pull on the bottom from outside would bend them enough to open the door, so I have also fitted a bolt at the top with steel strip reinforcements screwed to the frame and two bolts at the bottom to prevent the door opening. You would have to destroy the door to open it now and as we have neighbours opposite who work from home, their office overlooking our house, you wouldn't want to be making too much noise. The garage is also alarmed and the bikes are on our house insurance (only £45 a year extra premium with Swinton). Above all the rule in our house is never to leave the door open with the contents visible and when I am working in or outside the garage I keep an eye on who is coming down the street and always close the door if anybody young and male walks along.

 

[Linford]

It is a shame to have to have to go to those extremes though isn't it. My next bike will have some sort of tracking device on it. If the last one had this, I've no doubt that I'd have got it back.Garage is alarmed now and I have substantially increased the secuurity on the motorbike in the interim.

The thing about security is that it doesn't matter how good it is, if the scrotes can work without being disturbed, they can take as long as they want to defeat it, and once off the property and around the corner, are lost to the night.

 

[Linford]

What size Giant do you ride?

I'm trying to figure whether you are testing my sense of humour on this one Adrian.

 

[Linford]

[QUOTE 1713787, member: 45"]I've got a cheap, wired shed alarm in both sheds. The sounder and lock unit are hidden. It's scared burglars off twice so far.[/quote]

Mine is a discrete PIR with an alarm sounder in the house which is loud and irritating, and a 500 watt lamp on another PIR directly above the door. If I realise someone is in there, they will already be illuminated by a lamp shining down from the eaves of the 2nd floor of the house which also lights the inside of the house like a mid summers day. It isn't pretty, but it is practical. I don't want anyone to test it, but I have looked at what they did to circumvent the measures last time, and address that point.
As said, it isn't just replacing the bike, it is also having a small chance that the bike would be recoverable in the event it were to walk again (small chance being better than no chance at all)

 

[Linford]

I have an unused OCR frame and forks in my shed. If it were your size you would be welcome to it.

Sorry, it is a bit of a sore point. It was a medium sized frame, I think 54" in old money