Is it ever ok to steal a bike?

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StuartG

slower but no further
Location
SE London
Would be really nice if we had a rule that any vehicle left unused in a public space for 7 days was 'abandoned'. Might help to clear our streets of some four wheel obstructions too. Sort of creating a free car club without the subs and bureaucracy.
 
Like people have said, if it's an abandoned bike, and you are making efforts to find the owner, then it's ok. Dodgy ground though, so I'd be very careful - if I came across someone hacksawing off a bike I would be arresting them first, and getting your account in interview, after a house search! If you are dead set to do it, I'd be inclined to call the local police on their non emergency number, explain you have found a bike and leave your details. Different forces would then have different procedures, but all will cover you.

Ours for example would make a record of the bike on the property system, ask you to keep it for a month without using or altering it, and if no one claims it after a month, allow you to keep it.

Word of warning though, if the owner came forward later, they'd still have a legitimate claim to the property, even if you've spent money on it!

If when you call the local police they happen to say no, then just leave it!
 
Would be really nice if we had a rule that any vehicle left unused in a public space for 7 days was 'abandoned'. Might help to clear our streets of some four wheel obstructions too. Sort of creating a free car club without the subs and bureaucracy.

Off down to Heathrow car parks to get me a nice new car :thumbsup:
 

Hip Priest

Veteran
Scotty it's a shop called Start Fitness the one in the window doesn't count :whistle:

Another thumbs up. Their gear is very reasonably priced and the staff are great. I'm always picking up bits and bobs. Free energy gels with every purchase the other week too!
 

steveindenmark

Legendary Member
I have liberated a bike like this in the past. It had been dumped in a ditch and was there for about 3 months.

It was an old style racer and I smartened it up a bit and rode it for a while until I bought a new one. I then donated it to a second hand shop in town. That was about 3 years ago and I still see it around occasionally. I sprayed it bright yellow so you cannot miss it.


I see no harm in liberating bikes but only if they are genuinely abandoned.



Steve
 

DiddlyDodds

Random Resident
Location
Littleborough
Some good bargains in there at the moment, the SCOTT range of gear is way down in price, I've a couple of pairs of their bib shorts which I love :biggrin:

Cheers for that just looked on and got some nice shorts ...


On the subject of the "is it ok to steal" well we all know sealing is wrong ,,, all this "its abandonment so we can take it" crap is wrong ,, just the same reasons low life scum Squatters go into peoples property and live in it rent free "because it was unused so they have a right to use it"
 
OP
OP
Cyclopathic

Cyclopathic

Veteran
Location
Leicester.
years ago a friend of mine had his eye on a Marin frame locked up by the local library. It'd been there for months and everything bar the frame and forks had been stripped. He asked the police if he could take it, they had no problem as it's essential locked up litter, and they even stood by him as he took to the lock with a hack saw.


If there was something that I wanted I think this would be the best course of action. Like people have said mostly what gets abandoned is utter rubbish but now and then something half decent is left and it is disturbing to just watch it get destroyed when I could be mucking about with it. I'm not starting a sanctuary, I just like tinkering and restoring things. I'd probably end up donating it anyway after riding it a couple of times.
 
OP
OP
Cyclopathic

Cyclopathic

Veteran
Location
Leicester.
Hmmmmmm, I've spotted some nice ones in my LBS that have been there for months, wonder if the council would put a sticker on a couple of those for me?


Well quite. I've seen some in the bike racks in town which have been there for at least 20 minutes and have obviously been abandoned.:whistle:
 
OP
OP
Cyclopathic

Cyclopathic

Veteran
Location
Leicester.
Like people have said, if it's an abandoned bike, and you are making efforts to find the owner, then it's ok. Dodgy ground though, so I'd be very careful - if I came across someone hacksawing off a bike I would be arresting them first, and getting your account in interview, after a house search! If you are dead set to do it, I'd be inclined to call the local police on their non emergency number, explain you have found a bike and leave your details. Different forces would then have different procedures, but all will cover you.

Ours for example would make a record of the bike on the property system, ask you to keep it for a month without using or altering it, and if no one claims it after a month, allow you to keep it.

Word of warning though, if the owner came forward later, they'd still have a legitimate claim to the property, even if you've spent money on it!

If when you call the local police they happen to say no, then just leave it!

This sounds like fairly solid advice which I will follow should I ever get the urge. A house search would be terrible and could bring to light all them murders wot I done. (Just to be absolutely clear on this, the preceding sentence is a joke and I have definitely not done any murders.)
 

Freddyflintstone

New Member
Had to smile when I read the title

I rely on it - When its time to replace my BSO
I take off any usefull bits and leave in the local car park
The record uptill now until now before its gone is 3days
Saves me taking it to the tip
Amazing what people will take
(one mans food is another mans etc)
 

RedRider

Pulling through
There's a good business in South London which uses abandoned bikes from the police to train homeless people among others bike-building and maintenance skills. There's some kind of arrangement with the police/council/some other authority to get them legally. The lads and lasses get to keep the bike they've built. It's called Squeaky Chains

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