Be careful out there - bikejacking

Be careful out there - bikejacking

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Discussion

gmaz

Original Poster:

4,382 posts

209 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
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Just seen this FB post from one of my mates...

"Just got back from A&E Wigan hospital this morning. Head neck and chest CT scan, ankle X-ray and another chest X-ray. Fortunately only a broken rib, extremely sore neck, back, hip, strained ankle, deep cuts on my left shin and a sprained right wrist and a lot of discomfort.

The story is I was out for a local bike ride and some scuffers have spotted me and wanted the bike. It would appear the low life would go to any lengths to steal my bike. The incident occurred when I was going down a single track country lane (long heys lane). I noticed the car behind but it was only when I got to a section with no houses that they rammed me and knocked me off. I ploughed head first into the steep embankment and when I came to they were trying to wrestle the bike into the black merc WD16. I attempted to approach them but the larger one of the three waived what can only be described as a short sword. They all had scouse accents and warned me not to approach as it wasn’t worth it. as it was a small merc the bike was to big and heavy to put inside so the armed one jumped on it and managed to get off down the hill followed by the two in the car. I immediately called the police and was attended to by paramedics who thought it best to immobilise my head and neck.

The Poc helmet and knee pads certainly reduced the severity of my injuries and are now only worth consigning to the bin. The police seized all my outer clothing and Camelbak for forensic evidence as I may have come into contact with the criminal’s clothing. They said I would be contacted by CID owing to the severity of the crime and possible links to other similar incidents.


The bike is a Giant Reign E+1. However, it is unique in that the frame was changed under warranty for the higher spec E+0 bike and is metallic green and not light grey. frame No. below if it is ever recovered. It would appear that the three muppets have been committing similar bike thefts in the area using similar cars and the false plate starting in WD16. The crime they have committed, armed robbery and using a vehicle by any means as a weapon suggests these people are escalating the severity each time. I think I was quite fortunate that they didn’t run me over and kill me! Please share the info around. I intend to contact the bike shop and report the incident so that hopefully Giant become aware of it and the bike’s details are shared around other bike networks."

So, if you see a suspicious Giant Reign E+1 for sale in the North West, contact police


lufbramatt

5,317 posts

133 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
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My cousin had similar when he had his Willier road bike stolen off him in Bromley/Orpington area. Ended up with a broken wrist and bruised ribs when they rammed him with a scooter.

Apparently quite a common occurrence in that area, all linked to a certain community so police can't be bothered with the hassle.

Not heard of it really happening in my area but I do tend to only ride my nice bike when I'm riding in a group.

Bathroom_Security

3,323 posts

116 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
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No choice but to either hand it over of fight back have you.

Of course I'm sure the police will care if you were to fight back. About the fact you'd fought back, not the fact you were attacked.


fiatpower

3,005 posts

170 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
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There's one area of canal path in the small heath area of Birmingham where people are regularly bikejacked so I make sure to avoid it. Shame as it increases my commute by 25% and have to go on roads rather than the nice path.

Dannbodge

2,160 posts

120 months

Tuesday 28th March 2023
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There was a lot of this happening in London not so long ago.

tvrfan007

413 posts

173 months

Wednesday 29th March 2023
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Not alone..

Shrugging for victory

543 posts

69 months

Wednesday 29th March 2023
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I saw that Winstanley college bike jacking in one of the local FB groups. Using a car to ram people off is next level, they are absolute scum bags, it looks like they are clearly targeting that area for ebikes (probably from Skem).

Cudd Wudd

1,084 posts

124 months

Wednesday 29th March 2023
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I was bikejacked earlier this year. Different circumstances, jumped by a group of 5 or 6 whilst I was on an unlit towpath in the early evening. They wouldn't have had any idea what I was riding, so not targeted in that sense.

It's certainly changed my bike habits and I now cycle with a lot of paranoia, but that will hopefully fade with time.

I would have thought driving into a bike could cause damage to the very item they are targeting, but perhaps that would be thinking too far ahead!

anonymous-user

53 months

Wednesday 29th March 2023
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fiatpower said:
There's one area of canal path in the small heath area of Birmingham where people are regularly bikejacked so I make sure to avoid it. Shame as it increases my commute by 25% and have to go on roads rather than the nice path.
My uncle got bike jacked here, 3 men pushed him off his bike as he went past, breaking his collarbone.

His daughter actually found the bike for sale on Facebook, but obviously the police were not interested.

It has really affected his confidence and he no longer rides a bike anywhere.

gmaz

Original Poster:

4,382 posts

209 months

Thursday 30th March 2023
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News from my mate in WIgan -

"Police have arrested them because a victim after me got knocked off but he had an Apple air tag on the bike and they tracked it and caught them."


EdmondDantes

304 posts

140 months

Thursday 30th March 2023
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What utter scum.

BlindedByTheLights

1,240 posts

96 months

Thursday 30th March 2023
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It’s crossed my mind when out cycling, fortunately it’s never happened but there’s been the odd van pulling past very slowly that’s had me concerned before. Horrible for the cyclist involved hope they catch them.

PastelNata

4,383 posts

199 months

Friday 31st March 2023
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gmaz said:
News from my mate in WIgan -

"Police have arrested them because a victim after me got knocked off but he had an Apple air tag on the bike and they tracked it and caught them."
That's me researching tags for my bikes now!

Good result - shame the scum concerned can't be deported to a Rwandan concentration camp!

MaxFromage

1,859 posts

130 months

Friday 31st March 2023
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PastelNata said:
That's me researching tags for my bikes now!
I've been researching Sap gloves.

anonymous-user

53 months

Saturday 1st April 2023
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Awful tonhear about this sort of thing but they wouldn’t steal them of there wasn’t a market, sadly there are too many people happy to buy a bike knowing it’s stolen or at least very suspicious. It’s clearly obvious these scumbags selling £5k bikes haven’t seen a trial in their life but people turn a blind eye because it’s a “bargain”

Hugo Stiglitz

37,005 posts

210 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
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This is shocking.

I have no issues fighting but you can't protect yourself from being knocked off

fourstardan

4,188 posts

143 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
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Utterly horrific what measure scum like this is going too.

I first thought it was a Motorbike stolen and then saw a push bike, this is just not humane to knock someone off a bike in the middle of nowhere with potential life treating injuries.



dhutch

14,198 posts

196 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
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fking hell man, that's absolutely awful, sorry to have even seen this thread really. Proper rough.

dhutch

14,198 posts

196 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
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Joey Deacon said:
His daughter actually found the bike for sale on Facebook, but obviously the police were not interested.
Wow, really. I can understand that sadly they struggle to have the resources to tackle 'normal' bike theft from a shed or whatever, but surely aggrevate theft while riding it, with known examples of cars/weapons being used you would have thought they would be all over that.

PastelNata said:
gmaz said:
News from my mate in WIgan -

"Police have arrested them because a victim after me got knocked off but he had an Apple air tag on the bike and they tracked it and caught them."
That's me researching tags for my bikes now!
That is a good result, and I too would be interested in tracking tags. For my pushbikes, but also the kitcar etc.

Raccaccoonie

2,797 posts

18 months

Thursday 6th April 2023
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I saw ebikes worth 10k. It is like walking round London with a Rolex. Nick the bike could sell for 2k in minutes. I think anyone buying 10k ebikes needs to give their head a wobble.