Bikes stolen - Thames Valley (15-16th May) please read!

[leyorkie]

There’s an old saying “ locks only keep honest people out”
I have standard door locks but ground/wall anchors to fix each bike to.

[Usget]

MadDad said:

Yup, but I always start the rides from the top of my road, without following me home it would be anyones guess which garage I keep my bikes in, so fairly sure whoever took them has probably been watching/following me for a few days. I live in a small estate where everyone pretty much knows everyone - trouble is we have a small building site in the corner of the estate at the moment and as a result there are 30+ builders cars and vans scattered around the roads so at the moment it's difficult to spot cars/vans that don't belong. I'm not saying the theft had anything to do with the building work - just that with so many 'alien' cars on the estate it's difficult to spot the ones that don't belong....

Interestingly, our shed was broken into and my two bikes stolen when there was a small building site down our road. They took the two valuable ones (which were locked up) and left the crappy Pendleton (which wasn't) so, just as in your case, they knew what they were after. I'm sure it's just a coincidence of course.

Thieves are s. Insurance companies aren't that far behind. I really hope you get a sensible payout fella. And, looking to find a crumb of comfort, at least it wasn't a home breakin and neither you nor your family were hurt.

[ALawson]

I almost changed both our garage doors to electric roller ones when we moved, I have disabled one door by removing the cables from the garage door central lock/handle. My understanding is that they can easily be forced open at the bottom or side attach to release the pins.

The reality is that an electric drill with a 110mm hole saw would go through a garage door in about 10s, noisy but I reckon your wouldn't get much attention from most neighbours. You would then be free to pull the cables manually.

Personally as soon as you put a massive post / lock at the base of the garage or secondary locks around the edge you are confirming whats inside.

I am not emotionally attached to the bike and its insured. As others have said hard anchor points in the garage are probably the best solution.

Fingers crossed that you bikes or frames turn up. Is getting a replacement frame custom painted an option?

[TwistingMyMelon]

Ive never trusted up and over ones

Ive got an electric roller one (fitted last owner) , it looks the part from the distance, however it would still be easy enough to get in with brute force, the rollers are quite thin

Hope something comes up OP and you get your bikes back

[Sa Calobra]

Gutted for you OP. I wouldn't leave any of my bikes outside the house. When you get the insurance/new bikes look at wall storage etc.

They'll be back. Alot of thieves now know the cycle, repurchase then revisit to attempt to resteal. Ground anchors etc and locks will just cause them to bring angle grinders or... Just cut through the frame and sell the parts.

My friend was hit twice. The second time they used an angle grinder.

Will they come into your house? Breaking into a house takes alot more than shed breaks. Alot more gumption and balls and these aren't the same thieves as those who steal high end car keys. IF you hear anything at night. The one thing the Police do love is thieves on, you'll have a response officer there within minutes. No one on scene, no forensics = no point.

As for the Police - if you were one, if there's no possibility of any forensics or clear I.D of a person then there's no point pursuing.


CCTV won't deter them, I reckon just leave the old lawn mower in the garage from now on.

Sorry for the ramble.

[bigdom]

TwistingMyMelon said:

Ive never trusted up and over ones

I didn’t realise how poor the lock on ours was, until we had an extension built a few years back. I kept the door, although it now has a mortice lock in each corner, which would be reasonably noisy and time consuming to get into, without advertising much at all.