Had my lights nicked!

[the reluctant cyclist]

Got down to the bike racks last night and there were three suspicious looking characters a few metres away from my trusty steed smoking cannibis and generally looking like they were up to no good!

I didn't think too much of it and started to unlock my bike (although I did spot something in one of their hands that looked familiar).

Anyway they walked away and I started to turn my lights on and then realised that the two front ones were missing!

I stood there for a bit and then realised that what I had seen in the hand of one of them was the dangly bit off one of my lights!

I thought - bugger it was then - they got my lights and stood there for another second or two and then thought - NO WAY SOD THIS and chased after them!!

I caught up with them at the top of the steps to the car park on a really busy street with bus stops galore and loads of people and shouted after them at the top of my voice.

OI! YOU LITTLE F**KERS - YOU'VE STOLEN MY BIKE LIGHTS!

The one turned around and said "I aint got your lights" so I was

YES YOU HAVE YOU F**KING B*STARD I SAW IT IN YOUR HAND - NOW GIVE IT BACK YOU'VE STOLEN FROM ME!

Amazingly he took one of my lights out of his pocket and gave it back!!!!! I shouted (and I'm really loud when I get going) GIVE THE OTHER BACK but they weren't having any of it and started walking away!

I kept shouting that they have stolen from me then I shouted IT'S ALL ON CCTV YOU C**TS and went to tell securty!

The whole street must have been loving it - a lunatic in a helmet and tights shouting the odds at three big black blokes in hoodies!! Wish one of them had helped!! I might have got the other light back!

I can't believe they actually gave me one back but of course it's no good for me because it's not got the fitting as they unscrewed that and didn't give it back to me!!

Had to walk home as had no lights! Soooo cheesed off and of course a bit miffed that "security" didn't notice that there were three blokes fidddling about with my bike for what could have been quite some time!

Now I've got to get new lights and waste time doing that!!!

(Oh yeah - I know I should have taken them off and brought them into the office with me in the first place!!! Will do in the future obviously!!! LOL!)

Would you have confronted them or just let it go?! (By the way - I am a size 8 woman not a big six foot bloke!!)

 

[Keith Oates]

Not a pleasant experience TRC, as you say remember to take the lights with you from now on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[fossyant]

You probably stood a better chance of giving verbal to three blokes as a woman, than another bloke.

Well done you.

Get some with quick release, then it doesn't become a pain to remove. You can't leave anything on a bike. I even run a cable lock through my saddle rails when the bike is left unattended.

 

[HLaB]

Did you leave the lights on the bike TRC ? I know its a pain carrying them but I always take mine off there's too many little scrotes like that around.

 

[the reluctant cyclist]

Yeah - I left them on there! Stupid I know - I just didn't think to be honest!!

 

[Davidc]

Sadly what fossyant says is true.

I often use a wire round saddle and front wheel locked into the D lock, and take off battery lights and computer.

Dynamo lights stay on the bike (nylock nuts used there). I also have alarms, which have gone off and left the low grade organic slime that set them off running away on several occasions. it's worth buying and using one.

 

[mumbo jumbo]

I routinely take my lights off - and I park in a roller-door gated, CCTV covered underground car park! Can't be too careful...

mj

 

[joggingbob]

Reality check for me. Looks like I'll need to review my approach - currently in a similar setup to mumbo jumbo but leave everything on the bike and we are the last remaining tenant of a very large office tower block - soon to move next month and may have to park out on the street. I do lock the bike up but the accessories are there for the taking.

 

[steve52]

should have lied and screamed that they touch u inapropriatly untill they gave u all the bits

 

[marinyork]

Sorry to hear that. What light is it? Maybe you can get a spare mount, some companies like cateye do this for quite a few of their lights.

One of the reasons I have the lights I do on my bike is that the front ones are quick release and the whole lot goes off and the rear ones I can buy spare mounts if someone did nick them (which I hope they don't) or they wear down (happens).

 

[HLaB]

One of the reasons I have the lights I do on my bike is that the front ones are quick release and the whole lot goes off and the rear ones I can buy spare mounts if someone did nick them (which I hope they don't) or they wear down (happens).

Folk will nick anything but what can you do :-( My mate had a quick release seatpost and took that, only find to find on his return the clamp still there but the bolt gone!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

You probably stood a better chance of giving verbal to three blokes as a woman, than another bloke.

Well done you.

Get some with quick release, then it doesn't become a pain to remove. You can't leave anything on a bike. I even run a cable lock through my saddle rails when the bike is left unattended.

my ti brooks is chained on

 

[postman]

It's even worse when it's one of your own work mates .I used to leave my bike in the drivers yard.On the far wall.Whoever it was had a little walk to get to my bike .And found it funny to STEAL my quick release seatpost bolt .Thats inside ROYAL MAIL Never did find out who did it despite asking to see the security video .Maybe they thought it was not worth the hassle of investigating .

 

[summerdays]

Bad luck - and you have some courage (not so sure about sense ). I always take my lights with me - its a pain, and usually means they have dropped to the bottom of my bag by the next time I need them. (So I have multiple lights of the cheaper ones (not the Hope) so that I can always find some to hand (then you end up with spare brackets anyway!).

 

[Davidc]

My alarm got set off again yesterday at the gym. The little sh** kicked the back wheel before running off so I had an uncomfortable ride home and I had to spend an hour putting in 4 new spokes and trueing up the wheel. Fortunately the rim is OK. I had bad thoughts about what I'd have liked to do with the broken spokes though.

At least I've still got the bike, that place is known for bike thefts so I'm better off than some.