Stolen Bikes Thread - Mod Note please read post #1 before posting

Muahahaha · 20-02-2015 2:20pm

Further to Garda inaction on bike thefts it is interesting to see how they deal with the theft of cattle this morning with a joint press conference with Crimestoppers and the IFA and €10,000 rewards on offer for information leading to arrests.
The stats on cattle theft (according to the IFA)
2013 319 animals stolen
2014 159 animals stolen
2015 (to date) 59 animals stolen

According to the Dublin Cycling Campaign there has been somewhere in the region of 20,000 bicycles stolen in Ireland in 2014 yet the powers that be seem to be sitting on their hands. But when the farmers come calling the Gardai launch press conferences, information campaigns backed up by €10,000 rewards.

Farmers have every right to have their property protected and the Gardai should be commended on that. But conversely cyclists have those same rights yet despite bike thefts being a much more lucrative business than cattle stealing all we hear about is the cattle stealing. Says it all really about where power lies in this country IMO.

On a side note I had an attempt on my bike last Saturday night approx 12.30am. I locked it on Dame Street to go into a newsagents on my way home, I locked it in the location specifically as it has high footfall so I thought that would be unattractive to a thief. No such luck- I came back to my bike to find two lumps taken out of my U-lock. Luckily it held up and did its job but it was a real eye opener for me, I was barely in the shop 5 or 6 minutes and there was an attempt on it in a spot where dozens of people were walking by every minute. It really shows how out of control this problem is and how theives are operating with complete impunity as they see fit.

Yanu · 20-02-2015 3:26pm

Wow… loads of bikes stolen. I reckon no bike should be bought second hand without the original receipt from the seller or at least the buyer should scan/photograph the ID of the seller

Pinch Flat · 20-02-2015 3:47pm

Yanu wrote: »

Wow… loads of bikes stolen. I reckon no bike should be bought second hand without the original receipt from the seller or at least the buyer should scan/photograph the ID of the seller

Didn't this help the cash for gold business, in that you now need passport / Id when bringing gold in for selling. A bike that can be several hundred quid should be no different.

Oldlegs · 20-02-2015 4:13pm

Brother's Hybrid Rapid 3 stolen from shed in back garden. :mad:
Lock cut and bike taken over the wall.
Wonder if they fixed the puncture or just threw it into a van or something.

Same model as this - http://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/bikes/model/rapid.3/7844/45454/

Yanu · 20-02-2015 4:19pm

Pinch Flat wrote: »

Didn't this help the cash for gold business, in that you now need passport / Id when bringing gold in for selling. A bike that can be several hundred quid should be no different.

How could they sell it if nobody is buying it?

eladnova · 20-02-2015 5:39pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Luckily it held up and did its job but it was a real eye opener for me, I was barely in the shop 5 or 6 minutes and there was an attempt on it in a spot where dozens of people were walking by every minute.

Don't know about you guys but anytime i'm passing bike racks in Dublin, I scan the racks for suspicious looking characters/activity. Even if I'm just waiting for the Luas etc...

I think it's an automatic things once you've had a bike stolen

eladnova · 20-02-2015 5:50pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Somewhere in the city there has to be a warehouse or lock up that these gangs use for storage and as a clearing shop.

What I'd like to see is an operation conducted as follows.

1. 10-20 of these trackers are purchased and installed on bikes
integratedtrackers.com/GPSTrack/Spybike.jsp

2. Bikes (cheap) are spread around hot-spots with sub standard locks with the aim of getting them taken

3 See if there is any pattern in the final location of the stolen bikes

Yes, it's be an expensive thing to do but it could be crowd funded I believe.

eeeee · 20-02-2015 5:57pm

Re farmers getting stock stolen, it is very much not the case that the Gardaí act. A neighbour of ours down home had cattle and sheep stolen, and was told-"nothing we can do". Nothing. A ram be bought for €3000 the day before was amongst the stolen animals.
It's also important to note, that whilst bikes are important to people (I LOVE my bikes, I would be absolutely DEVASTATED if one were to get stolen), live stock are a farmers living. Bikes, unless you're a courier or pro cyclist are not why you make your living on. They are, in the vast and overwhelming majority of cases a hobby or transport. I don't want to minimize bike theft, but it is not comparable to getting your livelihood stolen with no recompense.

On shady characters, I was in Blackrock two summers ago, eating Ice-cream with a partner beside the bike racks. I noticed a hipster guy banging and turning a bike upside down but I didn't think anything of it as he was a well dressed hipster looking dude, I assumed he forgot his key or something

. The person I was with however stared at him, and I asked loudly 'why are you starting at your man?' Duh Gadetra! Yer man scarpered when he couldn't get the bike and the penny loudly dropped with me. He did it seeing us looking at him. A) I can't believe I was so stupid, and will not judge a thief by their cover! and

how brazen it was. He did it in broad daylight in front of people looking at him!

SilverBullet · 20-02-2015 10:08pm

Hi, just had my bike stolen in Ranelagh opposite Tesco Express, it's a Poison road bike, it's German so rare enough over here I'd imagine. Black frame with Poison in white letters on the diagonal part of the frame. Model is a Cyan it as far as I know. Shimano gear and brakes etc. detachable rear mud guard. Sentimental value.
If anyone comes across it please let me know.

Cheers
Ed

Weepsie · 22-02-2015 8:22pm

Was in a shop in Phibsboro earlier today. 2 kids walking around buying stuff, went outside and one of them came back in realising his bike was stolen.. He had just bought loads of stuff for his bike too I noticed. No idea who they are, or any info about the bike but it just made me angry. I can see why some people justify to themselves taking expensive bikes, career crims and whatnot and their horrible distorted logic that they are supplying an illicit demand,(well I can't see why, and I think it's reprehensible), but this is just low I feel. Crime of opportunity, probably by some git who'll try and sell it asap or dump it along the canal for kicks.

Watch out in that area because It wouldn't be the first I've heard of it in that area. It's high traffic and always some bikes around

docroc · 24-02-2015 10:31am

Hi,
My Giant Tcr Advanced was stolen over the weekend,
If anyone spots it and could let me know that would be great.
It's a 2009 team rabobank replica, mainly white with some blue on it
It has sram red shifters and pro lite bracciano wheels.
Can't post pictures as not enough posts.
Thanks
Donal
This happened in Merrion square

CramCycle · 24-02-2015 10:54am

docroc wrote: »

Hi,
My Giant Tcr Advanced was stolen over the weekend,
If anyone spots it and could let me know that would be great.
It's a 2009 team rabobank replica, mainly white with some blue on it
It has sram red shifters and pro lite bracciano wheels.
Can't post pictures as not enough posts.
Thanks
Donal

Drop me a PM with a link to the pics on flickr or google or whatever and I will throw them up.

Boom_Bap · 24-02-2015 11:04am

CramCycle wrote: »

Drop me a PM with a link to the pics on flickr or google or whatever and I will throw them up.

location would be handy as well.

I'm always on the lookout for some of the more noticeable bikes I see on this thread when I'm out and about.

CramCycle · 24-02-2015 2:43pm

docroc wrote: »

Hi,
My Giant Tcr Advanced was stolen over the weekend,
If anyone spots it and could let me know that would be great.
It's a 2009 team rabobank replica, mainly white with some blue on it
It has sram red shifters and pro lite bracciano wheels.
Can't post pictures as not enough posts.
Thanks
Donal
This happened in Merrion square

Bloggsie · 24-02-2015 3:07pm

last thursday/friday at 07.30 ish I saw a guy on a gorgeous black cube road bike at the junction of gardiner st/talbot st. the bike was to small for him(he was about 5'10-6'00 approx) he didnt have any hi-vis gear, lights or helmet on, while he was stopped @ the lights i copped the pedals were SPD & he was wearing ordinary runners. i havent seen him any day since.
you wouldnt have to be hercule poirot to figure out he was not the owner(cant realy imagine the owner lending it either without shoes, lights etc.

dragratchet · 24-02-2015 3:51pm

ya can never be 100% sure in those situations,

though.... i did see a couple of lads on a really nice giant carbon a year or so back near nutgrove, one lad giving the other one a crossbar :eek:

Pinch Flat · 24-02-2015 10:54pm

dragratchet wrote: »

ya can never be 100% sure in those situations,

though.... i did see a couple of lads on a really nice giant carbon a year or so back near nutgrove, one lad giving the other one a crossbar :eek:

I used to work around smithfield. You'd see the odd character (grey tracksuit bottoms, tucked into socks above canvas runners and a wispy moustache) wandering around on very hi spec bikes. Couldn't jump to conclusions of course - perhaps there's a local cycling club there....:rolleyes:

Pinch Flat · 25-02-2015 10:33am

http://www.breakingnews.ie/discover/video-man-catches-bike-thieves-red-handed-on-camera-and-gets-them-arrested-663617.html

wrmwit · 25-02-2015 9:54pm

Just thought I'd let you know that the Gardai called me today to tell me they found my bike and that's its in good knick. I'm collecting it tomorrow. Never thought I'd see the day. It just goes to show that you should take note of the serial number and report it if it's stolen. Because you never know!

To say I'm happy is an understatement!

wrmwit wrote: »

My Giant Escape bike was stolen from the basement car park in Bushy Park House the past few days. Noticed it gone this morning. I notified the Gardai and I've gone through the various websites. The scumbags left the rear wheel attached to rack. I know it's a long shot but hey, I've got nothing to loose!

Thargor · 25-02-2015 10:19pm

Did the Gardai read the serial number and match it to your report? Maybe they are entering the details into PULSE and all that then...

Bartelby · 25-02-2015 11:39pm

Black trek bike stolen tonight about 9.15 this evening from stoneybatter. It had a broken front break. I had an lock that cost €50 and was supposed to be unbreakable.....cut straight through

Muahahaha · 26-02-2015 2:58pm

Former TD Eamon Ryan had his bike stolen outside the Green Party HQ on Suffolk St
http://www.thejournal.ie/eamon-ryan-bike-stolen-1960983-Feb2015/

ThisRegard · 26-02-2015 3:31pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

Former TD Eamon Ryan had his bike stolen outside the Green Party HQ on Suffolk St
http://www.thejournal.ie/eamon-ryan-bike-stolen-1960983-Feb2015/

He's on Loiveline now appealing for its return.

RainyDay · 26-02-2015 5:01pm

Muahahaha wrote: »

the Green Party HQ on Suffolk St

???

ooPabsoo · 01-03-2015 12:52pm

Carrera road bike stolen from Grand Canal st lower yesterday evening. Went in for a coffee in 3fe - came back out and it was gone!

My mate locked his bike to a pole using a kryptonite lock - then used the flex cable to wrap around my bike to lock it. They cut it off in 2 minutes.

There's a lock around the saddle with a key broken in it - that would be the main give away if they haven't cut that off already. CCTV from the spar down the road shows 2 young lads - tracksuits + air Max runners....the usual Dublin scumbag, walk by...then a minute later come back cycling my bike.

Probs a long shot but if anyone gets offered a bike which looks like mine I'd appreciate it if you gave me a shout!

Attached pics from CCTV and of my bike.

ddartt · 03-03-2015 8:25pm

If someone has had their bike stolen yesterday evening from Clontarf Rd DART station please PM me. When waiting for the train I've heard some noise from outside and then saw someone loading a bike in the back of the car. Not necessarily it was stolen as I'm not sure where the bike appeared from, but I took a photo just in case.

I'd also appreciate if someone can advise which Garda station would look after this area, so I can pass information to them in case it was indeed stolen.

endacl · 03-03-2015 8:36pm

ddartt wrote: »

If someone has had their bike stolen yesterday evening from Clontarf Rd DART station please PM me. When waiting for the train I've heard some noise from outside and then saw someone loading a bike in the back of the car. Not necessarily it was stolen as I'm not sure where the bike appeared from, but I took a photo just in case.

I'd also appreciate if someone can advise which Garda station would look after this area, so I can pass information to them in case it was indeed stolen.

http://www.garda.ie/Controller.aspx?Page=1020&Lang=1

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 03-03-2015 8:55pm

ddartt wrote: »

If someone has had their bike stolen yesterday evening from Clontarf Rd DART station please PM me. When waiting for the train I've heard some noise from outside and then saw someone loading a bike in the back of the car. Not necessarily it was stolen as I'm not sure where the bike appeared from, but I took a photo just in case.

I'd also appreciate if someone can advise which Garda station would look after this area, so I can pass information to them in case it was indeed stolen.

I regularly collect my bike and my girlfriends bike from the dart station. Hope no police come knocking at my door :P

Good job though

benjamin d · 03-03-2015 9:24pm

ooPabsoo wrote: »

Carrera road bike stolen from Grand Canal st lower yesterday evening. Went in for a coffee in 3fe - came back out and it was gone!

My mate locked his bike to a pole using a kryptonite lock - then used the flex cable to wrap around my bike to lock it. They cut it off in 2 minutes.

There's a lock around the saddle with a key broken in it - that would be the main give away if they haven't cut that off already. CCTV from the spar down the road shows 2 young lads - tracksuits + air Max runners....the usual Dublin scumbag, walk by...then a minute later come back cycling my bike.

Probs a long shot but if anyone gets offered a bike which looks like mine I'd appreciate it if you gave me a shout!

Sorry I can't help but I saw what I presume was your cut kryptonite cable next to a pole on GC street on Sunday afternoon and I remarked to myself that I have to be more careful locking mine. I regularly use the cable to anchor my bike rather than the ulock as I always assumed they were fairly bulletproof too, being kryptonite-branded.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 03-03-2015 11:02pm

benjamin d wrote: »

Sorry I can't help but I saw what I presume was your cut kryptonite cable next to a pole on GC street on Sunday afternoon and I remarked to myself that I have to be more careful locking mine. I regularly use the cable to anchor my bike rather than the ulock as I always assumed they were fairly bulletproof too, being kryptonite-branded.

:eek: Seriously? You could get through a wire lock with a nail clippers.

Use your cable lock to secure your saddle or front wheel. And that would really depend on how expensive those parts are.

endacl · 04-03-2015 1:56am

It's about time Hal made an appearance on this thread again...

Good advice and entertaining.

ddartt · 04-03-2015 1:18pm

Micah Salty Casket wrote: »

I regularly collect my bike and my girlfriends bike from the dart station. Hope no police come knocking at my door :P

Good job though

Well Im sure you wouldn't mind a quick chat with Garda if one time it may help to recover a stolen bike when they knock on someone else's door?

I've had 2 bikes stolen, 1 recovered thanks for someone from this board, so I'm paranoid about this...

@endacl, thanks for the link, I gave them a call.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 04-03-2015 3:31pm

ddartt wrote: »

Well Im sure you wouldn't mind a quick chat with Garda if one time it may help to recover a stolen bike when they knock on someone else's door? I've had 2 bikes stolen, 1 recovered thanks for someone from this board, so I'm paranoid about this...

@endacl, thanks for the link, I gave them a call.

Oh for sure, that's why I said "Good job

"

The really annoying thing is that these types of thefts are witnessed all the time but most people do nothing because they simply don't care or worse, don't know what to do.

smacl · 05-03-2015 11:54am

Just found out that the bike I reported as stolen via bikeregister.ie has been returned to its owner courtesy of a Garda from Pearse Street station. Great to see the system can work when a small effort is made, and the Gardai do follow up when they're given something to go on.

mal1 · 11-03-2015 8:31pm

My bike was stolen outside Tesco in Inchicore at 17:30 this evening. I locked it to a pole with no sign at the top (not a good idea). One young lad climbed the pole using a bin beside it and the other lifted the bike up to the other over the top. All of this happen within 2-5 minutes as I bought milk and a can of coke in the Tesco Express.

I checked the shops for CCTV but nothing working. Walked to Gardai station and reported it stolen. On the way home, i walked through the real dodgy apartments in Inchicore, and you've guessed it, I walked into a little ****ty scumbag on my bike with lock still attached. It recognised me from a short distance as I approached, the sh*tbag must have been watching me as I entered Tesco. He jumped off the bike and it rolled straight into my hands, not even falling. He ran back into the apartment complex, I jumped on my bike and I'm just in the door. I've had a hard time since moving to Inchicore and I'm going to consider this one as a win for me.

Bloggsie · 12-03-2015 9:21am

Glad you got your ride back, do me a favour, go out & buy a lotto ticket as your luck is in!

Pinch Flat · 12-03-2015 10:11am

The problem is that the scobe is always the scobe and looking out for Scoby things to do. You need to keep alert at all times when scobes are about.

Was travelling out in the Luas towards City West a few months ago - 2 scobes sitting opposite me in typical scobe attire. They were just chatting about the usual things scobes talk about.

When the Luas pulled into kingswood, one of them suddenly got up and bolted towards the door. I thought they'd seen inspectors and decided to do a runner - but no - one of them had spotted a bike laid up beside two young lads chatting on the platform - the scobe grabbed the bike and cycled off before the young lad on the platform even knew what was going on. Bike presumably never to be seen again.

The scobe instinct was strong in that one unfortunately. Moral of the story - stay alert when scobes are about :pac:

mal1 · 12-03-2015 8:05pm

Bloggsie wrote: »

Glad you got your ride back, do me a favour, go out & buy a lotto ticket as your luck is in!

Luck played it's part, as did the bike since the deprived child scumbag didn't feel comfortable making his escape on a fixed gear track bike. He jumped that single geared ship pretty quickly leaving it rolling into my arms.

I had bought some sprockets for the bike that morning since thinking of using the bike in Sundrive so I'm glad to have it back.

iwillhtfu · 14-03-2015 10:58am

The idea behind this seems very good. I'm not sure of the range though I assume you have to be within bluetooth range in order to receive signals? Although he does mention wifi?

The retail price is eye watering but even with the expected false alarms it seems a clever idea.

A step in the right direction if the lock is as good as a higher end krytonite

http://skylock.cc/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gyLPjDakAc

flyguy · 14-03-2015 2:01pm

If you already have a good lock and just want to be able to track your stolen bike smartgrips is a good idea (does a lot more than just tracking, if they ever go in production...): Smartgrips
Cheaper option would be to just stick a trackrBravo to your bike: TrackrBravo
They both depend on "crowd gps" though, as in there's no built in GPS, but if someone else with the app walks by your stolen trackr you will get a notification of the last location (the person walking by won't). Of course this works best with a lot of people having the app/trackr and it seems TrackrB are well ahead of any other company on this front.

iwillhtfu · 14-03-2015 2:29pm

It was more the tamper alert I was impressed with.

flyguy · 14-03-2015 2:32pm

Looks good, however if it actually gets stolen that's it. I also think you'll only get that alert if you're within Bluetooth(/wifi?) range. Lock in combination with TrackrBravo maybe?

endacl · 14-03-2015 2:50pm

All high tech do-daddery aside, the best way to avoid having a bike nicked is to lock it properly, with at least two decent locks of different types, in a location with good footfall and/or cameras. And to make sure it's less nickable than the other bikes locked near it. I'm not anti high tech do-daddery. I just don't think the tried and trusted method of 'lock it properly' can be easily beaten. When I notice a cut or broken lock, it's invariably a cheap piece of crap. And there are always bikes parked up in the vicinity with dent locks on them. Why weren't they taken? Because they were a bit harder to take. The summer doesn't care whether your bike is worth a couple of hundred or a grand. He's selling it on for fifty quid either way.

Bloggsie · 19-03-2015 1:37pm

cant say its a stolen bike for certain but on Monday last, I was on the dart between Bootestown & Blackrock and I saw a roadbike was dumped down the bank on the sea water inlet for the bird sanctuary, the tapes on the handle bars was snow white. havent been out that way since so not sure if its still there.

dartstothesea · 20-03-2015 7:18pm

If anyone had a Jupiter mens bike stolen from D'Olier st today, contact me. I saw something a little weird (but not that weird, probably nothing) and have a photo and stuff of a lad.
Anyway yeah hopefully I'm just being a paranoid bike thief hating psycho and it's grand. Lemme know anyway.

Robroy36 · 21-03-2015 6:04pm

I had my Cervelo P3C TT bike stolen from the garage at some stage over the last two months. I have been off the bike since July with a bad back so I only noticed it gone by chance this morning.

It is the same colour scheme as this one.

Other features -

No seat clamp or saddle.
Red 3T front fork instead of the Wolf one in the pic above.
FSA stem
SRM pro - wired with yellow Look Keo pedals.
USE TULA aero bars with only a rear derailleur shifter and sram brakes.
Old dura ace rear derailleur and ultegra front derailleur.
Old 105 brakes

The rear drop outs have a DIY fix on them as the screw that guides them was broken.

This may be knocking about South Dublin at the moment - any sightings appreciated!

darragh_k · 22-03-2015 12:15am

Black Specialized Sirrus stolen from beside Food Room cafe in Clontarf on Friday evening or Saturday morning/afternoon March 21st.

Rear wheel quick release removed and took bicycle that was locked inside apartment building.

makrele · 22-03-2015 9:46am

Specialized Crosstrail in Silver

mudgards, bike stand, quick release wheels

stolen from the cycle rack of a nursing home on Gilford Road, Sandymount on Saturday, 21st March between 7.45am and 5pm. I used a German U-lock to secure wheel and frame only (unfortunately), so they must have just carried it away.
The area is covered by CCTV, the gards took the details and the bike incl. serial number had been registered with gardai.

I spend about an hour every day on the bike, love it dearly and need it as a daily commute. I feel very naked without it.

Who are these people that steal bikes?

iwillhtfu · 22-03-2015 9:51am

makrele wrote: »

I used a German U-lock to secure wheel and frame only (unfortunately), so they must have just carried it away

Did you not secure it to anything but itself?

Keep an eye on done deal/adverts/gumtree.

Summers nearly here and the markets that go with it so bike theft will be on the up.

yosser hughes · 22-03-2015 3:45pm

iwillhtfu wrote: »

Did you not secure it to anything but itself?

Keep an eye on done deal/adverts/gumtree.

Summers nearly here and the markets that go with it so bike theft will be on the up.

It's nothing to do Summer or anything else. This is a year round epidemic and it's been largely ignored by those that should be doing something about it.
Added to that, the relative lack of real punishment for most of these types of crimes, there is little risk attached for the perpetrator.
The city centre has a large population of people who do not work, don't intend to and yet are afforded free/subsidised accommodation in the city centre.They lower the quality of life for everyone. Robbing the bikes of those who actually do work and are forced to commute because they can't afford to live in the city centre. It's upside down thinking.
It's bonkers.

Stolen Bikes Thread - Mod Note please read post #1 before posting

Comments