Stolen bikes

I'm trying to set up a twitter account to Tweet alerts for stolen bikes. The theory being that people who follow http://twitter.com/stolenbikeuk can receive alerts about stolen bikes and perhaps be on the look out for them.

There is a similar project which has just been set up in the US in Boston (http://www.stolenbikesboston.com/index.html) however this relies on a separate web page for aggregating information. Whilst I think this is a great idea and would be achievable with the right kind of backing, I wanted to try and get something going right away.

The best idea I have come up with so far is for people to Tweet their loss to @stolenbikeuk with the tags #stolenbike and #makeandmodelofbike * and then to add any further info or links to where further info can be found. It would then be up to me to copy and paste the info and re-post it on http://twitter.com/stolenbikeuk which would then send out the alert to people following @stolenbikeuk.

The drawback to this is that it relies on me being at my computer all day or having a handheld device to repost the tweet - neither of which is the case at the moment.

Useful idea? Crap idea?

If it doesn't seem like a bad idea does anyone have input to make improvements?

• I added the #stolenbike #makeandmodelofbike to allow easy searching for suspect bikes.
  

i think this might be a good idea. If enough people are on it it would create a type of neighbourhood watch for bikes. If a bike gets stolen you post where it was stolen and what the bike looks like and people in the area can keep an eye for it.

Hashtags will only work if enough people know about it.

dayno was able to photograph an individual who was allegedly selling a bike similar to mine.

My bike had a Cyclopedia sticker and a silver sticker with the number 21 - dayno told me the bike being sold had an Evans sticker. This may have been put on to make it look different but not really sure.

dayno spotted the seller+bike being sold to two women or the other way round who walked to a cashpoint. This happened on Friday on Hoxton Square around 7pm.

Heres the photo from dayno:

what day was that photo taken?

what day was that photo taken?

I knew I forgot something - yeah the photo was taken on Friday.

the girls are just behind, weird situ to be in, but he was mighty uncomfortable being there and i kinda must have let on as soon as my eye's hit the bike, and i stuck around trying to work out what was going down so he knew i was interested in what was happening....

sorry, technology limited me in this case, just thinking of that ratcatcher that was spotted and sent via phone ended up being returned to the fella from bike fix - was brilliant bit of work... hippy managed to get something up later that eve though

so yeah if ya see a guy looking like this again may be time to take some action...

dan

STOLEN CHARGE PLUG RACER - BLACK - LARGE

Hey gang.

Sadly I'm having to post a plea for someone to spot my recently stolen bike too.
I had a large Charge Plug Racer. It was black, instead of the usual chrome. According to hotwheels it was a limited run so there are less of them about. I actually had to order the last one in the country directly from hotwheels so it's not replaceable. I'd only had it 2 months so it still looks new. It was insured but not for the full amount (was so new I hadn't updated insurance yet). It should be pretty easy to spot because of the white rims, white drops and white text on black frame, and, in my opinion, looks awesome.

It was stolen from outside Whitechapel Sainsbury's, Tuesday 11th, while I was inside for 20 minutes. The shops CCTV was down and according to police not recording either. God knows how they broke the lock so quick and in front of people too!

Obviously I'm mighty pissed about the whole thing so if anyone sees it or has any info please please gimme a shout. And the beers are on me if you find it!

carl

Bad luck dude. I will keep an eyeout in shoreditch and London Fields area for you.

Appreciate it muchly Fran

Yo,
file:///Users/useruser/Desktop/3720335288_5eceda0b35.jpg[/IMG]

Nice links.

Could be done automatically with applescript. Obviously you'd need to be running a mac though.

I'm trying to set up a twitter account to Tweet alerts for stolen bikes. The theory being that people who follow http://twitter.com/stolenbikeuk can receive alerts about stolen bikes and perhaps be on the look out for them.

There is a similar project which has just been set up in the US in Boston (http://www.stolenbikesboston.com/index.html) however this relies on a separate web page for aggregating information. Whilst I think this is a great idea and would be achievable with the right kind of backing, I wanted to try and get something going right away.

The best idea I have come up with so far is for people to Tweet their loss to @stolenbikeuk with the tags #stolenbike and #makeandmodelofbike * and then to add any further info or links to where further info can be found. It would then be up to me to copy and paste the info and re-post it on http://twitter.com/stolenbikeuk which would then send out the alert to people following @stolenbikeuk.

The drawback to this is that it relies on me being at my computer all day or having a handheld device to repost the tweet - neither of which is the case at the moment.

Useful idea? Crap idea?

If it doesn't seem like a bad idea does anyone have input to make improvements?

• I added the #stolenbike #makeandmodelofbike to allow easy searching for suspect bikes.
  

no way this can be genuine, read the ad copy.
anyone lose one of these?
http://www.gumtree.com/london/58/43853158.html

Just send Ted (superted) a text message informing him about that.

that if he hasn't change his number for year!

I looked at the phone number thread, cant find it. So maybe someone here will have it.

I already have it, I'm also informing andy too since he know ted.

Could be done automatically with applescript. Obviously you'd need to be running a mac though.

I think I've found a solution by creating a Twibe - twib.es/GW8 . Followers of the Twibe (hate these nerdy names) can post directly through the Twibe homepage and alerts are sent to all followers of the Twibe immediately.

The Twibe group page will also, after a period of time, pick up all Twitter posts with the tags #stolenbike and/or #stolenbikeuk.

So if I've got this right, the job is done. Use the Twibe page to post alerts that will be picked up immediately. @stolenbike with the relevant #tags for a less immediate response. Or, if you don't want to follow either but still want to post an alert to the stolenbikeuk twibe page just use the #tags.

Obviously for any of this to stand a chance of being of any use it requires people interested enough to follow either the Twibe or Twitter feed for stolenbikeuk. At the moment you've got me and three others ...

I think I've found a solution by creating a Twibe - twib.es/GW8 . Followers of the Twibe (hate these nerdy names) can post directly through the Twibe homepage and alerts are sent to all followers of the Twibe immediately.

The Twibe group page will also, after a period of time, pick up all Twitter posts with the tags #stolenbike and/or #stolenbikeuk.

So if I've got this right, the job is done. Use the Twibe page to post alerts that will be picked up immediately. @stolenbike with the relevant #tags for a less immediate response. Or, if you don't want to follow either but still want to post an alert to the stolenbikeuk twibe page just use the #tags.

Obviously for any of this to stand a chance of being of any use it requires people interested enough to follow either the Twibe or Twitter feed for stolenbikeuk. At the moment you've got me and three others ...

Is it not possible to do this on Facebook? Surely most people on here have an account already, and I would imagine most don't use the sites you suggest. Just an idea, I could be totally wrong!

Just thought i should update on a recovered bike. Stolen friday night outside The George in Dalston. Brick lane on sunday, bike turns up after a few hours hanging around, sprayed black and gold like many other bikes being sold there. Buyer turns up, and walks with the seller to the cashpoint. I follow them and call the police. Police turn up, handcuff the seller and take the bike away. An hour or so later after giving the police a statement, i leave the station. 1 minute before i leave i see the thief/seller leave the station with a mate.

the whole thing is becoming textbook.

Just thought i should update on a recovered bike. Stolen friday night outside The George in Dalston. Brick lane on sunday, bike turns up after a few hours hanging around, sprayed black and gold like many other bikes being sold there. Buyer turns up, and walks with the seller to the cashpoint. I follow them and call the police. Police turn up, handcuff the seller and take the bike away. An hour or so later after giving the police a statement, i leave the station. 1 minute before i leave i see the thief/seller leave the station with a mate.

the whole thing is becoming textbook.

Glad you got your bike back. Did the police say anything to you about the thief ?

Just thought i should update on a recovered bike. Stolen friday night outside The George in Dalston. Brick lane on sunday, bike turns up after a few hours hanging around, sprayed black and gold like many other bikes being sold there. Buyer turns up, and walks with the seller to the cashpoint. I follow them and call the police. Police turn up, handcuff the seller and take the bike away. **An hour or so later after giving the police a statement, i leave the station. 1 minute before i leave i see the thief/seller leave the station with a mate.
**
the whole thing is becoming textbook.
excuse me while i pick up pieces of my skull off the floor. what a joke.

STOLEN CHARGE PLUG RACER - Chrome - Medium

Last night (Friday 21st August) on Lauriston Street, E9, here. Thought I could Fahgettaboudit but I was wrong £100 worth of locks means noubt. Anyway it's a standard build has a Tour de Ville sticker on it - dunno why I mention 'casue I doubt it'll still be on it when they sell it. If you see it please shout. Or buy and I'll replenish your funds.

Cheers,

Anyone for a stroll around Brick Lane on Sunday...

This is a F* joke the cops need to do something, the disused garage on Mare street is being squatted by travelers and is full of bikes, I told a copper on Broadway market and he just shrugged his shoulders disinterested.
If people were selling stolen cars on brick lane on a Sunday, it would be different story for the Police
We all need to start getting the entire LFGSS members to get all the bikes back every Sunday.

STOLEN CHARGE PLUG RACER - Chrome - Medium

Last night (Friday 21st August) on Lauriston Street, E9, here. Thought I could Fahgettaboudit but I was wrong £100 worth of locks means noubt. Anyway it's a standard build has a Tour de Ville sticker on it - dunno why I mention 'casue I doubt it'll still be on it when they sell it. If you see it please shout. Or buy and I'll replenish your funds.

Cheers,

Anyone for a stroll around Brick Lane on Sunday...

badpoppers, I'm sorry your bike was stolen, but it sadly appears that you may not be the first person to have a bike stolen, when locked with a Fahgettaboudit. The important thing, apart from recovering your bike, is for us to know exactly how you had locked the bike. Please could you tell us, how the lock was passed through the bike, and what object they were locked to. Also how long you had left the bike.

**So far, there has been one other bike that was stolen, that had been locked up with a **Fahgettaboudit.
**However, it was later established that the locking technique wasn't quite correct, or very advisable at all. **

You may, or may not know, that I author the Locks That Work thread, so I do try to keep up to date with all developments on there. You help would be invaluable. Even if there was an issue with the way you locked the bike up, its important we know. All knowledge pooled on here, helps so many others. Thanks in advance, and I hope you are lucky in getting your bike back.

I knew I forgot something - yeah the photo was taken on Friday.

Me and Sharkstar were at that bar in the background; in fact I think Nigel is in the picture. Sadly we didn't notice anything going on probably because we were too busy keeping an eye on our own bikes across the road.

Stolen Bike: Iron horse Transit frame 52" , black racepro stem. black faltbars, black brooks saddle, camo green with black tape around crossbar and small 'LOOK' sticker on side. Black Columbus carbon forks. Please be on the look out. South London. Clapham, Balham, Wandsworth, Norwood area.
Got robbed from me at knife point on wandsworth common, chased him, but didn't catch him... Cheers

Pic soon