Watch out in Richmond Park... Machete wielding thieves

[icowden]

This just in...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58835188

Not sure if it is a one off, but if you have a high value bike, make sure it is insured and just let it go if attacked by knife wielding thugs...

 

[DCBassman]

Bit excessive for a bike. Any bike.

 

[steveindenmark]

I would be looking to find a way to clip a baseball bat to the frame. I am suprised that people are not setting up vigilante groups (I mean that in the nicest way) to trap and kick the sh1t out of these jokers. It would be an entertaining afternoon sport. The police are not catching them and they know they can just get away with it. If they want the wild West. Bring it on.

 

[Cycleops]

These little barstewards can’t be too bright. Something like that will be difficult to sell on, even broken down into parts.
I really feel sorry for the guy, not a nice thing to go through. Maybe he’ll be using the @SkipdiverJohn model of bike buying for his next training machine?

 

[Blue Hills]

These little barstewards can’t be too bright. Something like that will be difficult to sell on, even broken down into parts.

the description I read also made it seem as if they might have/ran a real risk of damaging the bike in the process.
Fair chance these guys might be caught since the robbery was "aggravated" ? Would have thought there would be lots of CCTV which could be looked at if the police were so inclined.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I would be looking to find a way to clip a baseball bat to the frame.

That idea is really a non-starter as far as the weight weenies who ride these high end bikes are concerned! A hollow carbon fibre baseball bat is not going to have enough heft in it to poleaxe a thug, and carrying a proper cosh won't do their strava stats any favours.
Personally I find having a cheapo bike and a "don't mess with me" demeanour tends to avoid any problems.

 

[lazybloke]

A slightly disconcerting feeling that I may have been watched on my rides through RP, but this isn't something that will worry me. My bike has v little resale value.
Besides, we all carry things like cash, cards, phone, and maybe tools and work things. These are more easily carried off by a scrote, and would likely have far more value.
Plus this could happen anywhere.

Would have thought there would be lots of CCTV which could be looked at if the police were so inclined.

Across the UK there is plenty of CCTV in town centres and on busy roads, but a quick look on streetview suggests almost no coverage of RP.

 

[Blue Hills]

Across the UK there is plenty of CCTV in town centres and on busy roads, but a quick look on streetview suggests almost no coverage of RP.

I meant on entrances to it, other roads - recent cases have shown that, with a will and resources, the police can track folk all over the place over long journeys. They only have to find coverage of some folks, even with masks, with that bike, presumably a distinctive bike, and then do some more research on neighbouring cameras, daisy chaining as they go.

These folks could kill someone/inflict life changing injuries so would hope that the case would be a priority.

On bikes being grabbed, I well remember cycling slowly, pausing now and again one evening in Hackney a few years ago. I was on a nice Dale. A police car pulled up alongside and a copper wound down the window for "a talk". I wondered if I'd done something wrong but he cautioned me to keep moving/be aware - said a few bikes had lately just been grabbed off people as they paused at junctions etc.

 

[lazybloke]

I meant on entrances to it, other roads - recent cases have shown that, with a will and resources, the police can track folk all over the place over long journeys. They only have to find coverage of some folks, even with masks, with that bike, presumably a distinctive bike, and then do some more research on neighbouring cameras, daisy chaining as they go.

These folks could kill someone/inflict life changing injuries so would hope that the case would be a priority.

On bikes being grabbed, I well remember cycling slowly, pausing now and again one evening in Hackney a few years ago. I was on a nice Dale. A police car pulled up alongside and a copper wound down the window for "a talk". I wondered if I'd done something wrong but he cautioned me to keep moving/be aware - said a few bikes had lately just been grabbed off people as they paused at junctions etc.

It was the vehicle entrances I looked at. There's a camera on a pole just outside Kingston Gate but I didn't see any others; not that I looked very carefully.


Yes, surrounding busy roads, especially junctions, high streets, petrol stations & other businesses, etc will likely have good CCTV coverage, but not so sure that the residential areas adjacent to the park.

Easy to sling a bike into a car in a 'safe' spot, and then drive off unnoticed.

 

[Blue Hills]

It was the vehicle entrances I looked at. There's a camera on a pole just outside Kingston Gate but I didn't see any others; not that I looked very carefully.


Yes, surrounding busy roads, especially junctions, high streets, petrol stations & other businesses, etc will likely have good CCTV coverage, but not so sure that the residential areas adjacent to the park.

Easy to sling a bike into a car in a 'safe' spot, and then drive off unnoticed.

Don't agree with you to be honest - I wouldn't like to try to get away with a crime ranked serious with all the cameras around.
And of course - see recent events - there are also cameras on london buses - there are a damn lot of them.

 

[hatler]

And there was an almost identical attack the day before (or after).

https://richmond.nub.news/n/outrage-as-second-cyclist-attacked-in-richmond-park-by-violent-gang

 

[Rusty Nails]

Personally I find having a cheapo bike and a "don't mess with me" demeanour tends to avoid any problems

I would guess the cheapo bike has more effect than the 'don't mess with me' demeanour, especially if they have motor bikes and machetes

 

[lazybloke]

Don't agree with you to be honest - I wouldn't like to try to get away with a crime ranked serious with all the cameras around.
And of course - see recent events - there are also cameras on london buses - there are a damn lot of them.

I don't disagree with the points you're making, and indeed have already given examples of good CCTV coverage outside the park. It was impressive how ANPR and CCTV coverage were combined with other data to track Wayne Couzen's movements across a wide geopgraphical area.

None of that changes my observation that RP appears to have very weak CCTC coverage - both at the periphery and interior of the park. This might weaken the ability of the police to solve crimes committed within the park. I've already given an example of how an an expensive and distinctive bike could be removed from the park out of sight.

I also indicated RP isn't a particular worry; and here are some crime stats for anyone who feels in need of reassurance.
https://www.met.police.uk/a/your-area/met/royal-parks/richmond-park/

Although back to cameras, here's an article of some relevance that Google pointed me at; a lack of enforcement cameras.
https://jackfifield.uk/2020/09/01/absence-of-cameras-means-vans-defy-richmond-park-ban/

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I would guess the cheapo bike has more effect than the 'don't mess with me' demeanour, especially if they have motor bikes and machetes

You're assuming the assailants will be tooled up but the intended victim won't be. That would be a very unwise mistake for any potential robber to make.

 

[iluvmybike]

Please enlighten me as to how a 68 yr old lady at 5' 3" and weighing 9stone can adopt a "don't mess with me demeanour"? I'm intrigued