Sainsburys Car Park - Stolen Bike

[Robroy]

I have been using Sainsbury’s on Regent Rd Salford for some time now, they have a place in the corner of the car park for bikes.

I had always assumed that this was a reasonably safe place to lock up mike bike while I went shopping, CCtV, plenty of people around etc

However my bike got stolen from there about a month ago, a shopper saw them ( three young guys ) smash the lock and make off with the bike.


When I discovered it was gone I went to security hoping to see some CCTV evidence but oh no they don't have cameras on that part of the car park

Neither security nor Sainsbury’s management were particularly sympathetic



I think I was angrier with the dopy security guards and the even dopier couldn’t care less management than the three scrouts who made off with my bike


http://www.sainsbury...mbiguation_page



Just posting this as a warning as I am sure this applies to all the other big stores also

 

[numbnuts]

I thought we all park at the “owners risk” no matter what we drive or ride
sorry about your bike, but maybe a better lock or locks (I always use two) would have been better

 

[tyred]

I would have to agree about using a public car/bike park at your own risk. There is usually a sign advising you of that and Sainsbury's can't take responsibility for their customer's bikes/cars.

 

[Amanda P]

they have a place in the corner of the car park for bikes.

and that says it all, really.

My local Sainsbury's has recently been re-vamped; the bike racks are now right outside the entrance. Under cover, well lit and right in the eyeline of anyone approaching or leaving the store. Even better, one of the security guards locks his own bike up there. With two locks, and a chain it's true, but I'll bet he keeps an eye on the bike racks all the same!

 

[MacB]

That's a real pain Rob, yep you could have checked for cameras, yep you could have used more locks..etc...etc. But what some of the heartless souls on here forget is that, for many of us, we only find out all this stuff following our first bike theft. Happened to me, I thought I'd been sensible, two locks, well lit official cycle stands, actually on station platform itself and a fairly cheap bike. Advice from British Transport Police:-

1. never lock a bike at a station
2. if you have to then use heavy duty d-locks, chains, but never cable locks and make the bike look as rubbish as possible.

They also told me they had problems with this at many rural stations and a lack of CCTV - shame this wasn't apparent to any of the rail customers.

I am surprised by how often I read cycle theft reports and, when CCTV is present, it turns out to not cover the cycle parking facilities. It's almost as if they deliberately avoid covering these areas so that they don't have to deal with the problem.

 

[Bodhbh]

Of our local supermarkets Sainsbury's has the worst situated bike parking (round the corner out the way from most pedestrian traffic, just off the high street where bike thieves might be hanging around anyhow). If I'm not on my hack bike, what I do there and there only, is ask at the Customer Service desk if I could leave my bike inside the store opposite the desk and if they could keep an eye. They've never said no and normally seem pretty happy to oblige.

That said don't shop there regularly, so only do it every couple of months and make it clear I'm gonna be quick. Obviously, if it happened all the time / everyone did it they'd get sick of it, but might be worth bearing in mind.

 

[Crackle]

I have been using Sainsbury’s on Regent Rd Salford for some time now, they have a place in the corner of the car park for bikes.

I had always assumed that this was a reasonably safe place to lock up mike bike while I went shopping, CCtV, plenty of people around etc

However my bike got stolen from there about a month ago, a shopper saw them ( three young guys ) smash the lock and make off with the bike.


When I discovered it was gone I went to security hoping to see some CCTV evidence but oh no they don't have cameras on that part of the car park

Neither security nor Sainsbury’s management were particularly sympathetic



I think I was angrier with the dopy security guards and the even dopier couldn’t care less management than the three scrouts who made off with my bike


http://www.sainsbury...mbiguation_page



Just posting this as a warning as I am sure this applies to all the other big stores also

Were they Scouts or Scroats: Excuse my flippancy Rob, I just had a mental picture of three scouts in full uniform huddled over your bike and idly wondered which badge it would get them.

It's grim when your bike gets nicked. My local Morrisons has the bike racks right outside the front door which is great but they are the type you lock your front wheel in, which is not so great. All the others, Tesco, Sainsbury's, have them in a corner and I'd be quite wary of leaving my bike locked to them. Must build myself a proper shopper bike, wouldn't like to lose any of the others, you have my sympathy, thanks for the warning.

 

[ohnovino]

I have 2 Tescos, 2 ASDAs and 2 Morrisons within a short ride from my house. The ASDA and Morrisons stores all have Sheffield stands right by the entrance (and therefore by the security guards), and are well used by cyclists. One Tesco has wheel-benders in amongst the trolleys, the other has nothing, and I almost never see cyclists there.

You'd think a capitalist giant like Tesco would catch on to how much revenue they're losing for the small cost of a few stands, but apparently not.

 

[Tim Hall]

Advice from British Transport Police:-

1. never lock a bike at a station
2. if you have to then use heavy duty d-locks, chains, but never cable locks and make the bike look as rubbish as possible.

They also told me they had problems with this at many rural stations and a lack of CCTV - shame this wasn't apparent to any of the rail customers.

I am surprised by how often I read cycle theft reports and, when CCTV is present, it turns out to not cover the cycle parking facilities. It's almost as if they deliberately avoid covering these areas so that they don't have to deal with the problem.

Stunning. So why all the expense of improving bike parking facilities at stations?

A friend of mine had his stolen from Three Bridges station. Locked up, under cover, CCTV. He works for Southern (the train operator, not the water company.) The station operator "didn't have time" to look at the CCTV tape.

 

[killiekosmos]

Stunning. So why all the expense of improving bike parking facilities at stations?

A friend of mine had his stolen from Three Bridges station. Locked up, under cover, CCTV. He works for Southern (the train operator, not the water company.) The station operator "didn't have time" to look at the CCTV tape.

If they have CCTV images then make a formal request to obtain information about you and your bike. This should be covered by Data Protection Act. If they have images of the theft they may refuse to give them to you but would release to police.

What is point of CCTV if operator too busy to review it?

 

[HLaB]

I find the standard of Supermarkets very variable. The closest ASDA to me is hard enough to cycle too (it was built in the car dominated planning era) I cant imagine that it has racks, I've never seen them anyway but then again its been years since I've been to it. There's a smaller closer ASDA built way before that and it has nothing either. The local tesco and surrounding housing was built more recently and is much more cycle accessible; racks were non existent for the first couple of years; then it was a just token Sheffield type stand (not bolted to the ground). The tesco has expanded recently so hopefully it has improved but I've not been there lately. Edinburgh seems to be better the previous local Morrisons (there's now one closer) has covered 'Sheffield type' racks not too far from the door; its a retrofit and not perfect but still quite good. The nearest Tesco is right in the middle of a student area so demand for access by bike is high and they've converted one of the trolley shelters by adding 'Sheffield type' stand and they are not far from the door either, demand outstrips supply however but apart from that it is not bad. The recently built Morrisons has uncovered 'Sheffield type' racks right outside the door and I have seen the guards chasing kids from there. Ironically to my advantage, the cash machine is further away from the door and had been fiddled (I can't remember the proper name for the card scam) a couple of time so the guards check that quite often and in doing so walk passed the bike stands.

 

[joggingbob]

Robroy - bad news. I appreciate that the stores have a "at your risk" stance for parking but you would hope that they at least would help in the event of damage or theft - even it is only for good community relations. This is not to make the store liable for any theft etc but to be proactive and help with checking CCTV, offering to raise with staff in case anyone can provide information on the incident, consider improving the facilities following incidents etc.

 

[Jezston]

Sainsbury's bike stands in their main Nottingham store are tucked away round a corner out of sight.

Only bikes I see locked up there are rusty old BSOs.

Everyone else locks their bikes to the metal railings around the trolley bays in front of the entrance.

 

[chillyuk]

It is often a waste of time asking about CCTV for car park thefts from cars or loss of bikes. The security couldn't care less, they are there for the supermarket not the customers. CCTV not working, pointing the wrong way or been wiped is the standard answer to Jo public. It is usually functioning OK though when it suits the shop.

 

[MacB]

Stunning. So why all the expense of improving bike parking facilities at stations?

A friend of mine had his stolen from Three Bridges station. Locked up, under cover, CCTV. He works for Southern (the train operator, not the water company.) The station operator "didn't have time" to look at the CCTV tape.

I know, I was pretty darned stunned myself, standing on Blackwater Station platform, mobile in hand, already shellshocked, still at the stage of keeping looking at the rack in case I'd somehow not seen my bike(there were only two bikes left on the racks at this point) and hearing the BTP guy at the other end telling me I shouldn't have left my bike there in the first place. The very place in which the rail company had installed bike racks and lighting to facilitate their use.