Stolen bikes

Good luck. Be safe.

Thanks!

Take a gang.

Call the Police immediately once you know the meet location(and you are nearby).
It will take them up to an hour to arrive and the person with your bike will surely want to leave.

Maybe ask a friend to take video (in a non-confrontational way), definitely take pictures of the bike they are holding.

Agree with go for it but take some friends & call police as soon as there. Be safe. Also be absolutely sure it is your bike. Serial numbers etc. There must be hundreds of those off the peg Trek hybrids knocking around.

Thanks for the support - do you mean call the police on the crime follow up number I was given to tell them I’m meeting the seller and the location? The operator on that was adamant that if I go to meet the seller then I’ll be on my own, they would be very unlikely to send an officer to support me.

Thanks. That’s what I’m worried about - how I’ll be able to view the underside of the frame to check the serial number. I’m going to message round friends and see what response I get. Thanks all for your replies.

If I were you I'd call 999 before you head over and tell them that you fear the criminal will get violent and that they should send an officer.

I'd also be tempted to just ask for a test ride, ride it off, and then have group of mates move in to surround and detain the criminal until the police arrive. That way you will have your bike back already when they realise they've been trapped. Less risk they will damage the bike or anything like that.

999
Tell them you are recovering your stolen bike, you have a crime number, the person doesn't want to return it and the situation is getting pretty tense/you are worried there could be violence.

This is what I did last week (and every other time..).

Or do what @hazzelfrazzel said..

:D

My friend had her bicycle stolen today in lewisham se13.
Thief picked the D-lock and left it behind

It’s a Decathlon rockrider 100

It’s not a bicycle typical for this site but theft is theft and she purchassed it with hard earned money and looked after it.
If you see it or have any suggestions as to what she can do next please let me know.

Cheers

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Thanks. Sadly, I checked back on the eBay listing earlier and it’s been taken off by the seller, not sure if they’ve sold it or whether the police somehow messed up and spooked them...so frustrating! I should’ve arranged a viewing sooner.

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Might've read about it on here

Yeah this is the risk. You post on here, thieves get scared.

Sad that the thief is part of LFGSS community.

They might have cross posted the bike for sale on Facebook etc. Hence the reason they took it down. Also they might be wary they can be spotted so only put the listing up for a short period of time. If you see it again arrange a meet call 999 and tell the police that you are getting your bike back with a crew and the situation is going to get violent. The police are generally useless until things are about to kick off.

Contact the deets on the photo(or me) if you see this distinctive bike.

Rode behind the owner(randomly, pre the theft) yesterday down Bethnal Green Road..

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Any identifying features? That’s a stock bike, no?

Sadly there are no identifying features :-(

Dang ok. Last 3 digits of serial code then? We get some dodge people with dodgy bikes, I can keep an eye out but don’t want to offend anyone. I’m not in Lewisham but close enough that it might cross my path.
Edit PM me if you want

This is my mate Kuba's bike.

Shit news and yeah his pride and joy!

It's a Mielec and you don't see that many around with the triple triangle and curved seat tube, I'll personally offer £50 for info leading to recovery!

Repost from ICC forum...

My mate has had his Specialized Diverge (2018, red, 58 frame) stolen from Bedford Row today. He’s new to riding and has spent most of lockdown getting himself ready for commuting. This is the first time he’s done the commute On this bike and is really upset.

Please keep an eye out, especially for the chap in these photos.

More pics here

https://twitter.com/unclemaxwell/status/­1291397372866682880?s=21

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I’m in Burgess Park right now, by Burgess Park Sports Centre (big 3G football pitches with fencing around it) and a guy is pottering around on the exact same model...
It’s 7:08pm on Friday - just in case you happen to see this and by some chance are nearby.

Does it have any unique or distinguishing marks or stickers on it?

Seen on twitter that Stoke Newington police have discovered 118 bikes they presume stolen. Someone said was on FB but not on that but might be worth keeping an eye on or asking if you’ve lost a bike in Hackney

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Thanks, interesting. I wonder if he means either of these structures?

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.5400524,-0.0717482,3a,49.4y,310.15h,87.59t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNciVZgJbbnxv4XbeK6njwg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The corrugated shed seems to belong to the property fronting Middleton Road, the one with the cars in the garden, and the garage seems to belong to the house fronting Albion Square. It may be that by 'garage' he means what on Google Maps is called 'Middleton recovery - car dealer', although the marker's placed a few doors along.

BTW, Google Maps is borked along Middleton Road. If you try to StreetView that part of Middleton Road, it sends you to Haggerston Road and labels it 'Albion Square'.

Anyway, that's definitely an important discovery, it seems to me.

Ha, I had exactly the same experience trying to have a look at it earlier. I think they mean the tatty garage thing, it's always looked incongruous in that area.