Stopping someone trying to steal your bike

[sidevalve]

I came out of my office one lunchtime to find my bike being stolen, and I completely froze. I couldn't have challenged the thief, as he was a big bugger with a neck tattoo, but on reflection I should have just shouted "Stop! Thief!" from a distance.

Not my finest hour, but it wasn't a very good bike anyway. And the police officer said 'better to lose a bike than end up getting stabbed'.

+1 for that. If it's 1 on 1 then maybe but even then these types of scum don't fight fair and if they're at the level of society that makes a habbit of stealing they'll probably be carrying a weapon of some sort.
Sadly we also live in a country that is basically a "criminals playground" and any violence commited against them is a possible lawsuit [or worse] againt you.

 

[matthat]

I have no particular story to tell but I must admit that I am cautious if I ever stop to help anyone with punctures because I have visions of it being a setup!
Also my bikes are worth more to me personally than there physical financial value as I don't have a car so rely on them for work and pleasure!

 

[GetAGrip]

If I was riding and someone tried to take my bike: I would push them away and ride away (even if it means breaking the law by going through a red light etc). My insurance doesnt cover bike-jacking as it isnt locked to anything.
Aaaah bless
If my bike was locked up: Where I leave my bike at college and work is in a very visible place with lots of people regularly passing it. However I would probably creep up behind the person, place them on the ground (by restraining them), and then get other people to call security.
Aaaah bless
If I saw someone elses bike being stolen: I would probably approach the person, point out my helmet camera, and then advise them to stop what they are doing. If they didnt then I would just call the police.
Aaaah bless

Please don't think me mean Matthew, for I mean you no harm .............unlike some brazen, maybe vicious and probably desperate (for the next fix) thug who is worried on a scale of 0 - 10 whether you choose fight or flight, or how many cameras you display.
If you really believe you should stand your ground and face them down, you'll need to brush up your survival skills and attitude a hell of a lot more, because IMHO I think you are.........well ..............just too damn nice
a guy.

 

[tyred]

 

[Hip Priest]

+1 for that. If it's 1 on 1 then maybe but even then these types of scum don't fight fair and if they're at the level of society that makes a habbit of stealing they'll probably be carrying a weapon of some sort.
Sadly we also live in a country that is basically a "criminals playground" and any violence commited against them is a possible lawsuit [or worse] againt you.

Agreed, but even in a fair fight this fella would've kicked my arse. He looked 'hard'. In fact, he gets bigger every time I tell the story!

 

[Davidc]

... Local and BTP plod say we have a problem with decent bikes being left unattended in the town and folk coming from miles away to see what they can nick.....

Quite common I believe.

I went back to my bike a couple of months back and it had a PCSO with it, playing with the alarm. It had gone off as a thief was taking another, unsecured, bike from the other side of the stand. The police were targeting a small gang who regularly visited the town, stealing any bike not locked up.

The police caught 3 of them, but I haven't spotted the case in the local paper so don't know what they got. The one who ran from the alarm, I was told, missed a delivery van by millimetres - not sure if I should view that as a failure or not, probably not but I wouldn't have had a lot of sympathy.

I've looked since, and I'm amazed at how many bikes aren't locked when left. Why any thief bothers with bike jacking I don't know. I normally take my lower value bike if leaving it (and I lock it with a D lock). It's not the sort of bike any serious bike-jacker would steal, but I could be a target when out riding the other one.

 

[Mugshot]

Agreed, but even in a fair fight this fella would've kicked my arse. He looked 'hard'. In fact, he gets bigger every time I tell the story!

This reminds me of a something which happened to me a number of years ago, not bike related I'm afraid.
I was the manager of a large retail store and was told by some of the staff that they suspected that we had a shop lifter. I was lead to the end of an aisle where I could see the suspect at the other end, he was a big bloke.
"Are you sure he's nicked something?" I asked
"Well he's been hanging around there for ages and he's acting dodgy."
"Ok, well I can't stop him unless he definitely has got something, so I'll wait at the front and you lot keep me updated."
Much to my disappointment I was informed that the chap had put something in his bag, so I now had to stop him outside if he made no attempt to pay, which of course he didn't.
I stopped him, and asked if he would return to the store with me etc etc All the time rather worried that it would kick off, he was certainly over 6ft and broad too, quite significantly bigger than me. Anyway, to my relief he came quietly back to the store and I took him to the managers office where it transpired he'd tried to nick an Airfix model. He then said,
"You wont tell my mum will you?"
"How old are you?" I said
"13." He replied
13
Either I could have been beaten up by a 13 year old or have beaten up a 13 year old, I would have lost badly either way, I was very glad he didn't start swinging.
This adds nothing to the topic and I apologise for wasting everybodys time

 

[Ciar]

Since restarting cycling back in December, my main aim was always to commute, but one thing that has always been in the back of my mind, is how safe is the route and this topic just brought it home, having grown up and lived in Ilford and now living a couple of miles down the road, my route will take me through Leytonstone, Maryland and Stratford and then into Canary Wharf, in all honesty it's the one thing I do think of and it's actually caused a mental block to get on the bike quicker and commute.. I am going to do it but i am not sure how I would tackle someone or a group of people trying to halfinch my bike!

 

[Teuchter]

Like any age-old problem, there's an age-old solution...
Self-protection on a cycle

"Take that, you cad!"

 

[steve52]

one allways be alert,to try to pedal off and if all else fails get religion,= stand with yoyr arms spread like a crucifix.makeing sure you have there left testi in your right hand and there right testi in your left hand! i have no time for peolple who pray on others and think we should be much much harder on the buggers grrrrrrr

 

[Mugshot]

Like any age-old problem, there's an age-old solution...
Self-protection on a cycle

"Take that, you cad!"

Drago (whatever happened to him?) used to teach self defence using a bicycle, something like that anyway, or at least he said he did and I believe everything I read on the internet.

 

[ufkacbln]

Slightly OT, but I am basically a coward, and with a dodgy hip cannot run away very fast!

However I have a loud voice!

Only ever happened once, but saw someone taking too close an interest in my bike padlock

So shouted.....

"Police stay where you are!"

They didn't and ran away!

 

[ufkacbln]

View attachment 23570

Guns as cycling equipment

Best way to carry a gun whilst cycling

 

[woosey]

Since restarting cycling back in December, my main aim was always to commute, but one thing that has always been in the back of my mind, is how safe is the route and this topic just brought it home, having grown up and lived in Ilford and now living a couple of miles down the road, my route will take me through Leytonstone, Maryland and Stratford and then into Canary Wharf, in all honesty it's the one thing I do think of and it's actually caused a mental block to get on the bike quicker and commute.. I am going to do it but i am not sure how I would tackle someone or a group of people trying to halfinch my bike!

I live in south woodford and commute to East Ham everyday (via the greenway at stratford) not had any issues yet...

 

[Blue Hills]

I live in south woodford and commute to East Ham everyday (via the greenway at stratford) not had any issues yet...

I'd avoid any of those traffic-free cycleroutes after a certain time at night. The old Peckham canal route is very nice but I woudn't go down there after a certain time - you are totally alone. I reckon early in the morning quiet is OK though - the ner-er-do-wells will probably be sleeping the night before off and won't be hanging around somewhere so boring.

I know someone who was mugged twice on one bit of nice London traffic-free bike engineering/landscaping.