Advert - Is it my stolen bike?

[gavintc]

I cannot believe that this thread is still going on. We were informed about the stolen bike on Mon. If the OP wants his bike back, he had better move soon as it will be sold on.

 

[Dragonwight]

I don't think you ask for a name and address when selling a stolen bike!

Sorry I must have misread your post i hadnt realised you had ascertained it was your bike.

 

[Recycler]

Absolutely not. Dreadful magazine!

I subscribed to Viz in the 80s when my inamorata was studying in the North East, hoping its pages would bring me closer to the culture of that region.

Frankly, I came to the conclusion that it was little more than a comic.

Little wonder that our jails are so full!

Honestly Boris, you do talk rubbish sometimes. I'll have you know that Viz is a quality publication which is essential reading for anyone who has an enquiring mind and appreciates its insight and well researched reporting.

You're also wrong about burglars. Any self respecting burglar will only go out properly dressed in the standard house robbing gear. You wouldn't expect to see a copper wearing a tutu, or a cyclist to wear anything other than lycra, so why on earth you think that a burglar would want to wear anything other than a stripey jumper, mask and swag bag is beyond me.

You know nuffink.

 

[steveindenmark]

So did anyone ever have enough bottle to knock on the door or has this all been a waste of time?

Steve

 

[Psyclist]

I have all faith in the police and will always go by what they advise me to do. But I tried to recover a persons stolen bike from eBay which I had been on the look out for, for nearly 12 months. When I found the bike on eBay, the auctioned had ended. It had been 'ringed' (parts changed from another model which was the present model) it had a distinctive mark on it, which I (and the victim) recognised.
I emailed the Welsh police (as I can't get hold of them on '101') informing them of the eBay item # and also advised the victim to telephone them. The victim told me that the police could do nothing because the auction had ended, and thus the thief has sold on stolen property.
This was no cheap bike either. It was a £1500 freeride bike.
Pretty miffed at the whole thing. I mean, the police could find the 'sellers' home address via I.P. let alone the buyers address and recover it. But for some reason they didn't.

Not to lose peoples faith in the police though, I have seen my local police recover my friends bike, and have heard of other bike theft victims recovering theirs too, but the moral is, it's not always the case that you will get your bike back.

 

[Peteaud]

So did anyone ever have enough bottle to knock on the door or has this all been a waste of time?

Steve

I am still waiting for the outcome as well............

 

[ohnovino]

The OP hasn't been active here since Tuesday. I hope he didn't try to recover the bike on his own. Should we send a search party?

 

[gb155]

The OP hasn't been active here since Tuesday. I hope he didn't try to recover the bike on his own. Should we send a search party?

Bump a but worrying this

 

[Powely]

Another approach to try.

Go and see it. If it is yours, tell them you want it but you would just like to go for a little ride up and down the road.
Then ride off into the sunset.

I'd do exactly that... Just take it back!

 

[david k]

has the op been stolen?

 

[benb]

Sorry to butt in, but it was never proved it was a stolen bike as the OP was to afraid to go and see it. For all anyone knows, the seller could be a totally innocent person.

Selling on stolen goods is still a crime, even if it wasn't you who stole it in the first place (and even if you were unaware that the goods were stolen as far as I know)

 

[benb]

Ok here we go:
1) If you have good grounds to believe its yours without going round, then tell the police and they SHOULD go round and check it for you, and they should do it fast too - burglary is a priority crime. It should be good grounds though I.e. 'it's a Trek the same model and colour' is a bit weak, but 'it's a Gary Fisher, there were only ever 200 sold' is good. Obvious identifying marks would be good too. Use the non emergency number 101 for this.
2) if you decide to check it out first, confirm via frame number it IS yours, and they give you a test ride, then by all means ride away on it. DON'T put yourself in danger though, I wouldn't recommend doing so if they have a facility nearby to chase you (car, bike etc.) If you do do this, pleasd do then call the police straight away to report what you've done - for all you know you could have 'nicked' the bike from an innocent third party who had bought if not knowing it was stolen. You will still be allowed to keep the bike once you have proved its yours, which is easily done by the frame number.
3) If you chose to check if out, confirm it yours and not take it, do call us straight away, and do use 999. It's a crime still in progress (handling), with a danger to property (the bike) that can be prevented, with the offenders on scene.
Lastly, I find it hard to believe officers weren't bothered to view CCTV footage of the offender riding away. I'd suggest making a complaint ic this really was the case. If they viewed it but didn't take it as if was of no evidential value that's different.

As usual, excellent advice from CopperCyclist.

 

[Cubist]

Selling on stolen goods is still a crime, even if it wasn't you who stole it in the first place (and even if you were unaware that the goods were stolen as far as I know)

If you purchase stolen goods "innocently" you don't commit a crime, as the definition includes the word "knowing or believing it to be stolen". (This however gets more complicated as it's not enough just to "turn a blind eye." The various defences then hinge on "reason". )

If you know something to be stolen, no matter how you came by it, you would commit an offence of "handling" were you to sell it on.

What you are also alluding to is the principle of ownership, whereby the true owner of property never loses ownership. Therefore an innocent purchaser must give the property back to the rightful owner.

 

[benb]

^ Thanks for the clarification.

 

[smokeysmoo]

Was there an outcome to this? jefmcg wants to know but is having trouble posting on this thread for some reason?