Anyone been to meet the criminal?

dizzydane

(I posted this in the stolen section, but thought I'd get more of a response here...)

My boyfriends bike was stolen on Tuesday night and I've just arranged to meet the seller this afternoon.

The police are coming around to do the report at lunch time and MAY accompany me to go and 'buy' the bike back.

Anyone ever done this?

AndyRubio

wow never heard of this but it's fascinating

question is: how do you know it's your boyfriend's bike?

dizzydane

Haha! This is exciting!

There was a pic on gumtree (I've since had the ad removed) and I managed to get the seller to provide some additional details - mudguards, bike computer, lights

He won't provide an address - wants to meet in a public place that's not even 10 mins from where the bike was stolen...

Yes - Besides the guy sounding a bit dodgy, I understand this may not be his bike, but that's why I'm going to have a look

drewfromrisca

Be very careful. Few incidents with "Gumtree" last year, including a fatal incident involving a stabbing.

Bunneh

Please be careful.

dizzydane

Thanks guys! Police wouldn't let me go with them. Far too much risk as I work in the area.

They are down there now at the meeting point waiting for the guy to show up... Fingers crossed.

The Police have been fantastic about this!

alexgomy

I've done this. Not with a bike but a snowboard i had stolen a few years back. It turned up in loot weeks after being robbed. I went along (with the police) meet the seller (thief) with my firend, identified the snowboard, then made up some excuse to leave, i think i said i was nipping to the cash machine to get some money. Went outside told the police it was my snowboard. They went in and arrested the thief. If i remember rightly i didn't get my snowboard back there and then, i had to pick it up from the plice station a week or so later. I never did find out what happened to the thief.

tebbit

Compare and contrast this attitude by the police to the one mentioned by Trisexual

GiantMike

If you do get to meet the thief, tell the Police he touched you in a pervy way. Get him sent down and branded as a nonce!!

dizzydane

Success!!!!

They arrested the guy AND we got the bike back! Big thanks to Keighley and Louise from Walworth Police Station!

One thing I've learn't is that Evans do not keep the bikes serial number, so anyone who has bought a bike from them, please write this number down.

Next EVERYONE register your bike on: http://www.immobilise.com. Police will stop randoms on bikes and run the serial number. They'll know instantly if the bike is stolen.

And, should you loose your bike, check out this great site that shows bikes advertised on gumtree and Ebay - http://bikeshd.co.uk (this is how I managed to contact the 'seller' this morning).

- Right I think my man owes me a beer

drewfromrisca

Yea can't big up immobilise enough. I use it myself for most things in the house (phone, camera, computer etc). I work as a safer officer in a school and always get the kids to put there stuff on there in case they get robbed.
Nice result there dizzydane. good investigation skills

Cleat Eastwood

Bikeradar's very own Miss Marple.

Glad it had a happy outcome.

dizzydane

Haha! Don't make me change my profile pic...

Round 2... may search Gumtree my friends stolen bike computer 8)

Scrumple

I've lost my virginity.
Can you help?

TommyEss

Nicely done - will "immobilise" all of mine tonight - particularly as one is from Evans.

Cheers, and well done again.

tebbit

Excellent result

Ben6899

Good work dizzydane. I'm so glad it worked out right and not messy.

Splottboy

CSI Moss Side...

Bunneh

yes I was bored.

Scrumple

Was he charged ??

Theft, or handling? Age?

Good show.

deptfordmarmoset

Well done, dizzydane and a good police team who seem to have really been on the case - knowing that the police will take bike theft seriously has got to be positive news. I hope the missing computer wasn't one of those really expensive ones.

Meanwhile, on the subject of stolen bikes, today's LCC newsletter mentions bikeshd.co.uk ( http://www.lcc.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=1925 ) as a good way of scanning bikes that appear on the market, ebay and gumtree. Might be a useful link to bookmark just in case .

dizzydane

Bunneh - love the work!!!

Update - Guy is 16 and was detained last night, but they can't say how long they can hold him for. His phone is being kept as evidence and my details will be removed as well as the messages.

Turns out he belongs to a gang of kids that operate in London Bridge and his friend (who tried following me yesterday after the indecent) has been arrested on numerous occasions.

He'll be interviewed today and because of his age I'm sure he'll get off with a slap over the knuckles... I've been warmed to keep a look out for them in case they turn up on our premiss. However, in future should they be seem in the area, instant arrest.

At the end of the day, him and his buddy will think twice before they try sell their next stolen bike. For the rest of us, the police do not have the resources to investigate each individual bike case, so if your stolen bike does turn up advertised online, the police will be on hand to help out.

Haha! Case closed!