Are Stolen bikes being sold through some bike shops?

DonDaddyD

While, I've always got the impression that stolen bikes are sold by the thieves themselves this may not be the case. There could be a shop fueling the trade. In truth bike theft could be much larger and much more organised in the same way car theft has galvanized itelf into a full sometimes continental operation.

Is there a shop fueling bike theft, by sourcing stolen bikes and stripping them down and selling them on with different parts?

If so, should the shops be targeted?

What are the signs we should look out for or be wary of?

Radioactiveman

I would say eBay is a more likely source of sales. Never really thought about it to be honest

Rich158

I very much doubt it. In my experience most LBS's get a list of stolen bikes from their local police station and are always on the lookout for anything dodgy. Every time I've had a bike stolen, and I've had 6 nicked in the last 10 years, this has been the case.

The information I've had from the police is that the bike generally goes on e-bay, or gets sold in the local pubs for a pittance. In reality there are very few gangs operating on a national level, it's usually some scrote who decides to do all the garden sheds in his local area, and then they go through his mates. Mostof the scum who nick bikes don't know the true value of what they're taking, and a couple of hundred quid per bike is big money to them.

Monkeypump

All of the lbs I use have a tiny second-hand bike turnover (or none at all). Can't imagine it would be worth the risk for the money they'd make.

navt

Funny you mention this. I had my beloved Genesis stolen last week from my garden shed. Gutted. I reckon it is still local and the idiot is trying to figure out how to use the pedals.

I am keeping an eye out. Wishful thinking I know.

Rich158

I know most of my bikes stayed local to me. I'm pretty sure I saw one of them about 6 months after it was taken, but with different forks etc. It wasn't something I could prove, and in any case the guy who had it may have purchased it without even knowing it was stolen. Most of my mountain bike frames have been second hand, and if I'm being honest I have no way of knowing whether they were stolen goods or not other than a gut feeling that the seller was genuine as could answer any questions with a fair degree of knowledge about the frame

cee

Rich158 wrote:

Most of my mountain bike frames have been second hand, and if I'm being honest I have no way of knowing whether they were stolen goods or not other than a gut feeling that the seller was genuine as could answer any questions with a fair degree of knowledge about the frame

this is exaclty my feeling.

vibe of the seller has a huge place in my decision to go through with a 2nd hand transaction or not.

my guess would be that shops are not generally involved in the selling of stolen bikes or components...actually...I have never seen a shop that sells 2nd hand components....

ebay/gumtree/carbootsale etc

londonbairn

I've seen a few items advertised on Gumtree in person..ranging from a blatantly obviously stolen bike (was a nice Bianchi with spokes cut through I guess from when the bike was stolen) and the bloke had no idea about the bike, spoke like a chav, to items with purchase/service history etc. I bought my Bianchi off a guy on eBay a year ago, he had everything, servicing manual, receipts...

Can get some real bargains second hand. Got my Wilier La Triestina for £500 in pristine condition when it is £1150, and a ROI Monster with Dura Ace for a third of its retail cost, both barely used.

bobs bikes

most LBS's round here will not touch any bikes unless they have the origional reciepts for the bike in question. most thieves just sell them on to second hand shops for a tenner. we as a shop do not entertain any sales off the street, even if they do have the reciepts. everyone is treat the same, grannies or smack heads!
you can usually tell though,...
mate, you want to buy this bike?
NO.
why, its not nicked or owt!
GET OUT!

Mikelyons

navt wrote:

Funny you mention this. I had my beloved Genesis stolen last week from my garden shed.

I also had a Genesis (Day 02) stolen from Surbiton station last year.
The very next morning, I spotted virtually the same bike on Gumtree,

Picture shown was a library picture, but everything else was the same as my bike.
Agreed to meet the vendor at Paddington station - he never showed up or answered his mobile for the next week either.

The adverts also disappeared from Gumtree the next morning.

From what I remember , over 50% of bikes on Gumtree were sold with just a moble number & just a basic address (like Paddington Station).


Theft was captured on CCTV, for what it's worth.
Police said that the thief obviously knew what he was doing as he kept his back to the
camera at all times , so they had no face to identify.

At least it was insured

Mike

oscarbudgie

Top three destinations for nicked bikes I'd imagine would be Gumtree, Ebay and car boot sales - there's some guys who do a few car boots near me - always have 10 -15 new'ish (usually 1 - 4 years old at a guess) commuter hybrids, mtb's and the occasional road bike very cheap....

prj45

I've been advised its those pawn type shops they get sold through, although some have been tightening up their act apparently.