Urgent: stolen bike on ebay found

[denyse]

Hi,

I've just found my bike being auctioned on ebay. I have contacted the police and ebay, but there seem to be some reluctance to help. I am unable to produce my frame number but my bicycle has a distinct mark on it. The photos on Ebay and the descriptions were a perfect match with my bicycle. Can someone please advice, before the auction ends on monday at 19.00. Thanks

 

[denyse]

yes!

 

[Monsieur]

Hope its not the one I just bought?!?

 

[denyse]

I've tried calling the police up but theres no way of compensation then.
Don't worry Monsieur, the bid ends on monday

 

[Monsieur]

keep us updated - Hope you get lucky!
Surely if you have evidence that the bike is yours then the police have to act, don't they?

 

[400bhp]

I seem to recall a few people and certainly a newspaper story, where the bike was bought buy the real owner. Once at the premises of the seller, the real owner called the rozzers and then the rozzers turned up.

If possible, then see if you can win the bike in auction, then go down and collect it. If it's yours phone the coppers. Clearly you need your wits about you, would clearly help if someone is with you and weigh up the situation when you arrive.

 

[400bhp]

We don't know that though do we.

As per the case in the paper - the seller was arrested.

Also, there's no certainty the seller knows it's stolen.

 

[gaz]

I recall a colleague selling his bicycle on ebay (or similar).
When the winning bidder turned up to collect the bicycle. He brought the police with him and they checked over the bike as he believed it was his stollen bicycle that my colleague was selling.

It wasn't his bike and I can't remember if they guy still bought it.

 

[Drago]

I've been to a good few dozen if these over the years and not once was it the bike the person thought it was.

 

[Nebulous]

A colleague from Eastern Europe had an old bike and got fed up with it, so got his parents to send over his good bike from home. He had it about 6 weeks when it got nicked and turned up on Gumtree. Somebody two streets away had it and cleverly photographed it in his own garden with shed and garden furniture clearly visible. Model and colour were not available in the UK.

He couldn't get the police to do anything. They tied him in knots, with things like- get a report from a bike shop saying that isn't a UK model. It took 10 days before they moved and by that time the bike was gone. The guy denied it was stolen. The police told my colleague "Don't worry he's selling a lot of bikes, we'll catch him eventually."

 

[classic33]

Hi,

I've just found my bike being auctioned on ebay. I have contacted the police and ebay, but there seem to be some reluctance to help. I am unable to produce my frame number but my bicycle has a distinct mark on it. The photos on Ebay and the descriptions were a perfect match with my bicycle. Can someone please advice, before the auction ends on monday at 19.00. Thanks

Got an item number for it. If more than one person starts bidding on it, it may mak it less obvious if you do check.

 

[ianjmcd]

yeah post a link to the auction

 

[MrJamie]

Will the police go if you phone and tell them you're going to take it back from a crim?

Maybe you could get some "backup" from local cyclists, or hire Drago for the day

 

[stephec]

How about asking the guy if you can go and give the bike a look over before the auction ends, it might give you a chance to weigh your options up if he agrees?

 

[Gary E]

How about asking the guy if you can go and give the bike a look over before the auction ends, it might give you a chance to weigh your options up if he agrees?

The only problem with that is that if he did swipe it he may recognise the guy he stole it from
If you do decide to go down this route take a friend.