Brazen Theft

[Kingfisher101]

Chargers are freely available, not least because some users want a spare, or a second to charge at work.

Bosch offer a standard charger and a 'travel' charger, which is just a smaller (and slower) version of the standard one.

Not cheap, chargers for some motors are £100+.

O.K thanks for that, I didn't know as I dont have an electric bike etc.

 

[scragend]

About 20 years ago, early one cold frosty morning, I got sent to invesigate a chap walking along wearing a balaclava. I asked the control room if they were joking, it was minus 8 or something and balaclavas ate actually for keeping people heads warm, and considering the bitter weather and the fact he was doung nothing more dodgy than walking along he was probably just trying to keep warm.

The control room inspector told me he was not joking, and I should go and investigate the matter. It seems the simply act of wearing warming headgear on a freezing cold day, with no sign of a shotgun or crowbar, was suspicious.

So i went to the area, found the chap walking along, and - feeling like a bit of a berk - asked him why he was wearing a balaclava. "Because its -8 and I'm trying to keep warm". I took great delight in telling the FCR "I told you so".

For an encore I was half expecting to be sent to a sighting of a suspect with a carving knife in a kitchen, or a motorcyclist wearing a helmet, but the call never came.

Reminds me of the time when I bought my first house, and had a walk to B&Q from the office on my lunch break to buy a curtain pole. On the way back I carried it "at the slope", which seemed a logical way of carrying it. As I was walking back on a path across some "green space", for want of a better expression, I noticed a police officer walking towards me. As he got closer he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and roll his eyes. I've often wondered if I'd been spotted on CCTV and said officer had been dispatched to see whether I was in fact walking along carrying a pikestaff or maybe an exceedingly long rifle. Although I suppose if they'd suspected I was armed, the response would have been somewhat stronger than a single bobby.

 

[HMS_Dave]

I leave my Brompton outside the library I mentioned earlier, along with the high end electric bikes. I have a thin wire cable I made myself. I never worry about it not being there.

Our society in Denmark is totally different to the UK.

What say you about this report? 20000 bike thefts in Denmark in 2016?

https://cyclingsolutions.info/preventing-bicycle-theft/

Is it not true?

 

[Kingfisher101]

I leave my Brompton outside the library I mentioned earlier, along with the high end electric bikes. I have a thin wire cable I made myself. I never worry about it not being there.

Our society in Denmark is totally different to the UK.

Yes it certainly is with all the fur farms etc and supporting the Faroes with their grind.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Yes it certainly is with all the fur farms etc and supporting the Faroes with their grind.

Is that relevant - we were talking about bike theft

Anyway - off to get booster vaccine soon - will be taking my ebike as usual
It gets locked up using a Kryptonite U-lock and a cable lock for the front wheel - and as I'll be sitting there for a while I'll take the battery in with me

If I have to walk home I'll let you know - and the insurance company!

 

[bonzobanana]

This is a good example of why its never good to have the nicest bike locked up in a bike rack. Ride a cheesy tatty looking bike and scum like that probably wouldn't even get a fiver for it as a quick sale, they won't bother its not worth their time. I mean they will probably gets hundreds for that Trek for a quick sale which could be exported or broken down for parts to sell. That money will probably end up with drug dealers and finance other criminal activity.

Also that grinder looked fairly well used, its extremely likely not the first lock its cut, it could be 10s of bikes even 100s.

We need to have a UK wide census next voting day on many issues, the UK population should decide on what sort of punishments are fitting for such crimes I really feel the government and establishment are completely out of touch. Many police work really hard to bring criminals to justice only for the courts to give ridiculously light sentences that make their efforts pointless. Personally I'd be quite happy with entrapment being used, setting up bikes for scum like that to try to steal only for the police to grab them. The punishment has to be a deterrent that they will never commit the same crime again. That might mean a cell with a basic toilet and nothing to read or watch or listen to and food would be basic bread and water and they would have no one to talk to. The lighting would be dim. Years ago I remember reading that Playstation 2s were being bought to be used in prisons and at the time I couldn't afford one and it just seemed so unfair. Their logic it was to keep prisoners entertained to stop them rioting etc and no one seemed to realise the stupidity of that and that making prison more tolerable would hugely reduce its deterrent purpose.

 

[Blue Hills]

Indeed. After years of helmet bullpois at petrol stations (the signs should actually read "robbers - please leave shotguns outside") its amazing how quickly all the made up security objections suddenly disappeared and face coverings became virtuous.

yep - it's all put the mockers on some police forces; "experiments" with facial recognition as well. I believe some poor sod got fined.

 

[Blue Hills]

I leave my Brompton outside the library I mentioned earlier, along with the high end electric bikes. I have a thin wire cable I made myself. I never worry about it not being there.

Our society in Denmark is totally different to the UK.

wot no thieves in denmark? How come?
What do the police do all day - milk cows?

 

[DCLane]

@Blue Hills

 

[Drago]

Yes it certainly is with all the fur farms etc and supporting the Faroes with their grind.

Not to mention the murderous loons in their private submarines.

 

[TheDoctor]

Will a shop sell you a charger though if you haven't bought the bike from them or cant provide a receipt?
I think they will either be sold on for very little or sold to someone who then ships them out of the U.K

Chargers are easily available. This meant I could charge at work and at home.

 

[Venod]

Bit of a follow up from Road CC

https://road.cc/content/news/possible-id-surrey-quays-angle-grinder-bike-theft-287691

 

[Drago]

No point passing a name on unless the person is willing to give a statement identifying them, and is willing to appear in Court to that end. Just "its johnny Lightfingers from the burned out sofa estate" is interesting, but not a lawful identification that can be used unless the person making it is willing to put pen to paper.

The good news is the article suggests the dibble know this chap - if an officer spots the picture and gives and identification that is compliant with Code D of PACE then they may yet get their man.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The attitude of the shopping centre by having teh bike rack away from where security can see - plus security not being told to intervene (as much as is possible) says a lot

If places like this - and supermarkets took bike security more seriously then bike theft would possibly be less common

A while ago I rang Tesco and asked if their CCTV covered the bike rack. It is positioned in the car park and near the entrance - which is basically under the store
Apparently there is no CCTV covering this area

pathetic

 

[bonzobanana]

The attitude of the shopping centre by having teh bike rack away from where security can see - plus security not being told to intervene (as much as is possible) says a lot

If places like this - and supermarkets took bike security more seriously then bike theft would possibly be less common

A while ago I rang Tesco and asked if their CCTV covered the bike rack. It is positioned in the car park and near the entrance - which is basically under the store
Apparently there is no CCTV covering this area

pathetic

I've made similar points myself about bike security at shops. Really we need some sort of government policy that provides safer bicycle parking as a requirement for shops, CCTV and high visibility to staff. In larger stores it wouldn't be impossible to show outside views on displays instore so people passing them could check their bike is ok. My local Tesco Extra is so large they could reasonably have some bicycle parking just inside the main door where the security guard normal resides. I mean I only see 6 or so bikes parked outside at most and some of those maybe staff. I don't think a space for 6 bikes for customers only inside the doors of many supermarkets would be a big ask. The use of those slots would be constantly rotating every 1/2hr to 1 hr and additional less secure spaces could be outside. We have to do something to increase cycle use for shops as that would be massively beneficial to the environment.