Abandoned Bike

Elothar

Hi there,
not sure if this is the right forum or not (might be a legal thing), but here goes.

Does anyone know what the situation is regarding abandoned bikes? I'm looking for a frame for a bike and there's one near my house chained to a signpost. It's obvious that it has been abandoned, it's been there for a good while now, most of the parts are missing and all that's left is the frame and the lock that's holding it to the signpost.
What I'm asking is, as I have no way of finding out who owns it could I go to the Guards and tell them I'm taking it and hacksaw off the lock?
The other option I thought of is leaving a contact note on the signpost but I don't know if the owner would ever return and I'm wary of leaving any sort of contact details where anybody can see it, (yeah I know I'm paranoid, don't mean they aint out to get me!)

Any advice would be welcome.

magicbastarder

i dithered over something like this years back in relation to a bike on capel street which had been stripped of a lot of parts (except for the freewheel, which was broken on mine and almost impossible to find a replacement); so about the time i had decided to act, the bike disappeared.

Beasty

Unless you do approach the Gardai first I have no doubt that if you take it for your own use it would be considered stealing. Of course where ownership currently lies is unknown by you but in theory someone could come and claim it. Hence I think your only option, if you want it for yourself, is to approach the Gardai. If you don't want it yourself you could I guess approach the council, tell them how long it's been there, and ask them to remove it

iwillhtfu

Just take it you'll be saving the council a job of cutting the lock and dumping the bike in the back of a van.

If anybody asks tell them it's unsightly and you're removing it to be dumped. I'd be fairly confident the owner isn't overly bothered about it if it's in the condition described.

If it's a Venge with a bit of dirt on it slightly different matter.

Elothar

Thanks for the replies.

I'll go talk to the local Garda on Monday and see what they say, after that I'll go see the council, betwixt the two of them I should find some sort of resolution.

@iwillhtfu no idea what a Venge is, sorry...:)

iwillhtfu

If it looks like this

punisher5112

The council or garda will eventually remove the bike.

They won't let you just take it as its not yours.

there was a bike last year in donnybrook was there for a few weeks in great condition and someone noticed must be forgotten about because parts were all stripped apart from bare frame was very surprised it lasted so long not touched

slap/dash

<snip>

magicbastarder

Elothar wrote: »

I'll go talk to the local Garda on Monday and see what they say

they'll probably be incredulous that you're ringing up to ask permission from them to steal a bike.

Elothar

Lol. You might be right at that magicbastarder! I know technically that's what I'll be asking them.

@iwillhtfu no it doesn't look like that, nice looking bike though.