Stolen Bikes

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This topic contains 15 replies, has 15 voices, and was last updated by  tobey358 1 year, 6 months ago.

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  • #73889

    ChrisD
    Participant

    Before the London scheme started all the doom merchants were saying how many of the Paris velos ended up in the Seine or in some distant country and that the same would happen here. Early days, I know, but I was wondering if there are any figures as to how many have gone missing in London so far. Hopefully they are heavy enough to deter the casual thief and the number is low.

    #76582

    christianh
    Participant

    Last we were told one was MIA. But they seemed to be suggesting that that was most likely a failure to dock properly rather than an actual theft. I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone would want to steal one. Beyond a perverse kind of trophy theft.

    #76583

    mattradack
    Participant

    One policeman I spoke with said that he heard that 300-400 had already been stolen, but even he questioned the legitimacy of this claim.

    #76584

    cyberkev
    Participant

    The BBC had something on the news this morning showing a pile of hundreds of bikes dumped at Kings Cross Station due to no docking stations available.

    Nice one BBC now everyone who wants to steal a Boris Bike knows they just have to wait at Kings Cross in the rush hour to pick one up for free !

    #76585

    PhilA
    Participant

    From that BBC report, anyone stupid enough to just leave their bike at a rack deserves to be charged for it.

    I think the problem with the “stolen” bikes is that people are TERRIBLY lazy, and instead of looking around for an empty dock (I’ve had to cycle 5 mins before to find one), they just dump them, and expect that TFL will go “oh yes, you’ve left your bike, so we’ll look after it for you, and not charge you either”.

    If I worked on those relocation trucks, I’d move the docked bikes first, and then once they’re spread out, get to the ones that are just left by the racks.

    Next time I see one dumped, I’m REALLY tempted to just get on it and ride off, because it’s a free bike, right? It’s not like I’ll have to pay for it. :-P

    #76586

    Cathryn
    Participant

    Actually, if you just got on it and rode it to whereever you were going, you’re probably doing the person a favour – you’re not likely to add more than an hour or so to their bill, are you, and at least they wouldn’t end up with an all-day charge, or a stolen bike one.

    #76587

    BigSmoke
    Participant

    There is no way 300 or 400 bikes have been stolen.

    #76588

    PhilA
    Participant

    @Cathryn, I’m not saying I’d dock it, just ride it… :wink:

    #76589

    d1v1d
    Participant

    I venture a guess that the theft rate will be very low given the chargeback to members if the bike is not returned, and there is no police report on a member claiming a theft while riding. This is something to watch for when moving to casual rates and alternative billing arrangements.

    #76590

    bensmithuk
    Participant

    @PhilA – Whilst I agree with you in normal circumstances, the call-centre were suggesting people did exactly that last week when the system failed and no bikes could be returned.

    #76591

    BigJon
    Participant

    I am reliably informed by a friend that the bikes at Kings Cross were being taken out of the docking stations by the Serco employees and watched over by them. This was their way of creating free docking points for incoming people.

    It was appear that the re-distribution system was lacking some crucial aspects in this case…

    #76592

    Singer
    Participant

    They’re doing the same thing at waterloo in the evening. There were twice as many bikes lined up out of docks than there were docs. Sounds like very strong evidence for increasing the ratio of docks to bikes significantly at mainline stations.

    #88509

    hellooello
    Participant

    Hello, sorry ive found a stolen Barclays bike just now they have hidden it behind a van on Wessex St on the corner near Hadleigh St, left inside the mini 3 car parking space on the grass left by a young Bengali teen in my area. How do I report this so the stolen bike can be collected back to the bike scheme? the attachment is a pocture file of where the bicycle is exactly as of 1:15AM 25/03/15 the road is around the area of bethanl green behind the station roman road going into globw road right onto sceptre road and just off there is wessex street, bethnal green, london E2. how do i get this abbandoned back back to where it belongs??

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    #88557

    cyclingnewbie
    Participant

    Call TfL if you have discovered a stolen bike (or call the police!!! 101 is the number).

    • This reply was modified 1 year, 7 months ago by  cyclingnewbie.
    #88590

    eric20
    Participant

    yes we should inform police about stolen bike but there is little chance to get back your bike.

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