They cut my frame in order to steal my bike

MungoMan

My roadbike wasn't fantastic, I bought it in May 2002, it cost me about £400 sterling at the time. I really liked it, it brought me on many a long spin, and I honestly thought it would last a lifetime

For the past 3 years, I decided to bolt it with a good Kryptonite lock to a metal railing outside my flat, with a cable lock securing the wheels to the U lock.

I honestly though it couldnt be stolen

About an hour ago, I looked outside, the U lock was still there attached to the metail railing, but no bike.

Basically they cut the aluminium frame in order to steal the bike (has anyone ever heard of this happening before ?)
Would it take much to cut an aluminium frame ?


Basically, they now have a bike with an unusable frame........

Anyone ever heard of this happening before ?

In the meantime, I'm going on to ebay looking for a secondhand bike (I'm in the UK at the moment)........I aint happy !

Ciaran500

MungoMan wrote: »

Basically they cut the aluminium frame in order to steal the bike (has anyone ever heard of this happening before ?)
Would it take much to cut an aluminium frame ?

I'm sure they didnt open the Kryptonite lock (and then close it again). It's a really good lock. And they cut the cable wire lock which freed up the wheels (half the cable lock is still attached to the U lock)

They're very thin walled aluminium so it wouldn't take much, I've easy cut one up with a hack saw before and if the bolt cutter they had was big enough it would of made easy work of cutting the frame.

Surprised to hear they bothered though, they must know they're bikes or have someone willing to buy parts to go through that hassle.

At least you still have a lock for your new bike :pac:

CheGuedara

There was a fella unfortunate enough to find himself posting about having had a Cannondale (a Badboy IIRC) stolen from the Finglas Rd/Fizbra area last year while he went into the shop. Theft appeared that they went through the frame after failing to overcome the lock. THREAD

MungoMan

CheGuedara wrote: »

There was a fella unfortunate enough to find himself posting about having had a Cannondale (a Badboy IIRC) stolen from the Finglas Rd/Fizbra area last year while he went into the shop. Theft appeared that they went through the frame after failing to overcome the lock. THREAD

Thanks for that........
I never thought the scum would cut a frame to get a bike.
Its a worry for people with expensive frames, a warning to keep the bike locked up indoors.

ontheditch2

There are some Sick B******s out there.. :mad:

-Chris-

That's mental.

You had the lock around the top tube only?

Icyseanfitz

what a bunch of f***ers, why go to the hassle of stealing a bike that cant be used, really hate that crap :mad:

lokface

My Mum bought me a present of a new bike a month ago as a reward for getting a new job. I adored it. It was my favourite thing she had ever given me, and it was one of my favourite possessions. Normally I park it in the secure carpark of work, but on Thursday, I was late, so i chained to a bike rack outside (on Marlboro St, ), it was the middle of the day, there was a constant flow of people walking past, including the local barber who was always standing at his door. I thought it would be safe enough and i would move it at lunch,
Came down at 5 for lunch, and it was gone. Im devastated. It was such a lovely bike and I was just getting used to city centre cycling. Id love it back so much.
Its identical to the one in this photo, except mine had mud guards.

MungoMan

-Chris- wrote: »

That's mental.

You had the lock around the top tube only?

yep.
I had it around the top tube only.

A better way would be to have the u lock around the down tube and the rear wheel.

If I did this, they could sever the down tube, but they wouldn't be able to take the rear wheel ! If this was the case, they mightn't have bothered.

MungoMan

lokface wrote: »

My Mum bought me a present of a new bike a month ago as a reward for getting a new job. I adored it. It was my favourite thing she had ever given me, and it was one of my favourite possessions. Normally I park it in the secure carpark of work, but on Thursday, I was late, so i chained to a bike rack outside (on Marlboro St, ), it was the middle of the day, there was a constant flow of people walking past, including the local barber who was always standing at his door. I thought it would be safe enough and i would move it at lunch,
Came down at 5 for lunch, and it was gone. Im devastated. It was such a lovely bike and I was just getting used to city centre cycling. Id love it back so much.
Its identical to the one in this photo, except mine had mud guards.

did they cut the chain with a chain cutter ? Was it a light chain ?

lokface

did they cut the chain with a chain cutter ? Was it a light chain ?

i didnt have the best lock on it, but i had the lock around a wheel and the frame, they just snapped it.

tomasrojo

MungoMan wrote: »

yep.
I had it around the top tube only.

A better way would be to have the u lock around the down tube and the rear wheel.

If I did this, they could sever the down tube, but they wouldn't be able to take the rear wheel ! If this was the case, they mightn't have bothered.

I suppose they could have sawn through the wheel too. (Really getting into diminishing returns at that stage though.)

Seems odd they sawed through the frame. I've heard of it before, but it's usually to take away the bike and strip it for expensive components and then dump the ruined frame. From what you say, it isn't worth doing this for your bike.

MungoMan

tomasrojo wrote: »

From what you say, it isn't worth doing this for your bike.

Yeah it had entry level mainly Sora components, all of which were replaced in the past year at the following cost

wheels = 100 (cheap wheels)
tyres = 80
crankset = 85
cassette = maybe 12
chain = maybe 20 (not sure)
sora shifters = 150

Luckily I didnt have high performance components

Still worth their while for 5 minutes work at probably 3am while I was sleeping.

lionfish

I had finally fixed the back wheel of my bike with a brand spankin' new tyre which set me back a bit of cash and decided to cycle the 6miles into town. I used a U-Lock on the bikes frame to secure it.
After a cup of coffee with a friend and an hour later. I come back to a queer ways back wheel! :mad:

It wasn't a pleasant ride home.
Some People.

christeb

Question, as the above has kinda freaked me out a but. I've recently moved away from home, so will need to use the bike more for groceries and general errands as I've less access to a car.

Currently I've got an ABUS U-lock, which I was going to combine with a wire lock when locking my hybrid outside the shopping centre. The area wouldn't be great, and I'd be inside for say 20-30 mins. It's a nice hybrid, cost ~600 2 years ago. The question is, would you use the bike or walk instead?

kenmc

tomasrojo wrote: »

I suppose they could have sawn through the wheel too.

Unlikely.

tomasrojo

kenmc wrote: »

Unlikely.

I think the plausibility of sawing through the rear wheel is becoming a boards staple, always in relation to Sheldon's locking strategy, and usually this video turns up:



And I always say that they cheated a bit in the video by using a very long, thin clamp instead of a beefy, short lock, and by using a bike with a lot of clearance between the wheel and seat tube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9fLtdZyX-A

I do agree you would make it less likely that they'd bother sawing your bike up if they had to saw the rear wheel as well, especially in an awkward fashion. I'm suprised they even sawed the frame. Sobering really.

seamus

lokface wrote: »

I was late, so i chained to a bike rack outside (on Marlboro St, ), it was the middle of the day

Urgh, as soon as I saw this, I felt sorry for you. I wouldn't lock any bike in public in the North Inner city. O'Connell St could be OK, but between O'Connell and Amiens Sts is junkie and scumbag central. I wouldn't leave my car parked on the road in those areas, never mind my bike. The south inner city has its dodgy areas too, but there are also safeish spots in the high-traffic areas like Grafton st and College Green.

MungoMan wrote: »

yep.
I had it around the top tube only.

Bizarre. I'm sure it happens here, but maybe it's a UK thing where a local retailer will take scrap bikes and strip them for parts. Or maybe a couple of scrotes got a hold of their father's cordless angle grinder and decided to go out and just be scumbags with it.

The "Steal Me" video up a few days ago also showed a guy cutting off a piece of a bike and riding it away rather than breaking the lock. I do think that there are a number of people who when they've a few beers on them decide that they're not paying for a taxi and go find any kind of bike that they can get their hands on in order to get home, rather than stealing them for material gain.

An Italian guy I used to know who lived off North Circular was notorious with his housemates for arriving home with an array of random bikes that he had lifted, allegedly unlocked, from the side of the road because he didn't want to pay for a taxi or bus. Thankfully he's left the country a few years now.

lionfish wrote: »

After a cup of coffee with a friend and an hour later. I come back to a queer ways back wheel! :mad:

This is a technique to try and break the U-lock by twisting or pulling the whole bike. Obviously they don't give a **** if they damage the wheel as long as they get a bike they can sell on.

christeb wrote: »

Currently I've got an ABUS U-lock, which I was going to combine with a wire lock when locking my hybrid outside the shopping centre. The area wouldn't be great, and I'd be inside for say 20-30 mins. It's a nice hybrid, cost ~600 2 years ago. The question is, would you use the bike or walk instead?

It really depends on just how dodgy the area and the shopping centre. I would lock it as close to the front door as I can, and not around the back or randomly in the car park.

tomasrojo

christeb wrote: »

Question, as the above has kinda freaked me out a but. I've recently moved away from home, so will need to use the bike more for groceries and general errands as I've less access to a car.

Currently I've got an ABUS U-lock, which I was going to combine with a wire lock when locking my hybrid outside the shopping centre. The area wouldn't be great, and I'd be inside for say 20-30 mins. It's a nice hybrid, cost ~600 2 years ago. The question is, would you use the bike or walk instead?

Cutting through the frame is really rare, and, as I said, I've only previously heard it in relation to stealing expensive components, which your bike probably doesn't have (given its original price of about €600).

If I'm popping into the shop, I often just lock the front wheel to the frame with an ok u-lock and lock the rear-wheel Sheldon-style with a beefy, short lock. Very important that you use the Sheldon-style if you're locking just the rear wheel -- the lock has to go around the part of the wheel inside the rear triangle. If it's in a bad neighbourhood, I also run a Kryptoflex cable from one of the locks around the rear wheel and frame.

If your Abus lock is quite long, you can include the seat tube as well as the rear wheel, which is ideal.

Which Abus lock? A good Abus around your seat tube and rear wheel, locked to something solid, such as a Sheffield stand, and something to secure your front wheel, you should be absolutely fine for half an hour or so.

MungoMan

tomasrojo wrote: »

I also run a Kryptoflex cable from one of the locks around the rear wheel and frame.

They cut my kryptoflex with a wire cutter (or bolt cutter, or whatever they are called).

I think kryptoflex simply is not good enough.

Is there any chain available which can not be cut with a mechanical cutter ?

My bike was robbed with human powered tools, it would simply be too noisy to use an angle grinder.

cdaly_

MungoMan wrote: »

They cut my kryptoflex with a wire cutter (or bolt cutter, or whatever they are called).

I think kryptoflex simply is not good enough.

Not enough by itself. I use a kryptoflex through the wheels and onto a New York Faghedaboutit mini.

Lumen

The only defence against having your frame sawn through is to fill it with thermite.

Unfortunately you'd probably end up going to jail if it worked as designed.

Better to just keep the bike indoors where it belongs.

kippy

Isn't it a fcuking disgrace the lengths you have to go to to protect your bike and then end up having it stolen in broad daylight on a busy street, in the case of one poster, or in the middle of the night in the spot you have locked it for years?

ilovesmybrick

I had a fairly cheap bike a few years ago, was only worth about €150. It was secured with two locks to a wrought iron rail outside my flat in Phibsboro, went for a pint and when I came back the entire fence was gone-to be honest I wasn't too p***ed off, they put in a fair bit of effort to rob a bog-standard bike!

Faker74

christeb wrote: »

Question, as the above has kinda freaked me out a but. I've recently moved away from home, so will need to use the bike more for groceries and general errands as I've less access to a car.

Currently I've got an ABUS U-lock, which I was going to combine with a wire lock when locking my hybrid outside the shopping centre. The area wouldn't be great, and I'd be inside for say 20-30 mins. It's a nice hybrid, cost ~600 2 years ago. The question is, would you use the bike or walk instead?

On top of what others have said, and I'll apologisie in advance because this is a bit of a wankerish thing to do but, when locking my bike at stands where several others have locked theirs I try to put mine near to a bike thats been fairly poorly secured. Chances are a theif is going to have a limited amount of time to do his deed so he'll go for the easiest option

cdaly_

Hardly wankerish. Locking a bike is like running away from a ravening bear. You don't need to outrun the bear, you just need to outrun the other guy...

AvidIrishReader

Hear, hear.

Good news and bad news: the night before the general election, my commuter Trek 7.3 was stolen from outside my house. (Partly my fault, as I had forgotten to put main lock on it as well as the minor one.) Anyhow, when I went to Kilmainham Garda station the following morning, I showed a photograph of it to the desk sergeant. He went away and came back with the bike. One of the guards on duty overnight saw three 12 year olds with it on Emmet Road, and asked them to prove ownership. One of them even had the bolt cutters in his rucksack.

Two weeks later I was in town at 13.30 and I chained it up - with the good lock - outside Donal MacNally's opticians on South King Street. I was away from it for nine minutes. When I came back, someone had obviously tried to steal it, but the lock did its job. However, not content with that, they jumped on the top tube so hard that it bent out of shape. It was finished.

As you say, in this day and age, you can keep nothing of any value in public in Dublin. It's really a city full of knackers and thieves.

All three bicycles (including the replacement for the Trek) are now stored in a custom-designed bike shed which I have in my garden.

To get about the city centre, I've now signed up to the Dublin Bikes scheme. Better one of their bikes gets wrecked than one of mine.

kippy wrote: »

Isn't it a fcuking disgrace the lengths you have to go to to protect your bike and then end up having it stolen in broad daylight on a busy street, in the case of one poster, or in the middle of the night in the spot you have locked it for years?

templer27

I'm moving near Dublin shortly,using rented accommodation.My bike is worth much more than my car,really worried about taking my bike.I'll be there for 6 months.After reading the horror stories in this thread I might leave the bike at home.:(

kennyb3

AvidIrishReader wrote: »

As you say, in this day and age, you can keep nothing of any value in public in Dublin. It's really a city full of knackers and thieves.

Just as well you didnt over genearlise there

AvidIrishReader wrote: »

To get about the city centre, I've now signed up to the Dublin Bikes scheme. Better one of their bikes gets wrecked than one of mine.

Thats the spirit!

I reckon you should of wrapped your bike in an orwell jersey then it would of never have caught the robbers eye;)

kona

I ****ing hate scumbags, like really hate them. When they are low enough to rob pensioners living alone, thats when I draw the line between human and human excrement. I swear to god I would have no problem torturing one of these sub human *****.

FWIW, there are Pro bike thieves, theres a lad in Killbarrack making a living from them.

Kintarō Hattori

kona wrote: »

I ****ing hate scumbags, like really hate them. When they are low enough to rob pensioners living alone, thats when I draw the line between human and human excrement. I swear to god I would have no problem torturing one of these sub human *****.

FWIW, there are Pro bike thieves, theres a lad in Killbarrack making a living from them.

So. What happened to you sir???

dayshah

Lumen wrote: »

The only defence against having your frame sawn through is to fill it with thermite.

Yeah, I was thinking of patenting an explosive bike lock. I value my €200 bike more than the hands of some scumbag.

kona

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

So. What happened to you sir???

I was due to sign a contract to be the next face of armani, a tough job which paid stupid money and required me to be around hot women all the time.

This was ruined by one of our Disadvantaged ADHD suffering citizens, one dark rainy friday night in febuary, one decided to try rob me, me not wanting to be relived of my money, decided to refuse, que being smashed in the face with a bottle and my dreams being washed down the street in a mix of beer, piss , water and blood.

So yea, I ****ing hate the *****. Ass rape by a riddled rottweiler isnt sufficient.

artful_codger

OP, was it your railing the bike was locked to?

MungoMan

Looks like in Dublin, people need to think hard before buying an expensive bike..

My solution from now forward is to use tatty old roadbikes (in great mechanical order) that people would be much less likely to want to steal.

To replace my stolen bike, I'm going to start using again my 20 year old very tatty carrera reynolds 501 roadbike. The bike is an eyesore, although it gives a lovely comfortable ride. The joy of riding on steel again will be nice, although I hate downtube shifters.
I wouldnt lose much if someone stole it.

kona

MungoMan wrote: »

Looks like in Dublin, people need to think hard before buying an expensive bike..

Load of bollix.

People can go buy decent locks and learn how to use them. Look at any cycle rack in the city, and count how many have good locks and are locked properly.

If your so paranoid, you can insure your bike.

tomasrojo

kona wrote: »

Load of bollix.

People can go buy decent locks and learn how to use them. Look at any cycle rack in the city, and count how many have good locks and are locked properly.

If your so paranoid, you can insure your bike.

I wouldn't put it as bracingly as that, but there's some truth in it.

kippy

tomasrojo wrote: »

I wouldn't put it as bracingly as that, but there's some truth in it.

Well, its the same as buying an item and leaving it in a public place - you do have to consider the expense of said item when making the call whether to buy or not.
Not just a Dublin issue, or an issue directly related to bikes but sadly something one has to think about.
I wouldnt be comfortable leaving anything of value in a public place for any length of time with items that secure it as flimsy as what is used for bikes.

tomasrojo

kippy wrote: »

Well, its the same as buying an item and leaving it in a public place - you do have to consider the expense of said item when making the call whether to buy or not.
Not just a Dublin issue, or an issue directly related to bikes but sadly something one has to think about.
I wouldnt be comfortable leaving anything of value in a public place for any length of time with items that secure it as flimsy as what is used for bikes.

Well, I rarely lock my Brompton up in public, because they have relatively high re-sale value and attract attention because they look funny.

My other bike cost about a grand, and I've no problem locking it in public for hours. Two good locks, plus kryptoflex for extra security optics.

Good locks aren't flimsy, but they are pricey. I also have saved and put aside the cost of a new bike, rather than buy insurance, but I haven't had a bike stolen yet, just a wheel, and that was because I used not to secure the front wheel.

Of course, eventually, given enough time, I will have a bike stolen, but given that I haven't had a bike stolen in a quarter of a century of locking bikes in Dublin, I think the problem probably isn't that bad.

kona

tomasrojo wrote: »

Well, I rarely lock my Brompton up in public, because they have relatively high re-sale value and attract attention because they look funny.

My other bike cost about a grand, and I've no problem locking it in public for hours. Two good locks, plus kryptoflex for extra security optics.

Good locks aren't flimsy, but they are pricey. I also have saved and put aside the cost of a new bike, rather than buy insurance, but I haven't had a bike stolen yet, just a wheel, and that was because I used not to secure the front wheel.

Of course, eventually, given enough time, I will have a bike stolen, but given that I haven't had a bike stolen in a quarter of a century of locking bikes in Dublin, I think the problem probably isn't that bad.

It really isnt, when you have tools wearing helmets back to front, you can be sure they cant lock their bikes properly.

Buy a quality lock, it will last you for years and secure your bike. for e100 thats nothing.

Id love to see the amount of properly locked bikes with sold secure Gold Locks that are taken. Very few Id imagine.

lionfish

christeb wrote: »

The question is, would you use the bike or walk instead?

Depends on how far away you're living from the grocers? and taking into account that you'll be carrying what you've purchased.
Is the area you're living really that bad?

christeb

lionfish wrote: »

Depends on how far away you're living from the grocers? and taking into account that you'll be carrying what you've purchased.
Is the area you're living really that bad?

20 min walk. I live in a nice area but the shops are in pretty crappy area. I think I'll end up cycling to be honest, like tomasrojo said I've almost written off the bike mentally, so if it was stolen it certainly doesn't owe me any service.

tomasrojo wrote: »

Which Abus lock? A good Abus around your seat tube and rear wheel, locked to something solid, such as a Sheffield stand, and something to secure your front wheel, you should be absolutely fine for half an hour or so.

It's a large one, so I'll check out Sheldon's vid and go from there

Holyboy

Going back to the original post im wondering what is happening to these bikes and parts,where do they go?who buys them all?im starting to think that these people are just selling the metal for scrap as the price of aluminium is sky high at the moment,if this is the case they wont care how much cutting they have to do to get your bike and the cheaper heavier bikes would be worth more to them,i may be wrong but it makes sense to me.

lionfish

ilovesmybrick wrote: »

I came back the entire fence was gone-to be honest I wasn't too p***ed off, they put in a fair bit of effort to rob a bog-standard bike!

Someone really needed your bike huh?

cdaly_ wrote: »

Locking a bike is like running away from a ravening bear. You don't need to outrun the bear, you just need to outrun the other guy...

Wise words

kona

Holyboy wrote: »

Going back to the original post im wondering what is happening to these bikes and parts,where do they go?who buys them all?im starting to think that these people are just selling the metal for scrap as the price of aluminium is sky high at the moment,if this is the case they wont care how much cutting they have to do to get your bike and the cheaper heavier bikes would be worth more to them,i may be wrong but it makes sense to me.

Isnt that like robbing the take a penny leave a penny when you could rob the till?

MungoMan

Holyboy wrote: »

Going back to the original post im wondering what is happening to these bikes and parts,where do they go?who buys them all?im starting to think that these people are just selling the metal for scrap as the price of aluminium is sky high at the moment,if this is the case they wont care how much cutting they have to do to get your bike and the cheaper heavier bikes would be worth more to them,i may be wrong but it makes sense to me.

The amount of aluminium in my bike was maybe 1 or 2 kilos.
I googled that Aluminium is about 2 dollars a kilo on the commodity markets.....I doubt they will sell the cut up frame.

A neighbour told me there were "gyppos" in the area. I didn't really know what gyppos meant, but I mentioned it to the police.
They weren't having any of it, they said the correct word was "travelling fraternity".
My neighbour suspects "travelling fraternity" of stealing my bike (and also his bike), but of course there is absolutely no evidence, and it's stupid to speculate. For all I know it could have been someone from the Royal family who stole my bike.

Head The Wall

Knacker is actually the correct word or they are known as pikeys in the UK.

Captain Havoc

Head The Wall wrote: »

Knacker is actually the correct word or they are known as pikeys in the UK.

I don't mind knacker being used to describe a scumbag but you can't use it to describe travelers.

lionfish

Head The Wall wrote: »

Knacker is actually the correct word or they are known as pikeys in the UK.

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I don't mind knacker being used to describe a scumbag but you can't use it to describe travelers.

Is it true to say that anyone who practices anti-social behavior is a "scumbag", "knacker", "waster", etc.?
I believe so.
Any objections?

kona

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I don't mind knacker being used to describe a scumbag but you can't use it to describe travelers.

:pac::pac::pac::pac::D:D:D

LOLcano!

kona

MungoMan wrote: »

The amount of aluminium in my bike was maybe 1 or 2 kilos.
I googled that Aluminium is about 2 dollars a kilo on the commodity markets.....I doubt they will sell the cut up frame.

A neighbour told me there were "gyppos" in the area. I didn't really know what gyppos meant, but I mentioned it to the police.
They weren't having any of it, they said the correct word was "travelling fraternity".
My neighbour suspects "travelling fraternity" of stealing my bike (and also his bike), but of course there is absolutely no evidence, and it's stupid to speculate. For all I know it could have been someone from the Royal family who stole my bike.

Nomadic house/shed/car/skip inspectors