Stolen Bike - Pashley Princess Sovereign

stacetron

Hi All,

My bike was stolen from outside Lunch! on South William Street on Saturday night. I misplaced the key to one of her locks so had to leave her there overnight (stupid I know). In hindsight I should have borrowed a spare lock from one of my friends to ensure her safety (stupid me). She is only about 6 months old and is a top of the range classic ladies bicycle. A Pashley Princess Sovereign in Regency Green.

The Princess Sovereign features a traditional lugged frame and five speed hub gears with full chaincase, gold-lined mudguards, ding dong bell, hub driven dynamo headlamp, LED rear light, tubular alloy rear carrier, propstand, frame fit lock, skirt guards, leather sprung saddle and a wicker basket. See specs below:

Frame size
22.5"
Colour
Regency Green
Gears
Sturmey Archer 5 speed hub gears
Wheels
26 inch with polished rims
Handlebar
Chrome plated raised bar
Brakes
Sturmey Archer hub brakes
Saddle
Antique brown Brooks B66s (sprung)

Tyres
Schwalbe puncture resistant Marathon Plus with reflective sidewall.


She no longer has a basket because some drunken idiots ripped the beautiful thing off in town last Wednesday. Please see pictures below. I have included a picture of the black version because it is seen without the basket and looks unusual because of it. I have never seen another green one in Dublin and the rear carrier will make this bike stand out from other Pashleys. If you see her around, please PM me so that I can investigate. I'm lost without her. Thanks a lot.

Lumen

stacetron,

Very sorry for your loss.

My wife has one in green exactly like that (bought months ago, hardly used). She's thinking of selling it as we have space issues and I won't keep bikes outside. PM me if you're interested, just a thought.

kincsem

Sorry for your loss. I saw a red ladies Pashley with wicker basket at Booterstown church on Sunday. It had an inadequate cable lock attaching it to the railings. Easy steal.

stacetron

I had a Kriptonite U-lock. I hear these are supposed to be top of the range. The bike also has a (probably easy to open) wheel lock that goes through the spokes on the back wheel to stop people cycling off with it if you're just stopping for a minute. The problem was definitely the amount of time it was locked there. It gave whatever scum took it the chance to come back with the right tools. I've learned my lesson the hard way.

kona

stacetron wrote: »

I had a Kriptonite U-lock. I hear these are supposed to be top of the range. The bike also has a (probably easy to open) wheel lock that goes through the spokes on the back wheel to stop people cycling off with it if you're just stopping for a minute. The problem was definitely the amount of time it was locked there. It gave whatever scum took it the chance to come back with the right tools. I've learned my lesson the hard way.

what part of the bike was locked?

Do you have the lock? or a frame number.

stacetron

kona wrote: »

what part of the bike was locked?

Do you have the lock? or a frame number.

I had her locked around the middle of the frame (cross bar equivalent?). The lock is also gone. I just found the receipt and it has an 8 digit "Part No." on it. Could this be the frame number? It starts with a 9.

I know that I have little chance of getting her back but decided to post as she is quite distinctive.

kona

stacetron wrote: »

I had her locked around the middle of the frame (cross bar equivalent?). The lock is also gone. I just found the receipt and it has an 8 digit "Part No." on it. Could this be the frame number? It starts with a 9.

I know that I have little chance of getting her back but decided to post as she is quite distinctive.

No, The frame number will be in the form

Letter, Letter, Number...........

Which kryptonite lock was it?, their top range are excellent, the middle range are well, mediocre IMO.

Very strange that they took the lock TBH.

stacetron

kona wrote: »

No, The frame number will be in the form

Letter, Letter, Number...........

Which kryptonite lock was it?, their top range are excellent, the middle range are well, mediocre IMO.

Very strange that they took the lock TBH.

It was one on the Kryptonite Evolution series. This kind:



It was about 5 o'clock on Sunday evening when I discovered it was missing so it's possible that the council cleaned it up. Do they tend to clean up town after a Saturday night?

kona

stacetron wrote: »

It was one on the Kryptonite Evolution series. This kind:



It was about 5 o'clock on Sunday evening when I discovered it was missing so it's possible that the council cleaned it up. Do they tend to clean up town after a Saturday night?

You are best off trying to get a U lock as small as possible, as when they are long like that, and car jack will rip it apart.

The council could have picked it up alright. Ill keep a eye out for it, lots and lots of bikes being nicked lately.

Doctor Bob

It's pretty unlikely to have been the Council, I'm afraid. It can take weeks/months for them to remove bikes that were obviously abandoned, so a new one would almost certainly be left.

A couple of weeks ago I gave a lady with a burgundy Pashley some locking advice in town- I wonder was she the Booterstown lady...

Anyway, I too will keep my eyes peeled.

stacetron

kona wrote: »

You are best off trying to get a U lock as small as possible, as when they are long like that, and car jack will rip it apart.

The council could have picked it up alright. Ill keep a eye out for it, lots and lots of bikes being nicked lately.

Thanks to everyone for the advice and the kind words. I have to go get the train into town (public transport again, sigh) but appreciate you keeping an eye out over the next while.

Nice one.

Ant

Hi stacetron,

Very sorry to hear of your loss. That's a lovely bike. Since your bike is so unique, there's a chance that you'd get it back. If I spotted it around town, I'd be sure to notice it and I'd definitely remember it a lot more than a robbed road bike or MTB.

I used to have the only yellow Sunn Cross in Dublin and when it was robbed, I went around bike shops in town with posters including descriptions and my contact details. A couple of weeks later, I got a phone call from Shane in Cycleways who had spotted it being cycled around town. He noticed it because they were the only shop in Dublin to sell Sunn bikes and they didn't sell that model. That phone call gave me hope that it was possible that I'd get it back. A couple of weeks later, my brother spotted it locked in town and we were able to recover it.

sexpot

Sorry to hear about the bike, ****ing scum. Anyway I'll keep an eye out around town, I also go to college beside a well known thief/junkie who sells bikes from his little compound on Parnell St. so I'll have a check in there tomorrow for you.

Good luck with finding it though.

kona

Could you PM me your phone number? Ill keep it in the folder just incase it shows up and I can get your to confirm its your before I call the gards/lock it up/ offer scumbag e20 and see what he says, then smack him with the lock courier style:).

stacetron

Ant wrote: »

Hi stacetron,

Very sorry to hear of your loss. That's a lovely bike. Since your bike is so unique, there's a chance that you'd get it back. If I spotted it around town, I'd be sure to notice it and I'd definitely remember it a lot more than a robbed road bike or MTB.

I used to have the only yellow Sunn Cross in Dublin and when it was robbed, I went around bike shops in town with posters including descriptions and my contact details. A couple of weeks later, I got a phone call from Shane in Cycleways who had spotted it being cycled around town. He noticed it because they were the only shop in Dublin to sell Sunn bikes and they didn't sell that model. That phone call gave me hope that it was possible that I'd get it back. A couple of weeks later, my brother spotted it locked in town and we were able to recover it.

Thanks for your help Ant. Out of interest (and to prepare myself for such a situation) how did you manage to recover it? I read on another thread that you should lock it up and ring the cops to come and get it for you. It sounds plausible but would be a fairly daunting thing to do. I imagine that I would feel fairly righteous about it if I was certain it was my bike though.

Doctor Bob

Was this ever successfully resolved?

I ask because I saw a green Pashley Sovereign without a basket [-EDITED-] tonight. It was there at 10:30 pm as I was locking at the rack nearby, and still there around 1:00 am as I was leaving. (Time of departure somewhat vague... )

Anyway, I have strong suspicions it's the bike in question, but you may have recovered it in the meantime (so I didn't put my own lock on it!).

It had a Kryptonite lock and a crappy chain lock with a blue plastic sheath around the frame, and it was locked to a street sign rather than a bike rack.

(Semding PM too in case you've given up on this thread.)

[Edited to remove location specifics.]

ullu

Yeah, this came up in conversation in the pub tonight.

The OP is a friend of mine. It was locked there on a drunken night out. Long story short, a mutual friend saw it and realised it was probably hers. A phone call ensued and realisation occured.

If only this was how all stolen bike mysteries were solved!

And thanks regardless Doctor Bob, don't let this discourage you from having an eagle eye!

c0rk3r

This also happened to me once

Doctor Bob

So it was misplaced rather than stolen? What a relief. That thought did actually occur to me last night- the bike's proximity to the location of the purported theft made me wonder if it hadn't been simply a case of, um, hazy recollection.

I presume any mild embarrassment will be more than compensated for by the fact that the owner has now been - or will shortly be - reunited with her trusty steed! (Let's hope thieves aren't reading this thread.)

And stacetron- if it's any consolation, a guy I know in England once misplaced his house. He moved to London, found a place to rent, brought over a couple of boxes of stuff, went out on the beer on his first night living there, and then couldn't find the house again. Ever. He still has the keys to this day, and still hasn't a clue about the house.

bobbybyrne

Hey all I had my bike stolen just before holoween last. I only left it locked up for 20mins and when I came back disaster. I called the gards they told me to find the nearest station and make a report, went their they said to go to my local station went their and they sent me back to the original station so I just gave up. about 3 months ago I got a call from my friend saying he's found my bike, I went to where he was and called the gaurds explained the situation and they came along with a bolt crops and cut her free for me.
But that was it? they werent interested in who took it or me showing proof of ownership from me. I walked away happy in the end but it made me think as to what extent if any the garda care for such crimes. Mine was a bright red mark3 chopper very easy to notice much like your bike. Just dont give up...