Possible Abandoned Bicycle - Removal Etiquette

dceire

There is a bicycle chained to a pole near my house; it's in a very unusual open place and has been there for the best part of a week now. The back wheel has been buckled by some scumbag in the past day or two.

It's a nice old racer in need of a bit of TLC. I was wondering if it was some sort of 'bait bike' as I've heard of them in other countries; for everything from Police stings to research and articles.

Now that the bike has been damaged I'd be worried that people may start to strip it, if it's not taken away soon by the owner. I already have an old racer that is my pride and joy but would like to give this bike a good home if it has indeed been abandoned. Obviously I'm not going to nick the bike, or what's remaining of it, but if it is still there next month, or beyond, is there any sort of recovery process?

redzerredzer

If you cut the lock and take it, you are stealing it.
Call into Garda station and ask if you can take it. They may be happy to not have it sitting there vandalised out in the open.
If somebody does report it stolen they could just call you up to give it back.

Guill

Do it.

Seaswimmer

Why not take it and keep it for a year and a day while trying to find the owner. When the time is up its yours if no one has come forward..

High Nellie

Seaswimmer wrote: »

Why not take it and keep it for a year and a day while trying to find the owner. When the time is up its yours if no one has come forward..

Try telling that to the judge - "I took it from where the owner left it, but I was looking for him to give it back, really"!

touts

dceire wrote: »

It's a nice old racer in need of a bit of TLC.

It's not a puppy. Its a bike and if its owner actually wanted someone to take it they wouldn't have chained it. It's not worth the risk that you'll be accused of theft. If you hit a grumpy judge you'll get a conviction and there go your chances of ever visiting the US or Australia.

CramCycle

If its an eye sore and/or is clearly abandoned, report it to the council as abandoned, they may or may not do something.

robertxxx

Sneak out about 11.30pm and set it free, because if you ask the cops can you take it they will think you've being smoking something.

Ninap

'Best part of a week' is way too soon to conclude the bike has been abandoned. If it's still there in a month's time you could consider taking the law into your own hands.

endacl

Wasn't there a thread last year opened by a dude who went out on the pi55, and forgot where he locked his bike? Could be one of those. Owner hasn't abandoned it, but hasn't a clue where he left it?

robertxxx

Ninap wrote: »

'Best part of a week' is way too soon to conclude the bike has been abandoned. If it's still there in a month's time you could consider taking the law into your own hands.

Agree, but after a month there will be only a chain and a frame with bent back forks.

cdaly_

Ninap wrote: »

'Best part of a week' is way too soon to conclude the bike has been abandoned. If it's still there in a month's time you could consider taking the law into your own hands.

All that'll be there in a month's time will be the twisted frame...

Ninap

cdaly_ wrote: »

All that'll be there in a month's time will be the twisted frame...

How about locking the wheels with a decent lock(s) and putting a note on it in case the owner shows up?

gerire

Why don't you contact your local Garda station. Give them a description as someone may have report It as stolen as they may have forgotten where they locked it before a few swifties.

It does happen