I didn't realise bike theft in London was THIS bad...

[Dave_80]

It's been quite bad where I live for a while for bike theft.
The little shits are all over Facebook on stolen bikes and people are reporting names to police but nothing is really being done,waiting for an owner to catch one and give them a pasting but they will end up in jail for protecting their property,the law needs to get back to what is lawful, not legal!
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Honda CB750 F2X

[definitelyinc...]

I was kind of hoping to move to the US or something in a few years if I gain a good job offer or something, I'd love to live there, at least to try it, especially to travel the country there, would be a dream. The possibility of carrying a Desert Eagle which means you can shoot someone through your house into the neighbours garage is appealing

But yeah, I'd be surprised if they had the cheek to do that kinda crap in Russia or US, cause citizens can actually defend themselves more so than here.

[G]

[definitelyinc...]

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

[stonesie]

[ZX-7R]

[Commuter_Tim]

[M.C]

[ThatDippyTwat]

[Mawsley]

I wonder if Raynepalz solves this problem too? Arrons, enlighten me.

[stevo as b4]

Forgive me for being nieve, but surely the police know the areas where these bike life/theives scum come from and live? Is it north of the river or south? East or West London? They should have a pretty good idea of the streets and even the houses or tower blocks they live in?

While it's more work than simply poisoning the water supply to these places,They could carry out more dawn raids and stop everything that moves or just have arrangements with known criminals from the area to use as informants.

Put enough effort in, and you could actually make life more difficult for the scumbags that steal bikes. Can they not watch mobile phone locations when Facebook posts are made by the scum showing off their latest nicked bikes?

I understand London is too busy with 1000's of real crimes like stabbings, shootings, rapes and murders every day, but I bet plod could with just a couple of months resources close down alot of the known bike theft activity with some help and good information.

Are all the kids on scooters that steal the bikes and carry out bag snatches, muggings and shop raids, dumb shits that just want the bikes for joy rides and making into bonfires, or are some of them actually clever enough to sell or strip and list the bikes as spares to make some money? Or do they just steal for using the bikes in crime or for having a laugh with and dumping in the canal after its fucked?

[Rogerborg]

[Wonko The Sane]

[Rogerborg]

And even if the CPS agree to prosecute, and don't make an utter Horlicks of it, chances are that a panel of bleeding heart Magistrates will hear "only a property crime, broken home, working to turn his life around (not actually working though, so don't fine me, bro)" and hand out some token non-custodial penalty that's simply ignored.

I recall BCF noting that one prolific London pikey who actually managed to get incarcerated was out scrumping bikes again the moment he was released.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[stevo as b4]

Fair points, I think I just don't get the whole 'let's nick it to have some fun on and set it on fire when it stops working' logic though?

I've never wanted to nick anything for an hour of kicks and then never see it again. If I stole something it would be because I see it, I desperately want it and I want to keep it and make it mine forever.

Also I get that nicking a moped with pedals and a basket on the front is probably fun to destroy on the local BMX track. You could argue your doing the owner a favour and getting rid of his or hers tragicly sad vehicle so it's for the best.

But say a nice mint Fireblade or an MV or Ducati, they are nice pieces of kit and deserve more than being torched or crashed and a pic of a burnout on Facebook. I'd have nice bike sympathy syndrome where I couldn't stand to see a mint superbike, or a one off special destroyed just for an afternoon of 'fuck the police we own dem street's.'

Is it the environment that breeds these scumbags, gang for life culture, or is it the parents and the way they bring them up, their diet, child abuse, malnutrition or neglect that grows a bike thief scumbag?

[grr666]

When you're walking round an orchard, you won't mind tossing away half an apple, plenty more where that came from.
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Currently enjoying products from Ford, Mazda and Yamaha
Ste wrote: Avatars are fine, it's signatures that need turning off.

[Rogerborg]

That, and nicking them is half the fun. I mean, it's just what you do, innit, and them wankers who leave bikes lying around are asking for it. Corrvpt svcm, etc.

[155mph]

A victim's perspective. (sorry if this has been covered elsewhere).

Frightening.

Back in the late 80s early 90s, car theft and associated crime was rife. You could drive away with someone's car armed with little more than a coat hanger and a screwdriver. Anyone here remember steering locks and gearshift locks?

Things have come a long way since. You now need an iPhone to drive away with someone's BMW . I suspect the tide will turn for motorcycles too. Pressure from insurers on manufacturers to do more and they can do more. Secure by design. WTF is the point of a steering lock? Just as easy to immobilise the gearbox or rear wheel. Modern cars have electronic parking brakes (EPB) so why not motorbikes? Sure that is not going to stop your bike being lifted into the back of a van, but it would sure as hell stop bikes being wheeled/pushed away.

I'm no engineer but I am sure the collective minds at BMW and Triumph could design better built-in security if they wanted to.

[G]

[stevo as b4]

Not a bad point made there is it?

I mean with all the electronics on modern bikes, you could always have a feature where pulling out the key energizes a solenoid to shoot a pin into the clutch basket to lock it, or even into the gearbox output shaft.

Hasn't things like HISS stopped hot wiring ignitions too?

[G]

[Azoth]

[Vracktal]

As a daily London commuter, what I'm really worried about are punctures. So much so that I make sure to carry a nice, hefty extendable breaker bar in my bag at all times on my daily ride.

Just in case I need to remove a wheel, you know...
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2007 BMW R1200R: On road
2009 BMW G650X Challenge: On road
1975 Norton Commando 850: Off road, awaiting recommissioning

[Fin]

The police could easily set-up bait bikes and be able to kill switch remotely or enable brakes slowly so that the fuckers can't push the bike with a scooter behind.

Even easier they could leave an underground carpark open and close the gates when a bike gets nicked.