# Woman steals back her bike



## Cycleops (6 Oct 2018)

Sad that getting your property back now has come to this:

https://dailym.ai/2Ed4wJ5


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## Slick (6 Oct 2018)

Yeah, I reckon even I could get a prosecution out of that lot if it's all true.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: ‘All information was reviewed and it was decided that there was insufficient information to proceed with an investigation.


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## Smudge (6 Oct 2018)

Nice one, respect to the woman.
And total disrespect for how utterly useless our police service has become for anything less than serious crimes..


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## numbnuts (6 Oct 2018)

It's a wonder the police didn't arrest her for stealing her own bike


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## raleighnut (6 Oct 2018)

Well done to her.


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## Drago (6 Oct 2018)

I read that. The details differ slightly depending on where it's reported. Nevertheless, quite possibly a poor show indeed.


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## mustang1 (6 Oct 2018)

numbnuts said:


> It's a wonder the police didn't arrest her for stealing her own bike



She didn't steal her own bike (it's hers, so it can't be theft?)


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## DaveReading (6 Oct 2018)

mustang1 said:


> She didn't steal her own bike (it's hers, so it can't be theft?)



Under certain circumstances (though not those above) you could indeed be guilty of stealing your own bike.


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## lane (6 Oct 2018)

On the other hand given the penalties reported in other threads - 8 weeks in prison for example for stealing bikes or 13 weeks for a second offence in as many weeks - if that is how seriously it is taken by the courts - how much police time / cost investigating and prosecuting is realistically justified?


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## Smudge (6 Oct 2018)

I just seen a trailer for the Dispatches documentary, on next monday 8pm CH4.... 
Its called 'Lawless Britain Where Are the Police'..... Apparently an increasingly number of victims of crime are saying their cases aren't being properly investigated.


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## mustang1 (7 Oct 2018)

DaveReading said:


> Under certain circumstances (though not those above) you could indeed be guilty of stealing your own bike.


I'll give you a 'like' if you tell me how so? 
(I'm sure there is otherwise you wouldn't have mentioned, I really want to know?)


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## DaveReading (7 Oct 2018)

mustang1 said:


> I'll give you a 'like' if you tell me how so?
> (I'm sure there is otherwise you wouldn't have mentioned, I really want to know?)



Imagine you have taken your bike to the LBS to have, say, the gears indexed. When they ask you to come and pick it up, you insist on a test ride and promptly scarper without paying. Technically you have stolen your own bike because at that point, until you had paid for the work, it was in the possession of the LBS.

I admit I haven't heard of that happening, but there are a number of documented instances of car drivers being convicted for the equivalent (Google "R v Turner (No 2), 1971", for example) and the Theft Act makes no distinction between cars, bikes, etc.


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## Drago (7 Oct 2018)

DaveReading said:


> Imagine you have taken your bike to the LBS to have, say, the gears indexed. When they ask you to come and pick it up, you insist on a test ride and promptly scarper without paying. Technically you have stolen your own bike because at that point, until you had paid for the work, it was in the possession of the LBS.
> 
> I admit I haven't heard of that happening, but there are a number of documented instances of car drivers being convicted for the equivalent (Google "R v Turner (No 2), 1971", for example) and the Theft Act makes no distinction between cars, bikes, etc.



Correct. In that scenario, the bike shop now have a financial interest in the machine are are co-owners until the liability os settled, ie, the bill paid. If the owner decided not to pay the bill, and snuck in through an open window and took the bike back without paying he would be committing a theft.

Pretty much the same scenario in the motor trade. Most bobbies will have been to a job when a skint owner has taken their car in, had £1000 of repairs done, and then quietly wandered in with the spare key and retrieved the car without paying. Theftaroonie, try on my new handcuffs.


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## mustang1 (8 Oct 2018)

DaveReading said:


> Imagine you have taken your bike to the LBS to have, say, the gears indexed. When they ask you to come and pick it up, you insist on a test ride and promptly scarper without paying. Technically you have stolen your own bike because at that point, until you had paid for the work, it was in the possession of the LBS.
> 
> I admit I haven't heard of that happening, but there are a number of documented instances of car drivers being convicted for the equivalent (Google "R v Turner (No 2), 1971", for example) and the Theft Act makes no distinction between cars, bikes, etc.



Thanks for that, I did not know (but it sounds obvious now that I think about it). I read a long time ago if you are unhappy with the food at a restaurant then you can pay for part of the meal (assuming you have eaten only a small part of it) to the value of what you believe it to be. I wonder if you can do the same with a bike/car/whatever service.


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## Drago (8 Oct 2018)

Yeah, you can. If there's a genuine dispute it's civil.


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## DaveReading (8 Oct 2018)

Drago said:


> Yeah, you can. If there's a genuine dispute it's civil.



Yes, it's always best not to lose your temper.


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## Drago (8 Oct 2018)

Oh aye indeed. Getting yourself locked up for public order offences does nothing towards settling a dispute with a shop in your favour, a simple fact that seems lost on too many folk.


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## tom73 (17 Oct 2018)

This week Mrs 73 was quite surprised to see a row of bikes hanging on the racks out back of a local cop shop. Complete with evidence tag's waiting to go back to owners having a quick look they'd been recovered from a number of placers. So I guess some time's they do investigate and find stolen bikes.


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## alicat (17 Oct 2018)

Well done, Sharon Jenson. Top notch detective skills!


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## gbb (22 Oct 2018)

I 'stole' a bike back once.
I saw it chained up in town several months after it disappeared. I taped a piece of paper to it stating it was my bike, police have been contacted and it was near some cctv. Went to the Police Station very nearby, they wanted some proof of ownership, I went home and got some photos with distinguishing features, satisfied them it was mine, filled in a report and they came out with a pair of croppers and returned it to me...with the proviso that if someone reported it stolen, which wasn't very likely, they'd have to investigate further.

Good result for the lady in the story, sad it had to get to someone having to expose themselves to potential danger in doing so.


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## robrinay (9 Aug 2019)

I caught the thief who'd nicked my Dahon folder in possession of the bike an hour after he'd nicked it, on a road in Nottingham well covered by surveillance cameras. He told me he'd found it and hastily ran off. When I rang the Police to report what had happened and that the tea leaf would be easily recognisable on their cameras they said thank you for solving the crime I'd reported earlier asked for a description of thief but said it was too difficult to check the footage even though I gave them an exact time. On a more amusing note a few years ago one of my daughter's friends had her phone grabbed by a yob on a bike while she was walking home from her martial arts class. he swung a punch and missed as she instinctively ducked grabbed the phone back and punched him several times. He ran off without his posh bike. When she later reported the incident to the police they laughed made notes and told her to keep the bike until he reported it stolen. She still has the bike.


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## Drago (9 Aug 2019)

"Their" cameras? The police don't have any cameras. They're owned and run by the local authority.


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## robrinay (9 Aug 2019)

Drago said:


> "Their" cameras? The police don't have any cameras. They're owned and run by the local authority.


Fair enough but surely they’d be allowed access if they needed it - I watch tv. Also petty crime adds up to lots of social problems. I’m pretty sure he was on drugs so was on his way to the junk shop to get enough for a hit or two. So such crime will eventually impact on the NHS Social care, higher Insurance premiums in relation to the amount of theft etc etc. So although the crime was probably too small to be further investigated its time the Police were funded well enough to sort such stuff for the greater good.


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## Fab Foodie (9 Aug 2019)

Smudge said:


> Nice one, respect to the woman.
> And total disrespect for how utterly useless our police service has become for anything less than serious crimes..


Well, in that case you'd better get campaigning and voting for anyone in our political system who is prepared to fund the Police Force people want. No good moaning about them.
Maybe the UK could stop wasting magic money trees on Brexit and spend it on Police, social welfare, education, mental health...just a thought.
But don't condemn the Police for this situation.


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## Smudge (9 Aug 2019)

Fab Foodie said:


> Well, in that case you'd better get campaigning and voting for anyone in our political system who is prepared to fund the Police Force people want. No good moaning about them.
> Maybe the UK could stop wasting magic money trees on Brexit and spend it on Police, social welfare, education, mental health...just a thought.
> But don't condemn the Police for this situation.



We all know its down to funding, you're only stating the obvious.
I wasn't moaning about them, just stating a fact.


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## Fab Foodie (10 Aug 2019)

Smudge said:


> We all know its down to funding, you're only stating the obvious.
> I wasn't moaning about them, just stating a fact.


It’s a fair cop....


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## brucers (23 Aug 2019)

Another aspect of this that seems wrong is that the Police tell her to contact the culprit and act as an interested buyer. It would not be unreasonable for her to assume that they would send someone go along with her given it could be a dangerous situation. Even if she goes with a friend, their is potential for matters to escalate.


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## steveindenmark (3 Sep 2019)

DaveReading said:


> Imagine you have taken your bike to the LBS to have, say, the gears indexed. When they ask you to come and pick it up, you insist on a test ride and promptly scarper without paying. Technically you have stolen your own bike because at that point, until you had paid for the work, it was in the possession of the LBS.
> 
> I admit I haven't heard of that happening, but there are a number of documented instances of car drivers being convicted for the equivalent (Google "R v Turner (No 2), 1971", for example) and the Theft Act makes no distinction between cars, bikes, etc.


No you have not stolen your own bike. You have made off without payment. It is a different offence. A bit like as if you had done a runner from a restaurant without paying for your meal. 


As for the original post. Unless you know all the fact it is difficult to judge the police actions. You will not get all the facts out of reading a newspaper.


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## Nigelnightmare (15 Sep 2019)

I had my bike stolen 38 years ago, the police wouldn't do anything even though both they and I knew who had it.
That sorry excuse for a human being has never been able to ride a bike since. 

In fact he now finds difficult/painful to walk.


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## Notafettler (12 Jan 2020)

DaveReading said:


> Imagine you have taken your bike to the LBS to have, say, the gears indexed. When they ask you to come and pick it up, you insist on a test ride and promptly scarper without paying. Technically you have stolen your own bike because at that point, until you had paid for the work, it was in the possession of the LBS.
> 
> I admit I haven't heard of that happening, but there are a number of documented instances of car drivers being convicted for the equivalent (Google "R v Turner (No 2), 1971", for example) and the Theft Act makes no distinction between cars, bikes, etc.


Bollocks they are guilty of not paying there bill. No different from doing a runner from a restaurant.


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## Notafettler (12 Jan 2020)

lane said:


> On the other hand given the penalties reported in other threads - 8 weeks in prison for example for stealing bikes or 13 weeks for a second offence in as many weeks - if that is how seriously it is taken by the courts - how much police time / cost investigating and prosecuting is realistically justified?


I don't think you are supposed to look at that way. How about a third offence? A year? Well if you dont bother even investigating the first there never will be a third one.


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## Notafettler (12 Jan 2020)

mustang1 said:


> Thanks for that, I did not know (but it sounds obvious now that I think about it). I read a long time ago if you are unhappy with the food at a restaurant then you can pay for part of the meal (assuming you have eaten only a small part of it) to the value of what you believe it to be. I wonder if you can do the same with a bike/car/whatever service.


You don't have to pay for any of it as long as you don't eat a substantial amount of it ie more than half. For a start of you can send it back and if they are not prepared to replace it then you don't have to pay.


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## glasgowcyclist (12 Jan 2020)

Notafettler said:


> Bollocks they are guilty of not paying there bill.



Did you not read the case cited, R v Turner?


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## raleighnut (13 Jan 2020)

Notafettler said:


> No different from doing a runner from a restaurant


Except they're on a bike


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## Phaeton (13 Jan 2020)

raleighnut said:


> Except they're on a bike


Don't know many restaurants that allow you to take a bike inside?


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## fossala (13 Jan 2020)

Nigelnightmare said:


> I had my bike stolen 38 years ago, the police wouldn't do anything even though both they and I knew who had it.
> That sorry excuse for a human being has never been able to ride a bike since.
> 
> In fact he now finds difficult/painful to walk.


I've known a lot of "unfavorable" people in my life and they fit into two categories. First the "badass" that pretends he is tough and brags to his mate down the pub on what he did last night (or maybe 38yrs ago...) The second handles his business but keeps it to himself as he knows if he has a big mouth he will end up getting lifted.


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