Could this be a stolen bike?

[midliferider]

I was looking at Gumtree for a bike and found a reasonably priced bike. It is 2013 model selling at £500 in shops. On sale for £220. When I read the advert, it doesn't sound well.
How can I make sure that it is not a stolen bike?
I have not put a link to the advert as it is not fair by the seller if it is indeed not stolen.

 

[smokeysmoo]

How can I make sure that it is not a stolen bike?

As the seller for their proof of purchase. Failing that ask for the frame number and check it on the various stolen bike databases that are available.

The price isn't ringing alarm bells with me from the limited info supplied, and not everyone knows a lot about bikes to be able to write a decent advert IME, although it's not hard to copy and paste details from elsewhere is it?

 

[vickster]

Proof of purchase rather than postage. If the bike was bought in the last year, the seller should be able to rove ownership with a receipt, either from the lbs or online shop

 

[wiggydiggy]

Buy it.

 

[glenn forger]

Karma will get you if you ride a stolen bike. Don't buy it.

 

[midliferider]

I contacted the seller. He was not happy for me to come to his home/ work. Wanted to meet me at the train station.
I think my hunch is correct. It is a stolen bike.
I wont buy it. I will be thinking about while riding and will fall off.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I contacted the seller. He was not happy for me to come to his home/ work. Wanted to meet me at the train station.
I think my hunch is correct. It is a stolen bike.
I wont buy it. I will be thinking about while riding and will fall off.

Stolen or not we may never know.

But don't buy bikes from dicks is my advice.

 

[The Central Scrutinizer]

1,Ad description a bit vague.
2,Bad spelling
3,Not willing to meet you at work/home.

STOLEN

 

[vickster]

What did he say when you asked for a copy of the receipt?

 

[smokeysmoo]

Proof of purchase rather than postage.

Exactly what I meant but I had my ebay head on, my bad

 

[Crankarm]

Since you are not going to buy it, post the ad so we can judge for ourselves whether it's nicked.

 

[midliferider]

Here is the ad.
When I rang him, he asked which bike I am after. So he has several bikes advertised. The story that he is going to buy a mountain bike is not true. I simply didn't like the way he talked.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/s...s-elite-edition-like-new-road-bike/1062382676

 

[Dibs]

1,Ad description a bit vague.
2,Bad spelling
3,Not willing to meet you at work/home.

STOLEN

Yep.

 

[PaulSecteur]

If they are not willing to let you go to their home or work there is no telling they aren't using the advert to bait people to a location knowing they will have a few hundred ponds in their pockets and then relieving the rubes of their hard earned.

Best avoided.

 

[biggs682]

@midliferider i use Gumtree to sell some bikes on and have quite often met people at either Northampton or Wellingborough train station when they have traveled by train to view a bike , nobody has ever queried it .

buy locally its got to be easier if you are unsure