Stolen bikes
EAlcock94
Posts: 12
Hi there everyone,
I've been lurking around here for a while, finally decided to post.
Something I've noticed in my time looking on these forums and various groups and seeing dodgy adverts in the UK is the amount of bikes that get stolen every day/week/month/year. And the frequency of this really did astonish and worry me (and persuade me to get a much bigger padlock for the family shed!). Even a few weeks ago, my friend woke up to find someone had taken a crowbar to his shed door.
Now, I spend a lot of my time in France, and I have to say I find the difference astonishing. At home, no matter where I lived, I don't think I'd feel my bike was safe unless it was left in the shed with the padlock on at all times, here, I'll gladly leave it out under the completely open roofed area in the garden, not locked, with nothing more than a good kick of the gate needed to get in, no alarm systems or anything, whenever I'm not riding it, and it's still here (touch wood). I know it's not the lightest, most carbon, fanciest thing on the planet, but it serves me perfectly well. (2013 Trek Domane 2.0 with a new wheelset).
I just find it a bit astonishing to be honest. And if were to be stolen from either place, I'd be more surprised if it were stolen from France than a padlocked and alarmed shed. Has anyone else felt like this or noticed this?
Elliott
I've been lurking around here for a while, finally decided to post.
Something I've noticed in my time looking on these forums and various groups and seeing dodgy adverts in the UK is the amount of bikes that get stolen every day/week/month/year. And the frequency of this really did astonish and worry me (and persuade me to get a much bigger padlock for the family shed!). Even a few weeks ago, my friend woke up to find someone had taken a crowbar to his shed door.
Now, I spend a lot of my time in France, and I have to say I find the difference astonishing. At home, no matter where I lived, I don't think I'd feel my bike was safe unless it was left in the shed with the padlock on at all times, here, I'll gladly leave it out under the completely open roofed area in the garden, not locked, with nothing more than a good kick of the gate needed to get in, no alarm systems or anything, whenever I'm not riding it, and it's still here (touch wood). I know it's not the lightest, most carbon, fanciest thing on the planet, but it serves me perfectly well. (2013 Trek Domane 2.0 with a new wheelset).
I just find it a bit astonishing to be honest. And if were to be stolen from either place, I'd be more surprised if it were stolen from France than a padlocked and alarmed shed. Has anyone else felt like this or noticed this?
Elliott
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Comments
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What City in France do you reside?I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles0
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I'm about 30km outside of Limoges.0
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I understand what you're saying, but I've spent time in tiny "hamlets" in the UK, far away from anywhere and with only a couple of houses and a farmer, but I still feel the same way, I wouldn't want to leave the bike outside then.
Maybe it's just my mentality with spending too much time out here, but it's simply a thought I had.0 -
EAlcock94 wrote:I'm about 30km outside of Limoges.
In which direction? My kids live on the road to Clermont Ferrand0 -
I think it isn't directly the thieves that are the problem, but the willingness of so many of s to buy something that is stolen. We create the market for them to sell the stolen stuff to.
If we stop buying stuff like that, I rather suspect a lot less will get stolen.
Paul.Giant Defy 2
Large bloke getting smaller :-)0 -
crispybug2 wrote:EAlcock94 wrote:I'm about 30km outside of Limoges.
In which direction? My kids live on the road to Clermont Ferrand
Is that a safe pace for them? Would they not be safer in a house than in the middle of a road 8)0 -
Back on subject. I live on a military base and although I keep my wife's hybrid along with my own in the shed, I would not dream putting either of my road bikes outside the house in the shed. I know not all people have the luxury of indoor storage but would you leave any other expensive item outside when you know theft is on the increase? Bikes are hit more nowadays because they are such an easy target. Sell them whole or sell them in bits they are a gold mine to thieveing w@nkers.0
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It all depends I suppose. Back home in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, I've had a couple of bikes stolen. One in front of my house, one ate uni, and one during a night out near the bars. Over here in Norwich (self proclaimed safest city in the UK) I once cycled to uni. Once there, I found out that I had forgotten the key to my lock. There is a bike shop on campus, but I was running late. So I wrapped my lock (cheap cable type at that too) sort of around the top tube and the rack and left it there. I considered taking off the wheel, but figured that it would only draw attention -as would I, casually walking around with a bike wheel). Short story long: end of the day; bike was still there.
That said, I store my racers inside the house.0 -
I live in the middle of Norfolk in a small town, I feel perfectly safe leaving my bike.0
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Smoggy, your on a military base and can't leave your road bikes in the shed! As an ex BT engineer I worked on a couple of military bases, army and navy, and I would be surprised of anyone could get a bike off camp, especially when on full alert, don't tell me that your 'mates' would rip you off and nick your bikes.0
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Guys, can we stop telling everyone that we don't lock our bikes up in Norfolk! I believe our ability to get away with this is partly due to a legendary Norfolk farmer and his shotgun!!0
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I've been on numerous military bases and I've never been ID checked or had my car searched on the way out - on the way in always but never coming out, just wave to the barrier technician and that's it!0
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Mickyg88 wrote:Smoggy, your on a military base and can't leave your road bikes in the shed! As an ex BT engineer I worked on a couple of military bases, army and navy, and I would be surprised of anyone could get a bike off camp, especially when on full alert, don't tell me that your 'mates' would rip you off and nick your bikes.
You would be surprised how many bikes get stolen from this place. Not necessarily for selling on, but just dicks jumping on a bike and dumping it. But for the time I have spent on this base , which is an old RAF base so it is massive, bike thefts have always been a problem. I used to blame the civilian guard element. Driving around at night, they had the opportunity and means of cutting locks and transporting bikes out. Just because there is a wire to live behind does not mean crime is eliminated. Do you think all forces are saints who would never commit a crime? On a base with near 2000 people on it, civvy and mil, you are going to get some arseholes.0 -
crispybug2 wrote:EAlcock94 wrote:I'm about 30km outside of Limoges.
In which direction? My kids live on the road to Clermont Ferrand
North. Near to Magnac-Laval.0 -
lmao, I even lock my bike up when I go to work.. its in the building under 2 cameras, finger print entry, manned security, & I still lock it up... go figure......0
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Haggis Hurler wrote:lmao, I even lock my bike up when I go to work.. its in the building under 2 cameras, finger print entry, manned security, & I still lock it up... go figure......
+1 - I try to never leave my bike unattended - when I commute it sits in my office with me, much to the amusement of work colleagues. At home its all inside and locked up. I do have a 'pub' bike which I will lock up, but its one that most tealeaves would not consider worth stealing.....Raymondo
"Let's just all be really careful out there folks!"0 -
any of the people saying they leave their bikes unlocked want to be slightly more specific with their locations? i'm just off to grab my balaclava :-)www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes0
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Well i live in Maidstone and my son has just informed me his friend has just gone home, left his bike outside and then seen a "Pikey van" drive off with it on the rear.
Nice!! 2 minutes and they have taken it.
I would like to think they are caught by anpr or something but it goes to show this being a £300 bike it could well have been a £3000 bike and people are obviously not embarrased about just literally taking something from someones front garden..0
