Be careful in Richmond Park - possible bike jackings

mr.b-campag
mr.b-campag Posts: 393
edited April 26 in Road general

Went through RP on my way home earlier and had a couple of helmeted lads pull up alongside me on mopeds and exhibit a surprising fascination with my bike given their demographic...Eventually they realised it wasn't on their list and buggered off. This was at about 6pm today. A bit further on I saw some police and told them about it and the officer replied to the effect that they'd had some intel there might be some attempted bike jackings there (which might explain why they were in situ, don't know).

Though practically I'm not sure what being careful means: I guess either avoiding it for a while or riding a heap of junk like my bike...

Comments

  • oxoman
    oxoman Posts: 146

    Personally I think it means kick the little f#kkers off and pedal like f#ck whilst screaming like a 2yr old having a tantrum.

    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • Yep, avoid or ride a cheapo bike are essentially your only options. Unfortunately trying to have a go back just isn't worth the risk. It got quite bad around there at one point with weekly incidents of moped muggings didn't it?

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,333

    Last time there was a spate of these it was multiple people knocking people off bikes with mopeds and then threatening them with machetes.

    When they caught one, he got 6 months.

  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,586
    edited April 27

    You're very unlikely to outrun them and there's a good chance they are armed with more than harsh words.

    This guy is probably a fair bit faster than most of us, ok he's no mma fighter but at the point where you're facing down a 15" blade, it doesn't really matter.

    https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/cyclist-alex-richardson-bike-robbery-richmond-machete-roehampton-sentencing-b1075118.html

    Hopefully, if the police are aware, the fact that the park only has half a dozen gates will make it easier to catch the little sh!ts

  • pangolin
    pangolin Posts: 6,338

    Hah, I love that the only reason they caught one of the thieves was because he wandered into the same place the police were having a fry up. Not exactly the best episode of CSI London...

    - Genesis Croix de Fer
    - Dolan Tuono
  • seanoconn
    seanoconn Posts: 11,448

    They’ve always got less to lose than you unfortunately if it comes to confrontation.

    Pinno, מלך אידיוט וחרא מכונאי
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,367

    Took the EPO up to the Isabella Plantation this afternoon, saw a couple of lads on eMTBs join the road just ahead of me and rode away from me without pedalling at a fair rate. The balaclavas they were both wearing did make me wonder if they were up to no good.

    I had wondered if it would be possible to get away from an attempted jacking by going off road, certainly wouldn't be able to escape these things that way. Lucky for me my bikes are not that desirable compared to the average in Richmond Park.

  • dabber
    dabber Posts: 1,928

    Please don't refer to them as eMTBs.... if they weren't pedalling they must have been e-Motorbikes.

    “You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”

    Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut
  • oxoman
    oxoman Posts: 146

    We had a few near us on chicken chaser scooters and ebikes and unfortunately for them they stole from the wrong person. They got sorted and no more issues. Surprisingly enough the drug problems stopped for a bit as well. TBH the problems we get a pretty small scale compared to the RP and surrounding area.

    Too many bikes according to Mrs O.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,871

    Worrying. Any police action?

  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,367

    Yes, this is true, but they were converted MTBs and I didn't want to imply they were full on Motocross bikes.