Stolen Bikes

Watch out, thieves are about. Thieves took all the bikes from outside Algarve House on Joan Street a couple of days ago, they were behind a tall, locked gate. Thieves - presumably the same ones - got into Styles House on The Cut last night and stole bikes that were stored outside on the landings; they came equipped with saws and bolt cutters. Pass this on to anyone you know who stores their bike in a communal area.

Last year I had a bike stolen from a combination-locked cage inside the access-controlled basement garage of our building.
After I got the standard boilerplate letter from the police telling me they wouldn't be doing anything about the theft, I became aware that the Met has a Cycle Task Force.
I know that they "...regularly set up engagement stalls offering advice as well as free security marking and registration onto BikeRegister’s online database." Apart from that though, does anyone have any idea what they spend their time doing - given that it doesn't seem to involve any direct action against bicycle thieves?

yeah, lost mine last year...still haven't replaced it

Highly recommends cycle tracerstage=product&category=1&product=2 and registering any thing else you have that theives me like with https://www.immobilise.com/index.php then the police can both track your goods and in the event they recover goods they can immediately identify the articles as your property, I also highly recommend adding this Computer & Phone anti theft tech to any phones or computers (works on Mac or PC iPhone or Android. Computers should have a "Firm Ware" password added to prevent any illegitmate user deleting your Operating system. Prey sends you screenshots of whoever is using your stolen computer via the onboard webcam and copies their emails and FB logins to your email along with the GPS coordinates of your stolen computer or phone...

Can I suggest a visit to the second hand bike shop in Elephant Road at Elephant & Castle. I found both my stolen bikes for sale in this shop and have subsequently found that many other people have had the same experience. Alternatively have a trawl around Nine Elms Market on a Sunday morning.

Look on Ebay! You will often find your bike there hours after being nicked

Kory wrote:

Look on Ebay! You will often find your bike there hours after being nicked

Kory, that did occur to me. I found it on Gumtree - 'phoned as a prospective buyer and was told it had already been sold. Details of the advert - and the same guy's several other adverts offering bikes and mobiles - were provided to the police, but didn't pique their interest.

The police visited me on Thursday evening and are treating the Styles House theft as burglary as we have a door security entry system.

SANGROWNDAVE you need to make a complaint if the police don't follow that up- to the Police Complaint Commission. Same happened to a mate- excuse given the police could not source the internet!!!Made a complaint by special delivery to PCC - culprit in Essex ( bike nicked in SE1) was arrested on all sorts of theft and stolen goods charges with in a week. Report bad policing. Or it won't get better.