Stolen Scooter - Advice needed

Postman Pat

Hi all

I purchased a 550euro 01 50cc Scooter a couple of months back to aid me getting to work. It was doing a great job and greatly improved my work life balance until to my horror it was stolen outside my house on Saturday night.Unfortunately I was away in another county for the night or else I would have caught them in the act.

I have notified the guards but dont place any trust in them at all to find it.
I have also informed the tax office and my insurance company. Unfortunately as well my insurance company would not sell me third party fire and theft and so I cannot claim anything back on it :-( (I'm with aon bikecare, it was the cheapest insurance I could find, is there other insurance companies out there who do comprehensive?)

Unfortunately whatever bad luck was on me, I forgot to chain the bike to the railing at the front of my house (no side lane to back of house) and instead just placed the hefty link chain around the wheel.

I presume it was a basic grab and go type of job. Where a van reverses into my driveway, two scummers hop out lift the bike into the van and tally ho down the road.

My questions are:
1. that if I had chained the bike to the railing instead of just around the wheel could this have prevented the theft?

2. Or is it very easy to cut these hefty link chains and still rob the bike?

3. Another question is what would normally be done with a stolen scooter by these losers, since I have the key and the steering was locked and a chain around the wheel.

3.1 is it possible for them to hotwire the bike or to replace the ignition switch with a brand new key and switch and therefore could use their new key and resell on the bike?

3.2 is it commonplace for these losers to strip the bike and sell it for parts.

3.3 or is it in many cases just for devilment that they steal bikes and then dump them / burn them down the road?

4. What general security precautions can be taken in future to aid any future bike i get from not being stolen (apart from chaining it to an immovable object)?

5. Would a satellite tracker be a viable option on the bike like can be done with cars?

Any helpful advice on the above would be greatly appreciated.

Luckycharm

Very sorry to hear that- I had one stolen a couple of years ago from Ringsend, it was found months later in bits in some flats in town :mad:

What area was yours stolen in?

Hotblack Desiato

1. yes probably. A bike, especially a small one, not chained with a good chain to an immovable, unbreakable object might as well not be locked at all.

2. A good chain will take a decent amount of time/effort/special tools to cut. Easier to make off with the bike (if not locked to anything) and deal with the locks at leisure.

3.1 Yes can be hotwired. Possible to obtain new ignition and sell on but hardly worth the trouble given the value of the bike

3.2 Often end up stripped for parts, yes.

3.3 Smaller or less valuable bikes are often stolen 'for fun' and dumped, yes.

4. Well you got the most important one right there. Chain to an immovable object.

5. In theory. In practice a satellite tracker would cost more than your bike

If/when you replace the bike be VERY careful, they may be back expecting more easy pickings.

robinph

I have fully comp for my 50cc through Aon.

Still paying a bit more for it though as I lost my no claims a couple of years ago after my previous one was nicked from the house and then dumped on the side of a road somewhere once they got fed up of pushing it on one wheel. The insurance did pay out for me though although an excess of 25% of the value of the vehicle is a bit much, it was better than nothing I guess.

Postman Pat

Luckycharm wrote: »

Very sorry to hear that- I had one stolen a couple of years ago from Ringsend, it was found months later in bits in some flats in town :mad:

What area was yours stolen in?

Thanks all for your comments and advice.

It was stolen in the Finglas area, just off the Finglas Rd. To be honest I was setup for a fall with it not chained to something.Lesson learned now as they say.

I went to Aon today to cancel the insurance and they told me that if I was planning to get one in about two or three months they said it would prob cost more to cancel it now and get it again. Besides the guy said that there is a cancellation fee of 20% of the refunded value and in addition since it is my 1st policy with them, they said that the cancellation fee would even be more.
So decided to keep it and see.

Asked about comprehensive and he said that it would double the price of the insurance from 360 to 720 so dont think i'[ll be doin that.

Anywho back to self/public transport I suppose for a while and searchin buy and sell for a good deal to come up on one.

P.S Do any of ye know a good place for servicing bikes? I got my previous one serviced a while back in a place beside whitworth road and cost me 200euros, its prob the norm price but just wondering. (got new brake pads, oil change,air filter change, new starter, a rattling clutch fixed)

Luckycharm

€200 to service a Moped is a rip off - have never paid more then €50 sure I would not pay that to service my car!! Shop around - I live the other side of the city so don't know Finglas at all.