Stolen Viking bike Post Reply

[taylor1993]

Sunday night my bike was stolen from the front of our house:( it had a metal chain bike lock attached to the fence and they broke the fence to take the bike. It is a white and pink Viking bike wth a brown basket on the front. If anyone sees it please let me know, my second bike to have been stolen

[Denwand]

Sorry about your bike.

I had my Trek bike stolen from Garratt Lane and a few days later saw a Trek of the same model (Trek 7.6 - quite rare) for sale on Gumtree, the sellers area tag was "Clapham Common"

I thought it might be mine but the picture supplied showed a bike with different accessories so I discounted it.

Fast forward a month and I saw a post from someone saying their red Cannondale bike had been stolen from Garratt Lane too (same area opposite Cafe Neros)  and looked on Gumtree out of interest - there it was! Same bike, same "Clapham Common" area.

I contacted the bikes real owner, similar story - same bike, same model, same colour but had slightly different accessories....then the penny dropped!

The thief advertises the stolen bike on Gumtree using a picture of another, slightly different bike that he found online - original owner discounts that it's their bike because picture is not the same and thief happily sells it.

The original owner of the Cannondale contacted the Police and they were very proactive - they arranged to meet thief posing as a buyer - all was going well until the thief got cold feet and failed to turn up sadly.

I could kick myself for falleing fro the "different picture" trick myself!

Have a look on Gumtree for any locally advertised Vikings of your model, but don't approach any thief by yourself!
 

[Gullsands]

Infuriating!  My hubby had one of our teenage sons' bike stolen outside Clapham South station the other Monday - it was secured to the bike rack with one of those flexible bike locks which, it seems, are too easy to cut through, even in broad daylight outside a busy tube station and on a busy road junction!  Two days later he borrowed our second son's bike which was stolen from the same place, with the same type of lock on it, also in broad daylight.... I can only assume someone is watching and/or saunters along daily to inspect the rich pickings which are available and relatively easy to nick, and helps themselves - so be warned and/or get a better bike lock than we had, everyone.  Police not interested except to issue a crime number, which they did very efficiently on both occasions.   Now I'm going to look on Gumtree for our two bikes... thanks for the tip, Denwand - wish I'd seen it a couple of weeks ago!

[taylor1993]

Thanks for your replies. I would of never have guessed that as well. They are so sneaky which makes it even more infuriating! Don’t know if you have heard but bikeshed.co.uk lists every bike being sold on gumtree and eBay so easier to have a look.

Sorry to hear about your two bikes being stolen, that is hideous and in broad daylight somewhere so busy. They must have a network going on around the station. Yes police this time around were no hope again, I guess here is not much they can do, but you think outside the tube station there would be CCTV.
I invested in a heavy duty metal chain bike lock this time, do you have any suggestions for locks? I am going to get another bike but want to make sure I have the best lock I can get .

Thanks so much

[Denwand]

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My bike was stolen when it was "secured" with a cable type lock from Halfords - it was cut through cleanly as if it was a bit of soft spaghetti! Useless!

I have bought a Kryptonite lock (I find most chain locks to easy to cut unless they are so big and thick that they weigh a ton)

You would be looking at around £40 for a Kryptonite which can be bought with a cable extension - but they are very strong and quite light - I just loop it around the handlebar stock when travelling.

I decided against the cable extension - the idea is that the main lock loops around your frame and a solid post/rack and the cable goes through your front wheel and back to prevent it being nicked.

I just use the main lock - thief would need an industrial angle-grinder to cut - a noisy and messy business that takes time - I have heard motorcycle thieves occasionally do it but bike theives prefer the quicker and easier bolt cutter method on cables.

Some cheaper U locks can be opened by placing a car-jack inside and forcing it that way but the Kryptonite has built in defence for that - but having said that no lock is 100% safe and if they really wanted your bike they could cut the frame anyway - highly unlikely as most thieves are lazy opportunists!

Good Luck!