Looking for advice please

[rideinspireeatcake]

Hi
I am looking for advice please. I have had my bike stolen and it has appeared on ebay. I have reported it to the police and they have requested data on the seller from ebay but do not expect to get it before the auction ends. I have considered bidding on the item myself but if I do the seller will have my address and if he is the one who stole it then he will know its me. I don't want to buy it back obviously but just want to stall it to enable the police to do their bit. I also don't want to spook the seller and give him time to move it.
Any advice gratefully received.

 

[Deleted member 35268]

Good grief. Get someone you know to outbid everyone. Pay in cash, take the Police with you to collect bike and criminal.

 

[helston90]

Set up another e-mail address and e-bay account solely for this task and shut them down afterwards?

 

[Mile195]

Is the seller a new ebay user? (ie, do they have any feedback?). If so, then they probably have some traceable details registered. In this instance you could inform ebay, and they should be able to supply those details to the police directly.

If not, then there won't be any point since ebay won't know where they are either, and setting up a new account (as mentioned above), and taking the police with you to collect may still be the best option.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes...

 

[vickster]

Set up a fake delivery address, block your email?

 

[TissoT]

I was in a similar situation a few years back ..when some one broke into the house and removed some items inc full carbon road
bike . I spotted the frame on Fleabay and told the police .. After two days the auction closed .The frame was sold for cash Via a private cell number in the add .. the police started to trace all the calls in and out of the phone number in the Add
I was told by the police not to contact the seller or bid on the frame ... leave it to us .so I did as they asked
I heard nothing from them still to this day ..I suspect the police had them under surveillance for bigger crimes. Personally I would not get involved ..

 

[rideinspireeatcake]

Thanks very much for all your kind advice. It is good to hear others opinions. I have been advised not to get involved (not by police but by friends) as the price of a bike is not worth the risk when it's possible the guy who has my bike knows where I live. I actually think the police would not object to me winning the auction and then just going quiet to give them more time to get ebay to come up with the details.
It's so hard just to sit back and do nothing!

 

[AlanTh]

According to the Ebay listing, where is the bike located at the moment? Is it near your home?

 

[Crankarm]

What is the value of the bike and was it insured? If it is not a high value bike and you have got a new one from an insurance pay out the bike is legally no longer yours anyway but the property of your insurers. If this is the case just forget it and move on. If not hatch a good plan to get it back. Don't be fooled into thinking the police will get it back for you. They won't as bike theft figures pretty low on their to do list. You are after all, only a cyclist.

 

[rideinspireeatcake]

The listing is in my home town. There is no insurance claim on it and although not a very high value it is a good bike, is relatively new (ie less than a year old) and cant be replaced until the end of Jan at the earliest.

 

[cd365]

Bid on it, win it, go with a few mates to collect it, if he won't give it up call the police.

 

[biggs682]

The listing is in my home town. There is no insurance claim on it and although not a very high value it is a good bike, is relatively new (ie less than a year old) and cant be replaced until the end of Jan at the earliest.

can you prove its yours ?

 

[AlanTh]

Was it reported to the Police as stolen?

 

[rideinspireeatcake]

Yes I can prove its mine he has photos of it online and I can see 3 things which identify it as mine. I could give more if I could see it close up and I have given police the frame no. Auction has finished now and I decided to stay out of it. I really don't want any come back on me or my family. If the police get it back then great if not then I will just have to move on. It went for a steal so most potential bidders will have realised it was stolen.

 

[Pale Rider]

The police and ebay are usually useless in this situation.

The former can't be bothered, and if the latter clamped down on the sale of stolen goods they would hardly have a business left.

So I would win the auction and front the guy up, either with mates or without.

I'm not any braver than the next man, but I couldn't live with myself if I did nothing.

Might not get the bike back, but at the very least I would disrupt his criminal enterprise.

These swine will continue to prosper unless they are stood up to.