how hard can it be.. (to catch a bike thief)

SubLuminal

Surely the gards could lock up a decent bike with a crappy chain and wait for someone to come along with bolt crops and nab them in the act? I know they've got 'bigger issues' to worry about and wa wa wa, but it would only take say two of them about a week to catch a ****load of bike theifs.

Why don't they? I mean, what the ****?

abcdggs

SubLuminal wrote: »

Surely the gards could lock up a decent bike with a crappy chain and wait for someone to come along with bolt crops and nab them in the act? I know they've got 'bigger issues' to worry about and wa wa wa, but it would only take say two of them about a week to catch a ****load of bike theifs.

Why don't they? I mean, what the ****?

Entrapment?

btw. I have zero legal experience.

cdaly_

I'd say they do catch them but ther courts let em back out pretty much as fast as they get caught...

Gavin

Exactly. Catch em, charge em and then they are back out on the street robbing away probably before they are even in court. Get to court and given a trivial sentance at most ?

Back out and then back at it. Seriously frustrating being a Garda I'd imagine.

stop

most of bike thefts are due to piss poor locks! Saw a lovely brand new trek racer a while back, locked to rack with a cable lock through two spokes on a quick release wheel! :eek:



In fairness Gardai do do their best to investigate bike thefts, but often there's nothing they can do.

If legal, this trapping thing could be a good idea. Christ if I had the cash I'd do it myself, too many bike thefts in my area!

Ant

I'd say it's just not a priority for the guards. In my experience of reporting stolen bikes, the gardaí had no interest and were really just going through the motions. I figured it was probably worth doing reporting the bike just so that it might be included in the statistics for bike theft. I'm not actually aware of substantial numbers of thieves being caught and brought before the courts.

More importantly, the gardaí have turned a blind eye to the blatant selling of stolen bikes. There used to be a house in Phibsborough that had about 10 obviously stolen bikes outside for sale. It was in operation between the late 90s and about 4-5 years ago. There was also the stolen bike shop at the end of Parnell St. which was in operation for at least 10 years and was only just busted a couple of months ago.

That said, I have come across individual guards who do care and take the issue seriously.

Piste

There has to be a market for really cheap GPS trackers you can sew into your bike seat in case it's stolen. I mean obviously once criminals cop on to this they'll start removing seats, but it'd work for a while.

setanta159

Had bike stolen with 2 locks on it last September. All caught on CCTV which was passed onto and viewed by the boys in blue. I hassled them until I got fed up with it. Bottom line they did nothing as they couldn't recognise the thieves despite school uniforms etc. I asked for CCTV tape but wasn't allowed access to it as investigation was 'on-going'. I'm pretty sure I'd have had some joy bringing it the attention of the headmasters etc. at the local schools. GS are utterly incompetent and generally don't give a rats about bike theft but if you or I were to catch one of these scumbags in the act and kick 10 shades out of them we'd be up for assault in a jiffy. :mad:

Piste

That's what really bugs me, if some 17 year old sh!t steals my bike he'll get a slap on the wrist and nothing will come of it, and that'a IF he's found. I were to physically hassle anyone who I saw on my bike (not that I could, I'm pretty useless) I could well be kicked out of college, despite only being two years older.

tomasrojo

stop wrote: »

most of bike thefts are due to piss poor locks! Saw a lovely brand new trek racer a while back, locked to rack with a cable lock through two spokes on a quick release wheel! :eek:

Yeah, I fought my usual reticence and had a word with a guy who was locking a very nice-looking, very new-looking road bike in Liffey Street in Dublin. He had taken off the front wheel to lock it with his one lock, which was fine, but his one lock was a combination cable lock! I told him that his bike was too nice to use that lock (in fact, it's not suitable for any bike), and that his bike wouldn't last a week. He told me he'd already had a bike stolen a few weeks ago. I assume this bike he was locking was the replacement!

tomasrojo

setanta159 wrote: »

Had bike stolen with 2 locks on it last September.

Ah, bad luck. Do you mind me asking what two locks you were using and in what way? Just to keep abreast of what methods thieves are using right now.

Cork24

Dont get me wrong some people dont have cars and they cycle to town, and lock their bikes up..

but why the **** would you cycle to town with a Trek Racer and lock it up and then come back and be all :eek: Dude were my Trek!!! Come on its your own Fault..

I have a Trek racer wouldn't dream about taking it out and cycle to town that only comes out when i am cycling and when i make one of my pit stops after 50km if i need to hit a shop ill place it inside by the door which i have full view of it when i and getting water or something to eat, if im going to town i'll walk or get a bus.

I am shocked at how many really good bikes and dear ones just locked with some crap lock. When i was younger i went to a park with my friends we locked all our bikes up to one another when we came back we found some guy couldnt get the bike he wanted off so he kick the crap out of the back wheels bending them so we had to carry it back home, since then i never went anywhere that needed my bike locked up.

tomasrojo

If you lock your bike well, there's no problem about cycling and parking in town. The problem is so many people buy a cheap lock when they're buying a bike.

Cork24

but what stopped the guy from getting piss and kicking in your 2k bike wheel?

abcdggs

Cork24 wrote: »

but what stopped the guy from getting piss and kicking in your 2k bike wheel?

if you can afford a 4k wheelset you can afford a second bike to get into town on. no1 is suggesting cycling your sunday best into town.

tomasrojo

My main bike, the one I park in town all the time, cost €1000. I guess if one the wheels alone cost twice that, I wouldn't take that particular bike into town!

tomasrojo

tomasrojo wrote: »

If you lock your bike well, there's no problem about cycling and parking in town. The problem is so many people buy a cheap lock when they're buying a bike.

Plus not everyone realises the best way to lock a bike. I've seen plenty just locking the front wheel.

Cork24

and what way is the best way to lock your bike so no one will take it? both wheels locked to the poll or just the frame locked to the poll?

abcdggs

Lock trough the rear triangle incorporating the rim of the rear wheel with a u-lock, then a secondary cable lock to secure the front wheel. at least this is the conventional wisdom.

bear in mind where you're locking your bike as well. i lock my bike with only a u-lock through the rear triangle, but if in town i lock by pearse garda station or on a busy street and i've had no indication my bike has ever been tampered with. i do have a kryptonite evolution though, most bikes around mine would have much worse locks, most of the time it's not a matter of out runnning the bear but whoever you're with. ie have a better lock than the worst lock there.

Cork24

ok, i dont have any lock for mine as i dont bring it out on the weekends

i dont have it locked either while at home. its in the shed or else in the back of my car wheels taken apart. so they have to break into the car plus i live in a nice area where no car or people come down much.

abcdggs

Cork24 wrote: »

ok, i dont have any lock for mine as i dont bring it out on the weekends

i dont have it locked either while at home. its in the shed or else in the back of my car wheels taken apart. so they have to break into the car plus i live in a nice area where no car or people come down much.

well for some, but there has been a glut of robberies from sheds and back gardens lately so you may want to re-evaluate your locking arrangement, when my bikes at home i keep it inside.

CamillaRhodes

Scumbags wouldn't steal bikes if there wasn't a market for buying them. I was aghast recently when having a conversation about bikes with a couple, who proudly told me they'd bought theirs for €20 each 'from some junkie'. I told them they knew those bikes were stolen, right? so they were encouraging bike theft. They said yeah but they couldn't afford them otherwise. I couldn't believe it. Really hope kharma strikes them.

worded

Ant wrote: »

I'd say it's just not a priority for the guards. In my experience of reporting stolen bikes, the gardaí had no interest and were really just going through the motions. I figured it was probably worth doing reporting the bike just so that it might be included in the statistics for bike theft. I'm not actually aware of substantial numbers of thieves being caught and brought before the courts.

More importantly, the gardaí have turned a blind eye to the blatant selling of stolen bikes. There used to be a house in Phibsborough that had about 10 obviously stolen bikes outside for sale. It was in operation between the late 90s and about 4-5 years ago. There was also the stolen bike shop at the end of Parnell St. which was in operation for at least 10 years and was only just busted a couple of months ago.

That said, I have come across individual guards who do care and take the issue seriously.

Mine was stolen from outside Perase St garda station in the late 90s. They phoned me a week later, they got it back! I think they took it as an insult that it was robbed from outside the place. They said they raided a place that had several bikes and mine was one! Yipee. I was thrilled back then.

worded

abcdggs wrote: »

well for some, but there has been a glut of robberies from sheds and back gardens lately so you may want to re-evaluate your locking arrangement, when my bikes at home i keep it inside.

Consider a long motor bike chain. Get something large and metal outside the shed (e.g gas cylinder) and loop the chain around it. You will need to cut holes in the shed to get the chain through. Its worth it I think, I have two large chains this way.
Give them no room to work.

Also consider a surprise of some sort for any thief. I have.

Cork24

well, they have to jump in to the back garden of the house next to me and then jump my wall. as my back is in front of his back.

plus i have a boxer and a lurcher greyhound out the back, the lurcher wouldnt do much but the boxer would bite me if i want into the side gate at night. so make sure i call his name before i go into the back by the side gate

Golfanatic

about catching thiefs when my bike was knicked he gave his name to the bike shop for a puncture to the shop i now work in and he was in my old school!!! oh ye and a good idea for identifying your bike if you dont have your frame number put a picture of yourself, adress number etc... inside the seatpost.

randomname2005

Golfanatic wrote: »

oh ye and a good idea for identifying your bike if you dont have your frame number put a picture of yourself, adress number etc... inside the seatpost.

A seatpost, especially quick release, can be easy to look in. Putting those details inside the handlebars will be harder to get to, but also harder to take out.

Effects

I had my bike stolen in 1998. Bought a pretty good lock for my new bike and I still have both of them. Only problem is the key is now wearing out. I'm picking up a new bike later this evening hopefully and will need a new lock anyway. I've heard good things about Kryptonite locks so might go for one of those as well as a loop for the front wheel. Can anyone recommend a place in dublin where I can get them at good prices? Or perhaps somewhere online? Reading this thread reminded me on seeing this video a while ago. I don't condone what happens but maybe it made the thief think twice.
http://vimeo.com/6475675

TheInquisitor

abcdggs wrote: »

Entrapment?

btw. I have zero legal experience.

Its only entrapment if you actually go to someone with a plan to do something illegal. Leaving a bike locked up somewhere and watching it is NOT in any way entrapment

Golfanatic

randomname2005 wrote: »

A seatpost, especially quick release, can be easy to look in. Putting those details inside the handlebars will be harder to get to, but also harder to take out.

but i doubt some scumbag is going to know where to check, another good place would be in the bottom bracket of external bearing cranks.that would be cool. if you put it in the handlebars they can take of the bar ends and get it even easier, by blowing through if its a flat bar or poking for drops. just as easy you dont have to take it off. or inside the stem.

Golfanatic

randomname2005 wrote: »

A seatpost, especially quick release, can be easy to look in. Putting those details inside the handlebars will be harder to get to, but also harder to take out.

but i doubt some scumbag is going to know where to check, another good place would be in the bottom bracket of external bearing cranks.that would be cool. if you put it in the handlebars they can take of the bar ends and get it even easier, by blowing through if its a flat bar or poking for drops. just as easy you dont have to take it off. or inside the stem.

eightyfish

setanta159 wrote: »

Had bike stolen with 2 locks on it last September.

Bloody hell. Where they descent locks?

buffalo

http://urbanvelo.org/sting-planned-to-catch-sf-bicycle-thieves/

Brought this thread to mind. Will someone email the link to the Gardaí?

petethedrummer

Two people I know have had their bikes robbed this year. Both came back to find the lock still around the stand. Now they can't both have accidentally forgotten to lock the frame.

Are they cutting through frames to steal the bikes for parts? It would definitely be easier to saw through an aluminium frame than a good lock.

I don't think they are picking the locks because why would they go to the bother of relocking them to the stands.

MrCreosote

Apparently planning to try this across the UK as well:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2010/jun/30/police-thefts-bait-bikes

tomasrojo

petethedrummer wrote: »

Two people I know have had their bikes robbed this year. Both came back to find the lock still around the stand. Now they can't both have accidentally forgotten to lock the frame.

Are they cutting through frames to steal the bikes for parts? It would definitely be easier to saw through an aluminium frame than a good lock.

I don't think they are picking the locks because why would they go to the bother of relocking them to the stands.

If there was no sign that the Sheffield Stand (or whatever they were locked to) had been sawn through, I'd think the simplest explanation is that they missed the frame when they locked the bike.

poochiem

Someone posted here before about his bike being sawed through (I think at a luas stop like bluebell or somewhere??). That almost makes you give up hope doesn't it?

Anyway, I don't like that people jump to attack the victims of crime ("you shouldn't have such an expenesive bike", "you should have locked it with 3 locks" etc). How about a different attitude?

petethedrummer

tomasrojo wrote: »

If there was no sign that the Sheffield Stand (or whatever they were locked to) had been sawn through, I'd think the simplest explanation is that they missed the frame when they locked the bike.

Well thats what I thought but they both insist they locked them correctly.

Fighting Irish

SubLuminal wrote: »

Surely the gards could lock up a decent bike with a crappy chain and wait for someone to come along with bolt crops and nab them in the act? I know they've got 'bigger issues' to worry about and wa wa wa, but it would only take say two of them about a week to catch a ****load of bike theifs.

Why don't they? I mean, what the ****?

fook bikes

tomasrojo

"Blaming the victim" is probably similar to the way that people cast around for culpability when they hear that someone their age has died. "Oh, he ignored the symptoms", "He didn't eat well", etc. It's a way of reassuring yourself that it's not going to happen to you.

"Having said that" (apologies to Larry David), most bike thefts are preventable. If it's got to the stage that thieves are sawing through bikes, then we're really in trouble. Was it to steal components? I can only assume it was, as the bike has zero re-sale value once the frame is sawn through.

tomasrojo

petethedrummer wrote: »

Well thats what I thought but they both insist they locked them correctly.

Very strange indeed. Some acquaintances of mine have mistaken the locks left on Sheffield stands by commuters to avoid carrying the locks as the aftermath of a theft, but this is the first time I've ever heard of a thief going to the trouble of putting the lock back on the stand.