Bike Theft Decriminalised

[Ming the Merciless]

They don;t get stolen every day

Once stolen they’ll likely stay stolen, they’ll be no opportunity to nick same bike every day unless they put it back 😂

 

[katiewlx]

#

The cycle racks at Chelmsford station are divided into three groups: there are ones that are open to all comers, then a group which are completely enclosed in a steel cage, and another lot indoors under one of the arches. I don't know what the charges or access arrangements are, or whether the BTP policy would apply to all equally.

It's in development, according to Co-pilot.

Same here. Generally the only times I left the bike unattended were for a few minutes whilst I bought groceries when on tour.

the "secure" steel cage is about £25 a year, the reason I say "secure" is because whilst your £25 gets you an access token, all a thief needs to do, which Im pretty sure I witnessed once, is they hang around the area in a hi viz cycle jacket, when the train from London or wherever gets in during the rush hour and theres suddenly crowds everywhere and actually no-one is paying attention to anyone, a couple of cyclists go to get their bikes, they just follow them in before the door closes, then waste some time getting ready to cycle, the other cyclists go as theyll want to get home and then theyre free to cut the lock and leave.

I actually think the policy the BTP took once those secure bike parks came years back now, they wouldnt investigate bike thefts from any other part of the station or surrounding the station unless your bike was in the secure bike bit.


the problem is even if they did review CCTV, whats that going to prove other than when your bike was stolen ? which you already know, its not going to be some 4k ultra hi def picture that enables face recognition, its going to be blurry, grainy footage, the thief probably knows to cover their face, or never look directly at the camera. So what leads have you got to go on ? The only time it ever leads to a prosecution is if they catch the thief in the act, and they fess up to all the other bikes they stole.

 

[Psamathe]

Trawling CCTV footage for the thief is something AI would be perfect for. It would take minutes at most.

It's smoke and mirrors by the Police (again). No way would they need to watch eg 12 hrs CCTV

eg somebody leaves their bike at 07:00 and returning 19:00 it's been stolen. Police don't start watching from 07:00 and finish at 16:30 when it was stolen to see the theft. They look at a frame at 13:00 and it's still there. Look at another frame at 16:00 and still there. So frame at 17:30 it's gone so back to frame at 16:45 it's gone so maybe watch frrom 16:00 so only a 45 min window,Could even do more single frame points to further reduce the 45 min window but my boring explanation goes on too long and tl;dr.

CCTV is recorded to hard disk drive these days so takes just seconds to look at each of the times to reduce the "theft window".

So this studying hours of video is complete twaddle. We finished with VHS tape with slow fast forward years ago, it's instanteaneous jumps to time points.. There is something else going on.

 

[figbat]

It's smoke and mirrors by the Police (again). No way would they need to watch eg 12 hrs CCTV

eg somebody leaves their bike at 07:00 and returning 19:00 it's been stolen. Police don't start watching from 07:00 and finish at 16:30 when it was stolen to see the theft. They look at a frame at 13:00 and it's still there. Look at another frame at 16:00 and still there. So frame at 17:30 it's gone so back to frame at 16:45 it's gone so maybe watch frrom 16:00 so only a 45 min window,Could even do more single frame points to further reduce the 45 min window but my boring explanation goes on too long and tl;dr.

CCTV is recorded to hard disk drive these days so takes just seconds to look at each of the times to reduce the "theft window".

So this studying hours of video is complete twaddle. We finished with VHS tape with slow fast forward years ago, it's instanteaneous jumps to time points.. There is something else going on.

They could also watch the narrowed-down time period at 2- or 3-times speed just to see when it vanishes, then backup and watch the critical time more closely.

 

[Dadam]

It's smoke and mirrors by the Police (again). No way would they need to watch eg 12 hrs CCTV

eg somebody leaves their bike at 07:00 and returning 19:00 it's been stolen. Police don't start watching from 07:00 and finish at 16:30 when it was stolen to see the theft. They look at a frame at 13:00 and it's still there. Look at another frame at 16:00 and still there. So frame at 17:30 it's gone so back to frame at 16:45 it's gone so maybe watch frrom 16:00 so only a 45 min window,Could even do more single frame points to further reduce the 45 min window but my boring explanation goes on too long and tl;dr.

CCTV is recorded to hard disk drive these days so takes just seconds to look at each of the times to reduce the "theft window".

So this studying hours of video is complete twaddle. We finished with VHS tape with slow fast forward years ago, it's instanteaneous jumps to time points.. There is something else going on.

Binary search. Halving the window each time you look at a frame gets it down to a 1.5 minute window in 9 frames.
It would take them 5 minutes tops.

 

[presta]

the "secure" steel cage is about £25 a year, the reason I say "secure" is because whilst your £25 gets you an access token, all a thief needs to do, which Im pretty sure I witnessed once, is they hang around the area in a hi viz cycle jacket, when the train from London or wherever gets in during the rush hour and theres suddenly crowds everywhere and actually no-one is paying attention to anyone, a couple of cyclists go to get their bikes, they just follow them in before the door closes, then waste some time getting ready to cycle, the other cyclists go as theyll want to get home and then theyre free to cut the lock and leave.

Or steal as many as you like for £25.

Some kind of spike that comes up out the saddle would be good as well.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdNwvy-VLnI&t=56s

It's smoke and mirrors by the Police (again). No way would they need to watch eg 12 hrs CCTV

eg somebody leaves their bike at 07:00 and returning 19:00 it's been stolen. Police don't start watching from 07:00 and finish at 16:30 when it was stolen to see the theft. They look at a frame at 13:00 and it's still there. Look at another frame at 16:00 and still there. So frame at 17:30 it's gone so back to frame at 16:45 it's gone so maybe watch frrom 16:00 so only a 45 min window,Could even do more single frame points to further reduce the 45 min window but my boring explanation goes on too long and tl;dr.

CCTV is recorded to hard disk drive these days so takes just seconds to look at each of the times to reduce the "theft window".

So this studying hours of video is complete twaddle. We finished with VHS tape with slow fast forward years ago, it's instanteaneous jumps to time points.. There is something else going on.

Only if you have a video with the parked bike in view.

 

[blackrat]

As has been said many times, the police lack the resources/man power these days to follow up low level crimes.
There are easier pickings in Britain these days where the police do not have to confront nasty people.

 

[mustang1]

They need to AI that sh1t. Let AI trawl through footage. BTW I'm not blaming BTP, it's the system of low resources. Ha omg said they, they won't have the money to implement an AI system so back to Square One.

 

[mustang1]

Anyone need a career change? Lucrative,
pays well, just need 2 hours of your time, bring your own own tools though.

 

[Gwylan]

They need to AI that sh1t. Let AI trawl through footage. BTW I'm not blaming BTP, it's the system of low resources. Ha omg said they, they won't have the money to implement an AI system so back to Square One.

Frankly, prevention might be better than resolution.

But it's sad when the best course of action is to have your bike in your hotel room.

 

[Psamathe]

They need to AI that sh1t.

As pointed out above, no need to "trawl through" anything. Search eg 12hrs of CCTV in a few minuter with real person using thrir eyes.

This has nothing to do with time searching CCTV and Police are not giving their realreadons.

 

[classic33]

Yeah I took some pictures a while back, I was going to email someone to do with the station to see if it was a local decision only as I haven't seen that restriction elsewhere but I never got around to it and the photos are gone now.

15 years ago I used to leave my bike there for 3 or 4 days with no issues as I worked away from home, and later I used the cycle hub secure parking (I knew someone that worked there and had a 24/7 pass) but I've not parked a bike at the station for a long time now.

E-mail answer on the subject
Response By E-mail (27/03/2025 02.38 PM)
Ebikes banned from Network Rail property query - Leeds City Station

Dear

I have now received a response from our team at the station.
Unfortunately we do not allow storage of any form of Ebikes on the station, They can be stored on the rack, outside Princes Street.

I do hope this information is useful.

Kind regards


Ebikes banned from Network Rail property query - Leeds City Station

Response By E-mail (27/03/2025 02.50 PM)
This refers to all Network Rail Managed Stations.

Kind regards

 

[classic33]

They don't say why do they? I'm presuming the fire risk but it would have been helpful to know.

Being honest I never asked why when e-mailing the question.
Station staff said there was concern over the batteries, when I asked at the station.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Being honest I never asked why when e-mailing the question.
Station staff said there was concern over the batteries, when I asked at the station.

I would assume so#I could easily remove the battery from mine and put it in my backpack
but allowing that means allowing the same for any ebike
and a lot have betteries internally so how can the staff easily check that they have been removed
and do you want them in people's backpacks on the trains anyway?

 

[classic33]

I would assume so#I could easily remove the battery from mine and put it in my backpack
but allowing that means allowing the same for any ebike
and a lot have betteries internally so how can the staff easily check that they have been removed
and do you want them in people's backpacks on the trains anyway?

At Leeds you'd have to get it through the barriers. At quieter times they could keep an eye out for motors on the bikes on entering.
They may also be keeping an eye on the storage areas. With the signs in place, they could just remove any from their property.