Why do scumbags steal bicycles?

FrankGrimes

It seems that most of the time in this country when a car gets stolen it's usually by a scumbag wanting to rally around the place and thrash it. And, if the movies are to be believed, in other places high spec cars are stolen on demand to fulfill orders from customers wanting stolen cars at knock down prices. So, I can see the broad reasons for cars getting stolen.

But what about bikes? Where do they go? Is there a strong market for second hand bikes and are those customers generally happy to pay for what is probably a stolen bike? Or is it a case that the scum just rob the bikes for their own use or to give to their mates? It seems unlikely that they'd go the hassle and risk of thieving bikes just to use themselves, but then again these lads mightn't be thinking along logical lines (e.g. an out-of-it junkie was caught robbing bikes in my workplace a while back).

Has anyone that has had a bike been stolen heard anything from the Gardai about where it probably ended up?

72hundred

A friend of mine was offered a bike on Moore St. Dublin for 40 euro, with the lock still attached!

I'd say alot of scumbags just want to sell them on quickly, anything else and it could be tracked back to them easier.

72oo

Chips Lovell

I think a lot of bikes are stolen to be ridden. I've caught kids as young as 8 or 9 around my area stealing bikes.

I know when I was growing up, the received wisdom was to always buy a hot bike because chances were it was going to be stolen anyway and you'd be a fool to pay full price for something that was bound to be nicked.

You hear stories about various fences in the city selling large amounts of stolen bikes. I've also heard stories about organised operations, where a few lads would steal every bike off a rack and chuck them into the back of a van.

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Bike can disappear a lot easier than cars. I suppose it comes down to them doing it because they can. They mustn't be too difficult to shift on either, or else you wouldn't have the more organised bike theft (with van). It'd be interesting to know how much of the Buy and Sell bikes are stolen.

oobydooby

One quote I remember was Shane MacGowan wobbling through London and spotting a bike and saying to the camera that if you were a 'junkie', that bike was worth a hit. That's all. Easy to steal and some people are desperate for money/drugs.

There's a legendary story where some thugs nicked a full bike rack from UCD, complete with bikes. Loads of students even helped the lads lift the rack into the van. It's hard to see how organised theft like this would be profitable though - bikes are cheap and nobody who's into high-end bikes would buy a hot bike.

What really sickens me though is when gurriers vandalise bikes.

72hundred

oobydooby wrote: »

...nobody who's into high-end bikes would buy a hot bike.

What really sickens me though is when gurriers vandalise bikes.

So moral of the story is lock 'em up at either end inside so as not to give them a chance.

Chips Lovell

oobydooby wrote: »

It's hard to see how organised theft like this would be profitable though - bikes are cheap and nobody who's into high-end bikes would buy a hot bike.

If you knew what you were doing, you'd strip down high end bikes and sell the parts on eBay.

72hundred

el tonto wrote: »

If you knew what you were doing, you'd strip down high end bikes and sell the parts on eBay.

Thankfully though the average scummer doesn't think this far ahead!

FrankGrimes

Mmm, so it seems the most basic reason is 'because they're scum' which I guess isn't too surprising.

Who are the people that buy the stolen bikes though and do you reckon they're aware the bikes are hot? I hope there's not too many people out there still thinking along the lines of what El Tonto said was the view years back that you might aswell do it cos it will get nicked anyway. That's like saying you might aswell buy shares in a drug dealer cos he's going to sell the heroin anyway, ok not quite, but kinda.

What's the penalty for someone stealing a bike versus the penalty for stealing a car? Can see the car theft if it leads to joyriding is putting lives in danger, but other than that stealing a bike should be regarded pretty seriously.

Where's Travis Bickle when you need him eh?

Chips Lovell

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Where's Travis Bickle when you need him eh?

There was a brief moment when Kona appeared to on the verge of becoming the Travis Bickle of bike theft, but sadly it passed uneventfully.

digitalage

A bloke (well scumbag) I went to school with dublin7 area, made a fortune out of robbing bikes, he had loads of kids robbing the bikes for him and he was selling them. He got such a reputation that the guards setup surveillance on his house and he eventually done a few months behind bars for stolen property, but bikes were his main gig. I'd say the main reason bikes get robbed is for cash, but some people make it too easy to rob there bikes, I see people locking bikes to poles that support small trees you just have to cut the plastic and lift the bike over the pole. I seen two young scummers robbing a nice racing bike off dame street the other day, something similar, a parking sign with the sign missing, one lad jumps on the others shoulders and passes the bike up over the pole. I would never leave a decent bike locked in town, if its not robbed its usually vandalised.

Marathon Man

digitalage wrote: »

I seen two young scummers robbing a nice racing bike off dame street the other day,

Did you try to stop them?

digitalage

I was stuck in traffic, I beeped the horn, but to be honest nobody blinked an eye...I got more frowned looks for beeping the horn.

unionman

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Who are the people that buy the stolen bikes though and do you reckon they're aware the bikes are hot?

I was reading a column by a certain Irish Times columnist a couple of years ago about the merits of cycling. Having decided to take it up, they discovered, after some morality wrestling, that they could buy a stolen bike on the street for very little money.

It raised almost no controversy as far as I recall. Imagine if the same logic were applied to the acquisition of a car? A torrent of complaints I'd expect.

c0rk3r

Dear Mr. C

I am sorry to learn that you were the victim of crime recently. This crime is currently under investigation by Garda X at Garda station y tel - B. An Garda Siochana will endeavour to assist you with any queries in relation to this matter. The Garda PULSE incident number is "z". Please quote this number in any queries or correspondence to An Garda Siochana relating to the matter at hand.

This case will fully investigated, but you should be aware that delays might be experienced during the course of this investigation. The investigating Garda will keep you informed of relevant developments.

Yours Sincerely
Superintendent B

I reported my bike stolen on paddys day. Turns out i was so smashed i didnt remember moving it to another location. That was embarrassing. The above is a letter recieved some time later

Thomas_S_Hunterson

c0rk3r wrote: »

I reported my bike stolen on paddys day. Turns out i was so smashed i didnt remember moving it to another location. That was embarrassing. The above is a letter recieved some time later

lol they obviously discovered mail merge.

FrankGrimes

unionman wrote: »

I was reading a column by a certain Irish Times columnist a couple of years ago about the merits of cycling. Having decided to take it up, they discovered, after some morality wrestling, that they could buy a stolen bike on the street for very little money.

It raised almost no controversy as far as I recall. Imagine if the same logic were applied to the acquisition of a car? A torrent of complaints I'd expect.

You're not wrong there unionman, that's pretty poor form alright. Not sure how someone who regards themselves as decent can justify buying a stolen bike - true downloadng MP3s is also theft, but it just seems that buying a bike you know has been stolen from somebody else is far worse.

unionman

FrankGrimes wrote: »

You're not wrong there unionman, that's pretty poor form alright. Not sure how someone who regards themselves as decent can justify buying a stolen bike - true downloadng MP3s is also theft, but it just seems that buying a bike you know has been stolen from somebody else is far worse.

I tried to locate the piece on the Irish Times archive, but my subscription has expired:mad:

Chips Lovell

People steal bikes because they can. Its relatively low on policiing priorities, or at least appears to be, which means you've got a good chance of getting away with it. Its the same reason why a lot of motorists will speed if they know there aren't any cameras on a particular road etc.

RDM_83

I've often wondered what happens to stolen racing bikes, seen and been offered in the street a lot of mountainbikes that were probably hot at various fairs and that car park up on parnel street but never a racing bikes, friend who asked the fence on the NCR (woman near church thinks its quite well known) was told it was 200 euro for racing bike, this though probably much less than bikes value (potentially he didn't see the bike) seems like much more than anyone would pay for a stolen bike. Is it possible they go overseas or is there enough market for resprayed frames (couriers etc making fixed speed bikes)

ps was once offered 20 quid by some kids for the bike i was cycling up the quays, I'd got it for free of the Trinity groundskeepers so was a fair price

Thomas_S_Hunterson

I think the onslaught of cheap dual-sus bikes distracted a lot of thieves from the relatively simple looking racers. And of course racers are much more likely to be properly locked and looked after by their owners. I'd say there's relatively few racers stolen.

chicoben

I was unlocking my bike one day in DCU when I saw a security guard lookin at me funny but it was because I used to carry my saddle around with me.
So he came up and said;
"fair play for bringin your sadle with you, I once saw a bunch of little scummers nick something like a saddle or lights and mudguards off a bike and then just walk off and throw them in the nearest bin."
Where's the sense in that?

zAbbo

Bikes are shiny, scummers like magpies are attracted to shiny things.

I saw some scummer take 2 bikes from O'Connell st, informed a nearby Guard - but he didn't really seem interested and said they could have been your mans bikes.

I mean who has 2 bikes, and is shifty as feck while looking round him. Didn't appear that he took the looks with him either.

Whats the point...

ilovelamp2000

I think the answer to the question in the title is the same as the answer to :

Why do dogs lick their balls ?




Because they can.

72hundred

Rosco1982 wrote: »

I think the answer to the question in the title is the same as the answer to :

Why do dogs lick their balls ?




Because they can.

Ah don't drag the poor old dogs into this :P. The scummers are meant to have some level of human intelligence/responsibly!

72oo

littleknown

i had a good bike stolen by a guy who knew about bikes, came around to buy it, took it for a test spin and never came back. he knew his stuff so i trusted him to have a go ( you have to let people have a trial of a bike before buying it as it cost over 1000 ) He also had a list of bikes with him that he had taken down from the buy and sell and was planning to view!

i reckon some lads like this either strip the bike down, remake a bike from parts and sell it through websites or bring it to another country and sell it there.

plenty of people like bikes and they;re worth a bit of cash if you know where to sell em.