What to do if your bike is stolen

...and posted to stolen bikes thread

Yeah, I liked tizwas' Batman idea better anyway :)

yeah have already quizzed him. gifts from friends etc the usual response, even when i am clearly not believing him.

Inform the Cycle Task Force and/or your Safer Neighbourhoods Team first. Call them (especially the CTF) when you next see him in action so that they can check it out/quiz him.

Sympathy for all of you guys who had their entire bike's nicked. Just got out of the Cat and Mutton to find that my rear wheel had been taken from my bike locked on the railings outside. If anyone sees a black deep V on a blue phil hub (pretty distinctive...) being sold, I will reward. Better still, if you can get a photo of the fucker's face... It's not so much the thing but the principle of the matter. These people need to feel pain!

@oliver schnick thank you have let SNT know and just looked up the contact for CTF. i'll let them know next time i hear the saw / spray can...

Hey, not sure where to post this, but a mate told me that it has sometimes worked to put a picture of a bike on this forum, as some well meaning folk will look for them in the usual markets that stolen bikes are sold in. It was a Specialised Globe Vienna 3: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150345442841464&set=a.10150200204641464.312645.690051463&type=1&theater

Distinguishing markings include a set of Pinhead locking wheel, saddle and handlebar bolts...

This was the third of these I had, after the first two were nicked. I also lost a Subway bike three years ago, then one or two Ridgebacks (I forget how many now...)

This pic was taken at the end of Oct when the wheel was cut through in two places, and I just caught the b*gg$rs before they got off with the bike, doing enough damage to cover the insurance excess, but no more.

Then two nights ago, the bike was pulled off the railing it was attached to, presumably with a tow rope. The only evidence I still have is a railing that had sheared in two places. Seriously, something needs to be done about this bike crime problem..!!!

Sorry to see that you were raided by London's most stupid bike thieves. I'm sure that posting a picture here can help, but also post one to the Cycle Task Force. They often recognise stolen bikes, especially distinctive bikes, when they check Gumtree or markets or just plain see one in the street.

Someone tried stealing one of my bikes. They managed a wheel although they managed to bend the frame in the process. My excess was more than the bike was worth so it was shanks pony for a while..

The Met Police Cycle task force are speanding lots of time at LookMumNohands, old street offering bike marking etc...

Recently had my expensive MTB nicked, was well hacked off at the time but over it now. I'm actually quite pleased as it provided me with an excuse to get myself something new and having moved to Cambridge the most challenging thing to ride around here is overgrown bridle ways. Ended up getting my first fixed gear and havent looked back. Every cloud (: ...Ill still be promptly removing my bike from the new owners posession if I see at around though :#.

In Cambridge, a special task force set up a bike shop to catch the gang who were responsible for hundreds of thefts (mine included). Sure enough the scumbags were caught.

Ha. Nice one.

Best thing to do with bike thieves IMO. is chain them by the neck to a cycle stand until they die! Probably improve road safety no end, I expect they are the main ones who turn left across you, park in cycle lanes, open doors on you and can't see cyclists on roundabouts.

Yesterday my friend managed to retrieve a stolen bike that a fellow lfgss member spotted on gumtree. The following advice is based on what worked for us (and is mainly a repost from the stolen bikes thread):

If you see your stolen bike for sale online this is what to do:

Arrange to meet the seller by text message in a busy public place, during the week, and in daylight hours. (eg; a tube station).
Then contact the police station nearest to where you have arranged to meet the seller, and explain the situation.

The police don't have the authority to pose as buyers, so in arranging the meeting yourself, you will be bypassing a lot of red tape, and allowing the police to act far faster than they would otherwise be able to.

DO NOT go to meet the seller yourself; it is more than likely not worth the risk. The police will take care of everything once they know the meeting place / time.

They go in, pose as buyers and make the arrest, whilst you stick around to give statements / get your bike back.

So;
ARRANGE THE MEETING YOURSELF VIA TEXT MESSAGES.
THEN CALL THE LOCAL POLICE AND LET THEM DEAL WITH IT.

Yesterday my friend managed to retrieve a stolen bike that a fellow lfgss member spotted on gumtree. The following advice is based on what worked for us (and is mainly a repost from the stolen bikes thread):

If you see your stolen bike for sale online this is what to do:

Arrange to meet the seller by text message in a busy public place, during the week, and in daylight hours. (eg; a tube station).
Then contact the police station nearest to where you have arranged to meet the seller, and explain the situation.

The police don't have the authority to pose as buyers, so in arranging the meeting yourself, you will be bypassing a lot of red tape, and allowing the police to act far faster than they would otherwise be able to.

DO NOT go to meet the seller yourself; it is more than likely not worth the risk. The police will take care of everything once they know the meeting place / time.

They go in, pose as buyers and make the arrest, whilst you stick around to give statements / get your bike back.

So;
ARRANGE THE MEETING YOURSELF VIA TEXT MESSAGES.
THEN CALL THE LOCAL POLICE AND LET THEM DEAL WITH IT.

Yesterday my friend managed to retrieve a stolen bike that a fellow lfgss member spotted on gumtree. The following advice is based on what worked for us (and is mainly a repost from the stolen bikes thread):

If you see your stolen bike for sale online this is what to do:

Arrange to meet the seller by text message in a busy public place, during the week, and in daylight hours. (eg; a tube station).
Then contact the police station nearest to where you have arranged to meet the seller, and explain the situation.

The police don't have the authority to pose as buyers, so in arranging the meeting yourself, you will be bypassing a lot of red tape, and allowing the police to act far faster than they would otherwise be able to.

DO NOT go to meet the seller yourself; it is more than likely not worth the risk. The police will take care of everything once they know the meeting place / time.

They go in, pose as buyers and make the arrest, whilst you stick around to give statements / get your bike back.

So;
ARRANGE THE MEETING YOURSELF VIA TEXT MESSAGES.
THEN CALL THE LOCAL POLICE AND LET THEM DEAL WITH IT.

So, anything happen yesterday?

Apparently :)

Great to hear you got the bike back. edscoble deserves some credit for the tip off.

Thanks, Gaz, I'll work that into the OP. Good news, and it's good to hear that this modus operandi works. Why can the police 'pose as buyers' once they get to the scene, but not before? You seem to be saying as much:

The police don't have the authority to pose as buyers, so in arranging the meeting yourself, you will be bypassing a lot of red tape, and allowing the police to act far faster than they would otherwise be able to.

[snip]

** They go in, pose as buyers** and make the arrest, whilst you stick around to give statements / get your bike back.

I guess he means they can't set up stings but can walk along a road and act on intelligence telling them a thief is there.

That's what I thought, I just want to reflect the advice from the police accurately.

If your bike gets nicked in oxford- Post in the cycle oxford page.
A few bikes have been retrieved because member of that group have spotted bikes about :)

Thanks, Gaz, I'll work that into the OP. Good news, and it's good to hear that this modus operandi works. Why can the police 'pose as buyers' once they get to the scene, but not before? You seem to be saying as much:

Basically this is exactly what I am saying.

It's about the time it takes for police to get permission from on high to organise a sting operation; usually three or four days, by which time your bike may well be sold to someone else.

By organising the sting yourself, you bypass the need for this permission, and things can happen much quicker.

The need for permission is essentially the difference between, on the one hand, the police soliciting the appearance of a suspect by lying to them, and, on the other, a policeman acting on information about where and when a suspect is likely to appear in possession of stolen goods.

Apparently :)

Great to hear you got the bike back. edscoble deserves some credit for the tip off.

Indeed, Ed's absolutely brilliant - was totally on the case straight away!

The need for permission is essentially the difference between, on the one hand, the police soliciting the appearance of a suspect by lying to them, and, on the other, a policeman acting on information about where and when a suspect is likely to appear in possession of stolen goods.

Cheers, Gaz, that makes it clear.