Bike Theft - What can we do...

kmick

True although I doubt most bike stealers would be buying it. Most of them look like junkies tbh

Mucco

daymobrew wrote:

The Datatag electronic tagging system sounds good. I think that the item fits inside your frame and includes external stickers.
Here is the official website. (Strange, I went to http://www.datatag.co.uk/ and it went to nxgn-ltd.com).

I'm not convinced by these things as it assumes:
a) Your bike is recovered
b) The Gardai know about and have equipment to read the datatag.

Membrane

Mucco wrote:

I'm not convinced by these things as it assumes:
a) Your bike is recovered
b) The Gardai know about and have equipment to read the datatag.

c) The datatag was registered to an owner when the bike was first sold (mine wasn't)
d) The datatag info was updated if the bike has been sold on since initially purchased

daymobrew

Mucco wrote:

I'm not convinced by these things as it assumes:
a) Your bike is recovered

Ok, this it the critical factor and the likely downfall.

Mucco wrote:

b) The Gardai know about and have equipment to read the datatag.

Datatag would be happy to provide some readers to the Gardai. They said so when I contacted them a few years ago. It'd be an investment for Datatag because they know that it would boost tag sales.

jaycummins

Everybody knows, if the law wont help you, you got to take the law into your own hands. if the parking lot, or wherever you store your bikes, is in sort of an enclosed area, i suggest you just catch them in the act. i know you said no violence, but if its really getting to you that much you have to confront them about it.

if i were you, i would get a load of your biggest and scariest looking friends to head in there while the have their hand in the honeypot (if thats what you want to call it) and just confront them. as long as you outnumber them and outage them (thats not a word, but whatever) they'll get the message.

i know violence isn't right but sometimes you have to show them whos fu**ing boss!

i hope you sort out your problem. i HATE people who knick bikes. especially the people who knick bikes that are well locked. when you put two locks on your bike and it still gets knicked that really pisses you off! A friend of mine bought a 1,500 EURO road raing bike and had it one day, and someone broke his lock and stole it on him. scumbags >:|

flickerx

jaycummins wrote:

Everybody knows, if the law wont help you, you got to take the law into your own hands.

Yep, have to agree with you on this one. Had a hybird knicked a few years ago from a locked bike shed (conrete walls, steel door) in my old apartment complex, only a dozen people had the key, all of whom had paid a deposit for it and their names and apartment numbers were in the caretakers log book, and we had CCTV footage of the guy taking the bike, a clear facial shot and all. Did the Gardai just do a simple knock on the door of the 12 other people who had a key? My hole they did. Did they do anything at all? No is the short answer.

The Garda simply do not care about bicycle theft in Dublin. End of story. I cant see any amount of petitions or lobbying changing that. Michael McDowell promised a new unit to deal with bike theft about two years ago, never materialised. I doubt the Greens will do anything about it either.

I havent been down there lately but one of the safest spots on the northeast side of town to lock your bike, right in front of Store St Garda shop, was all dug up, all of the bike parks removed, didnt look like they were coming back.

copacetic

jaycummins wrote:

A friend of mine bought a 1,500 EURO road raing bike and had it one day, and someone broke his lock and stole it on him. scumbags >:|

thats pretty shit, but why oh why did he buy an expensive bike and leave it locked anywhere?

I don't usually commute but when I do my bike sits beside me at my desk. I'd never lock either of my good bikes anywhere. As above if you have to leave a bike locked in a public area you need to have a reasonably cheap one for that very purpose. Otherwise you are setting yourself up for a lot of heartache. I've had 5 or 6 reasonably cheap bikes stolen over the years some from supposedly 'secure' lockups on business premises, there is little you can do imo. If the thieves have nothing to worry about if they get caught they will keep doing it.

Interesting to note that they have serious problems in Holland too with bike theft and everyone just buys similar cheap, old fashioned bikes so there chances of being singled out are slim and they are easily replaced second hand.

None of the above is supposed to be a solution, but just realism

311

Would an idea be ,get 10 bikes and install tracking in them.

Treat them like normal bikes and let them be robbed ,obviously at different intervals . Maybe over the space of a month or so.

Use the ten bikes to track the movements of stolen bikes amd monitor their usage over a long period of time:)

Ghost Rider

I went to lock my bike in the centre of O'Connell Street on Saturday. A young lad of about 12 years old was attempting to reef a bike away from its (admittedly crap-looking) cable lock while his mate looked on. It was 1.30 in the afternoon. They weren't even using tools.

I said to the one doing the reefing "Is that your bike?" His answer was automatic: "Yeah, I lost me key. It's wreckin me head, so it is." The quality of his acting was sub-Fair City so I said "Well maybe the best thing is to come back here when you've found it?"

He backed off. "Yeah, I'll do that," he said and high-tailed it with his mate. They already had another bike with them, probably also nicked. What could I do about these little delinquents? There wasn't a single cop in sight.

Two things about them stunned me: their age and their audacity.

kmick

There you go - just kids who take bikes which use cheap locks and sell them to some unsuspecting (lol) student for 40 quid. Because there is no fear of getting caught they are bold. They will probably end up in jail so the future aint bright but its no consolation when I have to take the bus home.

DITTKD

Where’s a good place to get bike insurance? Or bike assurance, seeing as it’s apparently inevitable that it’ll get robbed….

Civilian_Target

I got mine with Endsleigh. First year cost 20% of the price of my bike to get, and requires you to own a sold secure bronze or better lock, which is another 15% or so of the price. Of course, you must also lock by frame and at least one wheel. It also requires that you can't lock it outside in the same place for more than 36 hours in any 60 hour period, and not for two consecutive nights in public view. But renewal was cheap when it didn't get stolen, halved in fact. (Presumably this means it doubles if it does get stolen...)

rubadub

Ghost Rider wrote:

What could I do about these little delinquents? There wasn't a single cop in sight.

If it had been my bike I would have pepper sprayed them, seriously. If it wasnt mine I would have just questioned them like you did.

I dont care what age they are, young scumbags nipped in the bud might not grow/degenerate into fully fledged scumbags.

If word got out that bike theives were being beaten or pepper sprayed, it might be a deterrent, and if the gardai got wind of it then it might trigger them into action, as it would be obvious that something needs to be done.

-Blanco-

Unfortunatly the "get some of your mates with hurls" approach isn't always viable....it's funny how the little scrotes always have 12 older brothers
Also it wouldn't look good to have some 20 year old beating the head off a 13year old in broad daylight!(even if they're asking for it)

If there was no market for the stolen bikes the desire to steal them would obviously subside...you can't always tell if a second hand bike your buying is stolen...
A friend of mine saw his bike,which had been stolen,cycled into school the next day...he robbed it back. The guy who had it didn't stop him..
In my expierience the gardai don't seem to be much help, from what I've read it seems like they probably get several calls a day concerning bike theft and have better things to do. Unfortunatly it's hard to prove a bike as your own unless you take the precautions mentioned earlier,which the majority of cyclists don't..

Basically don't make it easy for the thiefs:
Get a decent lock.
Don't lock your new €1,500 bike outside anywhere.

The sad truth seems to be that if they really want it they will get it...:mad:

The tax man

Fairly descent looking bike lock over on Ibood.com. Haven't sold out yet.Linky

€29.95+ p+p

joeocork

Hello all, myself and my housemate got both our bikes stolen from our apartment block a couple of years ago, about a year later we were driving up the road to Thomas street and saw a young gentleman cycling my mates bike (Specialised Rockhopper), out jumped my mate (he was driving) and ran after the aforemention gentleman, I ended up having to park his car and found them round the corner, just gave him the option of calling the guards (we had registered the bike numbers when they were stolen) or give us the bike, no hassles

Capt'n Midnight

daymobrew wrote:

The bike shop receipt for my bike has the serial number on it. The serial number is also with my home insurance company.
When I was in California I registered my previous bike a the local fire station. They put one of those impossible-to-remove 'asset' stickers on it and copied the number onto a 'bike license' card (it is not like a drivers' license, more an ownership thing). I don't think there was a charge and I can't remember what proof they wanted.

I've seen those US labels, very hard to remove AND they were reflective too.

Capt'n Midnight

joeocork wrote:

just gave him the option of calling the guards (we had registered the bike numbers when they were stolen) or give us the bike, no hassles

Oh yeah they'll think twice about stealing again

It's like as if there is no down side for bike robbers :mad:

the usual - lock your bike near a better bike with a worse lock and make it look like it ain't worth much

daymobrew

DITTKD wrote:

Where’s a good place to get bike insurance?

Mine are insured under house contents insurance which I got through AA. I think the insurance is actually from Royal Sun Alliance (AA are just a broker).
The bikes are listed in a "Pedal Cycles" section with their serial numbers.

mcguiver

Dont use any type of cable lock, as a bolt cutters takes a second to cut through. (Well done LIDL/ALDI who just sold them dirt cheap to every scumbag in the country!)

Report your bike when it is stolen.
Write down your serial number, or put an identifying mark on your bike.
1000's of stolen bikes recovered every year by Gardai and no one claims them.
Report anyone who offers you bike on the street, proper description of what hey look like, wearing, exact time etc.

See my thread on bike recovered!!!! http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=53856157#post53856157

Danbo!

cunnins4 wrote:

If you register the serial number with the gardai ya can prove it's yours. Other than that you could probably stick a laminated card with your name and phone number in the seat post or something?

I dont have the time at the moment to read the whole thred, so forgive me if this has been said.

I put my name and address in the seatpost of a bmx of mine worth €800. got stolen from a friends house. long story short, someone robbed it to cycle home (i assume) as it was found by a kid dumped in a field of a housing estate bout 3 miles away. kid brought it to school, sold it to another guy for €20. 2 weeks later a friend spots the kid on it and stops him. he explained all and asked me to prove it was mine and i was able to no problem... this is a great idea to prove it is yours. UV markings willl get washed away, the paper in the seatpost is always good. just dont forget to laminate.

TCollins

I photographed 2 fucrs stealing bikes opposite harcourt street police station in the parking area under camden court hotel there.
I got the photos printed and brought them into the police station. They told me to go to Kevin street police station instead with them. I told them i was in a hurry and couldnt so would they just take them. oh no they wouldnt so i just left.
I see them there nearly every day i'm there, nicking bikes. How hard is it for the cops to get them there. Even the security guard i see there watches them rob bikes. It hilarious (if you dont own one of the bikes)

davej

TCollins wrote:

I told them i was in a hurry and couldnt so would they just take them. oh no they wouldnt so i just left.
I see them there nearly every day i'm there, nicking bikes. How hard is it for the cops to get them there. Even the security guard i see there watches them rob bikes. It hilarious (if you dont own one of the bikes)

This is unacceptable behaviour from the gardai surely? Ignoring someone trying to report a crime ? And what exactly is the security guard's job, why does his job even exist if he does nothing when he sees a crime being committed in front of him?

Maybe prime time could do some sort of piece on bike theft in Dublin? Do some undercover filming and get the gardai to explain themselves...

davej

jman0

Here's what i did.
My latest commuter before:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37955302@N00/1293270958/

And After
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37955302@N00/1293270950/

cunnins4

jman0 wrote:

Here's what i did.
My latest commuter before:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37955302@N00/1293270958/

And After
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37955302@N00/1293270950/

wow, that's rough!

luckat

Incredible that the Guards wouldn't take the photos. You could send them in to Garda HQ and say you don't know where to send them, see what happens....

luckat

I wonder would it be worth getting on to Ryan Tubridy, see if his show would set up a sting, then interview the robbers. Not to mention Joe Duffy - inevitably some robber would ring in with a whine justifying robbing bikes.

Or indeed putting up video of these people robbing bikes on YouTube.

david1two3

Its very simple really ,lock bike to sturdy object ,always use the thickest available post,lamp or otherwise thickest part of railing and the icing is always take the front wheel with you.Always.My Condor racer is 2200 euros and neither it nor any other bike of mine has been touched.I have had two bikes for 4 years and now around Holloway and camden I always use the older one with just straps ,no speedplay and my cleats have lasted all season,at 60 euros a pop it is a pain to watch the money scrape away on the pavement.Because they are racers children for some reason dont really want them.Junkies want a ready saleable item as they are not going to invest anything at all in your bike.Can you imagine someone trying to sell a bike with one wheel or to walk off with it ,there is a very good chance of them being caught.Let all you who can do take off,quick release,transport the wheel where you have to go and report back the results.In 18 years of rough London riding no ones got my bike in the street.I used to live in a shop in The Angel and left my pride and joy in the window,sure enough the door was kicked in at 6pm with people everywhere around ,never saw it again.Its partly because I dont want to have to hunt down and melt some no life who doesnt even know what hes in for and the money,I dont have any.TAKE the wheel any any other essential bits you can carry and you should be fine.Good luck

Lissavane

david1two3 wrote:

Its very simple really ,lock bike to sturdy object ,always use the thickest available post,lamp or otherwise thickest part of railing and the icing is always take the front wheel with you.Always.My Condor racer is 2200 euros and neither it nor any other bike of mine has been touched.I have had two bikes for 4 years and now around Holloway and camden I always use the older one with just straps ,no speedplay and my cleats have lasted all season,at 60 euros a pop it is a pain to watch the money scrape away on the pavement.Because they are racers children for some reason dont really want them.Junkies want a ready saleable item as they are not going to invest anything at all in your bike.Can you imagine someone trying to sell a bike with one wheel or to walk off with it ,there is a very good chance of them being caught.Let all you who can do take off,quick release,transport the wheel where you have to go and report back the results.In 18 years of rough London riding no ones got my bike in the street.I used to live in a shop in The Angel and left my pride and joy in the window,sure enough the door was kicked in at 6pm with people everywhere around ,never saw it again.Its partly because I dont want to have to hunt down and melt some no life who doesnt even know what hes in for and the money,I dont have any.TAKE the wheel any any other essential bits you can carry and you should be fine.Good luck

I know London a little, in particular, the places you mention. Just wondered what specific types/brands of locks you use? Thanks

david1two3

Lissavane wrote:

I know London a little, in particular, the places you mention. Just wondered what specific types/brands of locks you use? Thanks

Hi Lissavane, its a black and blue Abus D lock with 300 milimetre lenght which I bought in Condor I think for about £25 possibly 4 years ago but it may have been 99. It has a button on it to close the key hole to prevent water getting in, I never use that. I only use one lock and unless Im in sight of it I always take the wheel.The fitter I am the less hassle this is but when I havent eaten or I m tired or a combination of things such like it becomes a real chore to drag the wheel around.Its so worn that there are no identifying marks on it any more .I will try and find the correct id and price for you tomorrow.David