Stolen Bike :( (21st October)

[chops]

Just wanted to put it out there in the vain hope that someone might be able to help? I live in Peckham Rye and last week my bike got stolen from a secure(??!!) cage in our apartment block on solomon's passage. I think about 6 bikes have been stolen in total! Mine was a Ribble Road Bike (blue with white writing). If anyone has any information eg if any little turd has tried to sell same bike to you? I would be so grateful for info!

[SteveT]

It sounds like there may have been more than one little turd as six bikes went they must have had transport to load them into.

Thieving swine.

[womanofdulwich]

sounds like a planned/inside job to me.

[louisiana]

Really sad to hear about your bike being stolen. It's become a national epidemic.

Some general, personal recommendations on bikes that may help others below. Don't know if any of these might have helped in this case, and other people may have other/better ones.

Make your bike unique in some way (paintwork).

Take a note of the frame number (stamped into the frame, often near the bottom or on the underside). It may also appear on documents from when you purchased the bike.

Take photos of your bike. You'll kick yourself if it gets nicked and you have no photos to show anyone.

Register the frame number online: http://www.immobilise.com/

If you've got Smartwater, use it on different parts of your bike too.

Use two good locks at all times. That includes indoors or in a so-called secure facility.

One lock - to secure the frame to an immovable object - should be something like a Kryptonite New York 3000 i.e. a really good D-lock.

http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/cycling-accessories/kryptonite-new-york-3000-lock-review/

Use the other lock for securing the front wheel to the frame and/or immovable object.

Some great little London Cycling Campaign videos here about how to lock your bike:

http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1818

If all bikes were registered, and bike buyers insisted on seeing a valid registration with one of the national schemes, there would perhaps be a lot less bike theft. Maybe.

[Pearson]

Chops -

Keep a close eye on Gumtree over the next few weeks and i would also suggest visiting Brick Lane this Sunday morning.

I have retrieved a stolen bike from the scum thief through a Gumtree advert!

(don't waste you time calling the Police or gumtree if you see it there... Just go get it, be sensible about it of course)

If you have anymore details of the bike like steel/ alu frame etc might help if someone comes across it?

Good luck!

[tomchance]

louisiana Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Some great little London Cycling Campaign videos

> here about how to lock your bike:

> http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1818

Every cyclist should watch this video, it's amazing really that crap locks are sold. After watching the video it's also no surprise so many bikes get stolen from public places when you see how badly they've been locked up.

[binary_star]

The posts suggesting how to lock/secure your bike will be useful if you get a new one, but if you want to retrieve your stolen bike, I'd second Pearson's advice. Get up to Brick Lane, (even this weekend might not be too late) and definitely check Gumtree and even Ebay. It might be worth letting the police know as well - they do have a load of stolen bikes they have to auction off every now and then because no-one claims them. If you have proof the bike is yours then you can legally get it back if you do come across it - the police will seize it from the new owner. Unfortunate if some poor soul has bought it, but then everyone knows Gumtree/Brick Lane bikes are stolen.

Would be good to post a picture on here of the bike if you have one (or even a stock one of the same make/model), so we can keep an eye out for it. Might be worth posting on local cycling forums as well. I know a few bikes have been found by members from another forum who've spotted a stolen bike and slapped a lock on it until it can be retrieved by the rightful owner.

[Pearson]

Would be helpful to add that if you head up to brick lane or Gumtree etc, you must have frame number with you and hopefully also a receipt/photo of the bike. If you get the Police involved they will require proof, without that evidence they will be unable to help :(

But really do keep an eye out on Gumtree. It's a pit of stolen bikes!

If you'd like more info on stolen bikes and what to do etc try www.lfgss.com

and look for the 'stolen bikes' thread. Some extremely helpful posts and advice on retrieving them.

Good luck again mate.

P/

[jmac]

Hi, I live in Forest Hill, Wood Vale and had my bike stolen this week from my shed which is in the back garden. They broke open the door and took my red/black Specialized Allez mens racing bike. Fortunately they left the kids bikes behind. I did tell the Police but as its 5 years old I don't have the documents anymore, so I suspect I'll never get it back, even if I see it I can't prove its mine. The www.immobilise.com site mentioned above was recommended by the Police and looks worthwhile.

[mlteenie]

Check out www.bikeshd.co.uk too. It lists all the bikes for sale in London.

[Pearson]

jmac Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hi, I live in Forest Hill, Wood Vale and had my

> bike stolen this week from my shed which is in the

> back garden. They broke open the door and took my

> red/black Specialized Allez mens racing bike.

> Fortunately they left the kids bikes behind. I did

> tell the Police but as its 5 years old I don't

> have the documents anymore, so I suspect I'll

> never get it back, even if I see it I can't prove

> its mine. The www.immobilise.com site mentioned

> above was recommended by the Police and looks

> worthwhile.

__________________________________________________

Not sure how far back you keep bank statements.

But they (you bank) will have records of you spending the

monies at a certain bike shop. Just need to ask.

[untamedstylist]

sorry to hear that... its awfull.... i to had mine stolen from outside my flat a few weeks ago....

it was D locked and cable locked to a concrete pillar right outside my door in a block of flats.... thing is you need a key to access the block and im on the 2nd floor so mike was not visable to any genral public so had to be someone who lived on my floor, how horrible to know ur own neigbhours would steal from you...

i suspect its the same for u too im afraid!

reality tells me u wont get it back as i wont mine.... we can only hope karma will hit these horrible people back

[LadyTaTa]

Last week the front wheel of my bike was stolen, mine was also D-locked to a 'secure' cage in my block of flats. Still, makes a change... normally they just smash my car windows (yes, I have reported all of the incidents).

[ontheedge]

I would try the police as yesterday on my way home from work I saw the police with a bunch of very nice bikes I know that because I heard one of them say that's a really good bike and one was a Brompton it was like a job lot someone had dumped very strange! It was near St Thomas' but just shows the police get the bikes sometimes. Worth noting the serial number as this is what the police were checking.