Hi all just some information for all motorbike/moped riders in London UK especially.
Motorbikes are being stolen at an alarming rate, so who, why, how and how to protect yours.
First off, who are stealing the bikes?
Commonly teenagers stealing lower powered bikes and older higher powered bikes. (Don't kid yourself tho new bikes are also stolen.) Why? Well the lower powered bikes most likely will not have a immobiliser so can easy be hot wired. Older higher powered bikes can easily have the immobiliser "emulated" so it can then be started as if they owned the bike.
How do they steal them?
Most common way is to find a bike that has no lock on it, this can be stolen in seconds. A steering lock on your bike can be broken very easily by anybody even a skinny little teen.
Bike with only one security device on it, IE a chain or a disk lock. Cheap disk locks can be removed in seconds with a blow from a hammer, cheap chains can be bolt cut in seconds too. (I cover angle grinders later)
Once the steering lock and security device is off the thieves will then use a second bike to push the stolen bike back to their storage or more commonly move the bike a few streets away and dump it. They will leave it there for 24-48 hrs before removing it again to another location for sale or strip down. Why move it like this? Well if they come back and it has been removed it was most likely fitted with a tracker, the thieves do not want a bike with a tracker in their back garden.
The van.
Yes we have all heard of the transit van that appears in a street and suddenly a few bikes go missing as they are simply lifted into the van. Yes it happens.
The Skateboard
You know that gang of kids you see wandering the streets where just one of them is carrying a skate board. Well they may be a skateboard mob. This is what they will do, find a bike with a disk lock on or chain not secured to an object, they will then lift the unlocked wheel onto the skate board and just wheel the bike off. One they have moved it a few streets away they will set to work removing the lock.
The Jack.
Sadly this is becoming common in some parts of London, as you stop at a red light a gang of riders will surround you, assault you and take the bike. COmmon weapons are knives and acid. Acid being the favorite in London.
The angle grinder:
This is the tool of choice for all bike thieves, a portable angle grinder. It will cut through ALL security chains, locks and disk locks in 1-10 mins depending on the quality of your security.
Also worth mentioning is the spotter.
A spotter is someone that will ride round the area looking for bikes to steal they will then note down the location of bikes and when and where they are parked to come back later with the boys to nick em. The spotter will usually visit a location more than once and also take a keen eye on the locks on a bike.
So what can you do?
Security.
Chain: Get a decent chain, for example a Almax III or IV http://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk/
Ground Anchor: Many types out there, install one at your home!
Disk Lock: Get a decent one! For example https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorc ... prod/59284
Storage: If you have a garage use it! IF you don't but have some free space on your property get a motorbike garage http://www.asgardsss.co.uk/motorcycle-garage
Cover: get a good cover for your bike, it hides it a little and protects it from the weather!
LAYERS! I will say that again LAYERS!
Now you do not use one of these security methods, but ALL of them (well as many as possible). Sad to say you can not rely on just a chain or just a disk lock. But use a few.
Each layer will protect your bike by another 2-5 mins and that maybe enough time for the Police to turn up. But the more secure your bike looks the less likely the thieves will want to risk the time to steal it.
What about the Jacking?
Always have eye protection! Be it glasses or your visor always down. Yes it is that bad, acid in the eyes = blind. If attacked either submit and let them have the bike or if that isn't an option for you, you can legally flee at speed etc if your life is in danger. Make the choice now in your mind.
Tips:
Chain and lock, make sure the chain goes through the frame and an immovable object, not just through the wheel. Or your come back to your wheel chained to a lamp post but no bike. I'm no mechanic but even I can remove a wheel in 30 seconds.
Disk locks.
Use more than one, they are light to carry and fitting more than one to your bike makes it less attractive and hinders the skateboard steal if one is fitted to front and back. For this trick you can just use cheap ones. I know a biker that has 4 cheap disk locks on his bike.
Bike tracker:
If you have a high end bike get a tracker, yes they cost a bit for a fully serviced one but they also reduce your premiums. https://biketrac.co.uk/
Yes there are cheap ebay systems, they are good also but the Police will not follow them up. If you get a tracker from a premium service they have direct contact with the police and have a very high rate of recovery not perfect but a very high rate.
Security cameras!
Well as you may have seen on other posts in the forum, they are only good for you to watch your bike being stolen. They will wear hoodies and masks to hide their identities and have false/clone plates on the bikes they use to commit the crime. Or simply no plates at all, as the Police will not chase.
Helmet Camera
Get one, and use it. They helmet camera does tend to scare off a lot of thieves from jacking you at the lights.
What happens to the stolen bikes?
Cheap end ones are just stripped for parts and sold on as is or used for joy riding or as a crime bike.
High end bikes are stripped again for ebay or moved to mainland europe.
Some bikes will simply be re-framed and traded into a dealer, yes this still goes on.
Are the Police doing anything?
Well its VERY low on their priorities and due to the no pursuit policy on motorbikes they will not give chase even if they pass a Police car while obviously committing a crime.
BTW: Tmax bikes are the bike of choice for most of the ganges to commit the crime as they have enough power to push another bike and have ample storage under the seat for an angle grinder.
How to help stop it?
You can check plates of cars and bikes to see if they are stolen it is easy just use the website https://totalcarcheck.co.uk/ (you get a free check a day if you register with them). So if you spot a bike parked/dumped in a strange place check its plate and if listed as stolen report to the Police 101.
Don't use Ebay etc.
Yes that is a bit broad but you know the cheap parts you see on ebay from a broken bike or stripping for parts bike well that means you probably are buying a stolen part and have a chance of it being discovered as stolen when next worked on. Police are actively checking track bikes for stolen parts. remember if a stolen part is found on your bike you lose then bike regardless if bought in good faith.
Hope this helps some of you and I also hope this educates why some bikers, law abiding ones seem very edgy at the moment.
Ride safe!
Motorbikes are being stolen at an alarming rate, so who, why, how and how to protect yours.
First off, who are stealing the bikes?
Commonly teenagers stealing lower powered bikes and older higher powered bikes. (Don't kid yourself tho new bikes are also stolen.) Why? Well the lower powered bikes most likely will not have a immobiliser so can easy be hot wired. Older higher powered bikes can easily have the immobiliser "emulated" so it can then be started as if they owned the bike.
How do they steal them?
Most common way is to find a bike that has no lock on it, this can be stolen in seconds. A steering lock on your bike can be broken very easily by anybody even a skinny little teen.
Bike with only one security device on it, IE a chain or a disk lock. Cheap disk locks can be removed in seconds with a blow from a hammer, cheap chains can be bolt cut in seconds too. (I cover angle grinders later)
Once the steering lock and security device is off the thieves will then use a second bike to push the stolen bike back to their storage or more commonly move the bike a few streets away and dump it. They will leave it there for 24-48 hrs before removing it again to another location for sale or strip down. Why move it like this? Well if they come back and it has been removed it was most likely fitted with a tracker, the thieves do not want a bike with a tracker in their back garden.
The van.
Yes we have all heard of the transit van that appears in a street and suddenly a few bikes go missing as they are simply lifted into the van. Yes it happens.
The Skateboard
You know that gang of kids you see wandering the streets where just one of them is carrying a skate board. Well they may be a skateboard mob. This is what they will do, find a bike with a disk lock on or chain not secured to an object, they will then lift the unlocked wheel onto the skate board and just wheel the bike off. One they have moved it a few streets away they will set to work removing the lock.
The Jack.
Sadly this is becoming common in some parts of London, as you stop at a red light a gang of riders will surround you, assault you and take the bike. COmmon weapons are knives and acid. Acid being the favorite in London.
The angle grinder:
This is the tool of choice for all bike thieves, a portable angle grinder. It will cut through ALL security chains, locks and disk locks in 1-10 mins depending on the quality of your security.
Also worth mentioning is the spotter.
A spotter is someone that will ride round the area looking for bikes to steal they will then note down the location of bikes and when and where they are parked to come back later with the boys to nick em. The spotter will usually visit a location more than once and also take a keen eye on the locks on a bike.
So what can you do?
Security.
Chain: Get a decent chain, for example a Almax III or IV http://www.almax-security-chains.co.uk/
Ground Anchor: Many types out there, install one at your home!
Disk Lock: Get a decent one! For example https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorc ... prod/59284
Storage: If you have a garage use it! IF you don't but have some free space on your property get a motorbike garage http://www.asgardsss.co.uk/motorcycle-garage
Cover: get a good cover for your bike, it hides it a little and protects it from the weather!
LAYERS! I will say that again LAYERS!
Now you do not use one of these security methods, but ALL of them (well as many as possible). Sad to say you can not rely on just a chain or just a disk lock. But use a few.
Each layer will protect your bike by another 2-5 mins and that maybe enough time for the Police to turn up. But the more secure your bike looks the less likely the thieves will want to risk the time to steal it.
What about the Jacking?
Always have eye protection! Be it glasses or your visor always down. Yes it is that bad, acid in the eyes = blind. If attacked either submit and let them have the bike or if that isn't an option for you, you can legally flee at speed etc if your life is in danger. Make the choice now in your mind.
Tips:
Chain and lock, make sure the chain goes through the frame and an immovable object, not just through the wheel. Or your come back to your wheel chained to a lamp post but no bike. I'm no mechanic but even I can remove a wheel in 30 seconds.
Disk locks.
Use more than one, they are light to carry and fitting more than one to your bike makes it less attractive and hinders the skateboard steal if one is fitted to front and back. For this trick you can just use cheap ones. I know a biker that has 4 cheap disk locks on his bike.
Bike tracker:
If you have a high end bike get a tracker, yes they cost a bit for a fully serviced one but they also reduce your premiums. https://biketrac.co.uk/
Yes there are cheap ebay systems, they are good also but the Police will not follow them up. If you get a tracker from a premium service they have direct contact with the police and have a very high rate of recovery not perfect but a very high rate.
Security cameras!
Well as you may have seen on other posts in the forum, they are only good for you to watch your bike being stolen. They will wear hoodies and masks to hide their identities and have false/clone plates on the bikes they use to commit the crime. Or simply no plates at all, as the Police will not chase.
Helmet Camera
Get one, and use it. They helmet camera does tend to scare off a lot of thieves from jacking you at the lights.
What happens to the stolen bikes?
Cheap end ones are just stripped for parts and sold on as is or used for joy riding or as a crime bike.
High end bikes are stripped again for ebay or moved to mainland europe.
Some bikes will simply be re-framed and traded into a dealer, yes this still goes on.
Are the Police doing anything?
Well its VERY low on their priorities and due to the no pursuit policy on motorbikes they will not give chase even if they pass a Police car while obviously committing a crime.
BTW: Tmax bikes are the bike of choice for most of the ganges to commit the crime as they have enough power to push another bike and have ample storage under the seat for an angle grinder.
How to help stop it?
You can check plates of cars and bikes to see if they are stolen it is easy just use the website https://totalcarcheck.co.uk/ (you get a free check a day if you register with them). So if you spot a bike parked/dumped in a strange place check its plate and if listed as stolen report to the Police 101.
Don't use Ebay etc.
Yes that is a bit broad but you know the cheap parts you see on ebay from a broken bike or stripping for parts bike well that means you probably are buying a stolen part and have a chance of it being discovered as stolen when next worked on. Police are actively checking track bikes for stolen parts. remember if a stolen part is found on your bike you lose then bike regardless if bought in good faith.
Hope this helps some of you and I also hope this educates why some bikers, law abiding ones seem very edgy at the moment.
Ride safe!
