being followed home from trail centres

welshkev

guys, I think I was followed home from Bike Park Wales last week by a black BMW 3 series coupe. But I spotted him and turned around to get his number plate whilst stopped at traffic lights and he veered off into the other lane and sped off.

but more worryingly is this guy:

Yo
Just as a heads up, I was followed home from FOD today with my Capra on the roof all the way to Swindon
Wasn't sure at first, but it was a metallic blue mk5 golf (I didn't get the number plate, but I think was 54 plate) with 4 lads in it. I first noticed them near mitcheldean and wasn't 100% until I got nearer Swindon when I noticed they were still 4/5 cars behind me, so I made a couple of lane changes late near roundabouts etc and they did the same. Luckily, my car's fast and there's isn't, so made a late change in Swindon and disappeared off down a dual carriageway.

I know this has been going on for a while, Just a heads up to be aware.

Angus Young

Should have stopped and asked them what they were up to.

Chunkers1980

Seriously? People who nick things carry knives at least.

Ferrals

Thats a bit weird. was your bike on display and is it clearly expensive? it seems a bit much to follow someone home, you'd think it would be easier to rob them in the trail centre, especially somewhere busy when expensive bikes are just left on boot racks often.

Good work spotting it though - i'd never have noticed!

ilovedirt

Ferrals wrote:

Thats a bit weird. was your bike on display and is it clearly expensive? it seems a bit much to follow someone home, you'd think it would be easier to rob them in the trail centre, especially somewhere busy when expensive bikes are just left on boot racks often.

Good work spotting it though - i'd never have noticed!

It's a well known tactic - gotta be careful, these things are often well planned and aren't necessarily opportunists.

markhewitt1978

You would think if they want to take your bike they will wait until you're both stopped at lights; get one heavy guy to walk in front of your bike, the other one pulls a knife and tells you to get off, you aren't going to refuse.

ilovedirt

markhewitt1978 wrote:

You would think if they want to take your bike they will wait until you're both stopped at lights; get one heavy guy to walk in front of your bike, the other one pulls a knife and tells you to get off, you aren't going to refuse.

Presumably he was driving... They follow you home and then break in and nick your bike when you're out.

markhewitt1978

Ah right misunderstood. That is concerning! Maybe a fast vehicle change under a bridge is required.

welshkev

A lot of thieves aren't into violence, they're sneaky slimy cnuts (I grew up in an area that wasn't the best) they'd rather break in to steal something rather than face a beating.

there was only 1 guy in the car "following me" - I can't be 100% positive, but he didn't overtake me when I slowed to 50mph and kept up with me when I sped up to 90mph. it's a 30 minute drive to my place from BPW to my house and it's not really a route to anywhere and it was even more suspicious the way he sped off after I tried to get his number plate.

but having 4 guys in a car following you is a lot more worrying

welshkev

Angus Young wrote:

Should have stopped and asked them what they were up to.

yeah, that's a good idea :roll:

Angus Young

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Seriously? People who nick things carry knives at least.

welshkev wrote:

yeah, that's a good idea :roll:

Yes, seriously. You'd be surprised how effective the unexpected can be. Besides, if you don't stand up don't be surprised if people walk all over you. Plus, it's a real buzz afterwards!

cooldad

Angus Young wrote:

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Seriously? People who nick things carry knives at least.

welshkev wrote:

yeah, that's a good idea :roll:

Yes, seriously. You'd be surprised how effective the unexpected can be. Besides, if you don't stand up don't be surprised if people walk all over you. Plus, it's a real buzz afterwards!

Is the buzz from the morphine when you wake up in hospital?

markhewitt1978

I guess one of the best ways has to be to do a u-turn and drive in the opposite direction for half a mile or so, either they'll follow or more likely give up, or just pull over I guess.

tangled_metal

I got told a few years ago a popular thing for toe-rags to carry was a stanley knife with two blades in it. If they use it the blades separate and low and behold you are cutting a strip of skin and flesh out instead of just slashing the person. this means there is likely to be a really big scar they can't really do owt about. It happened to a lass I knew in passing, she had a nasty scar on the upper chin which she tried to cover with hair.

I only say that because it kind of gives you an idea of how vicious and vindictive in their thought processes people can be. I would not confront anyone who I suspected of following me with the idea to deprive me of anything, even if it was just my bike he wanted. I am no coward but I have met and known some dodgy guys over my years which makes me cautious possibly to the extreme. It only takes a split second to get stabbed in a bad way (if there is ever a good way, but a bad way I mean one which takes life).

Good heads up. I will not be getting a good MTB and cycle at BPW in the near future. Will keep an eye out for it at Grizedale Forest and other similar places but i doubt my bike is worth the effort.

lawman

Mates just had a similar thing happen to him, was followed back from Ashton court without him noticing and his bike was nicked. It's fecking pathetic and they all need a swift d-locking.

ilovedirt

lawman wrote:

Mates just had a similar thing happen to him, was followed back from Ashton court without him noticing and his bike was nicked. It's ******* pathetic and they all need a swift d-locking.

How do they know they were followed home if they didn't notice?...

Horton

Had a similar thing a few months ago - bike on the back of the car, had to nip into Halfords for no more than a minute. When I came out there was some dodgy looking bloke filming/photographing my car & bike from inside his car on his mobile (trying to look subtle but it was plainly obvious) As I drove past him on my way out of the car park, he pulled out and followed me for a good few miles (complete with random/quite late lane changes) until I pulled a last minute (non-indicated) dive down a narrow road into a maze of Suburban cul de sacs... Reported him and his number plate to the police just in case, but figure he was probably filming so if he saw my car on a drive, he would know the house/garage was likely to have the bike in...

Edit: Just seen the above - this was the Halfords right near the bottom entrance to Ashton Court

CitizenLee

If I noticed I was being followed I'd drive to the nearest police station.

welshkev

Angus Young wrote:

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Seriously? People who nick things carry knives at least.

welshkev wrote:

yeah, that's a good idea :roll:

Yes, seriously. You'd be surprised how effective the unexpected can be. Besides, if you don't stand up don't be surprised if people walk all over you. Plus, it's a real buzz afterwards!

you don't know me and I'm not saying I'm superman, but I'm not the type of guy who takes much sh*t from people. but stopping and confronting 4 blokes in a car is frankly ridiculous!

rockmonkeysc

I have been followed from Ashton Court a couple times. They gave up after a few laps around Keynsham.

tangled_metal

CitizenLee wrote:

If I noticed I was being followed I'd drive to the nearest police station.

And try to drive straight into their car park like you work there!!

homers_double

Never even considered this TBH but I'll keep a keen eye next time...

Angus Young

welshkev wrote:

you don't know me and I'm not saying I'm superman, but I'm not the type of guy who takes much sh*t from people. but stopping and confronting 4 blokes in a car is frankly ridiculous!

I would and have done. And on more than one occasion.

welshkev

Angus Young wrote:

welshkev wrote:

you don't know me and I'm not saying I'm superman, but I'm not the type of guy who takes much sh*t from people. but stopping and confronting 4 blokes in a car is frankly ridiculous!

I would and have done. And on more than one occasion.

you are my hero

Angus Young

Thank you.

Chunkers1980

Angus, were you Chuck Norris too in one of your many careers?

Angus Young

Chunkers1980 wrote:

Angus, were you Chuck Norris too in one of your many careers?

No, I just have a deep hatred for those that take the pîss and think they should get what they deserve. Unfortunately the law doesn't seem to agree with me on that last bit. I also don't understand why people just stand by and watch when someone else is getting done over. I've intervened four times in those circumstances in central London while others just stood and watched. On three of the occasions it led to arrest (for the other guys, not me!).

JBA

We were warned about this tactic last time we rode Llandegla (last summer). The Police were there engraving bikes with the owners' postcodes for free and registering the bikes. We got our bikes engraved and the guy that did it told us there had been a spate of bike thefts in the Wrexham and Chester areas that were attributed to the owners being followed home and then the scrotes returning when the property was unoccupied and stealing the bikes.

Qui3tman

JBA wrote:

We were warned about this tactic last time we rode Llandegla (last summer). The Police were there engraving bikes with the owners' postcodes for free and registering the bikes. We got our bikes engraved and the guy that did it told us there had been a spate of bike thefts in the Wrexham and Chester areas that were attributed to the owners being followed home and then the scrotes returning when the property was unoccupied and stealing the bikes.

Tad worrying that, going to 'degla next week with the new bike!

CitizenLee

Qui3tman wrote:

Tad worrying that, going to 'degla next week with the new bike!

Just take a trip home via the nearest cop shop

cooldad

Or take Angus with you