Motorbike Crime London

2WV

@2WheelVandal
Feb 25, 2017
476
247
43
South England
I ride a
A motorcycle, silly.
60% Stolen. 10% Recovered. Shocking statistic. But just goes to show the affects of reducing police numbers... 3 cheers for the Tories? uhm, no.
 
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Lurch

Administrator
May 5, 2014
5,527
2,067
113
Yorkshire
I ride a
2016 Street Triple R and a 1999 Honda NT650V Deauville
Can't bring the current govt in to it, its been happening longer than that, just it's currently in the news.

The biggest issue is that the officers can get sued for hurting little thieving Johnny, so they step back from tackling them whilst red handed.
 
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Reactions: HippoDrone

2WV

@2WheelVandal
Feb 25, 2017
476
247
43
South England
I ride a
A motorcycle, silly.
Actually you can bring the government into it. Its because of the Conservatives who cut police numbers on the street. If there was more patrols, there would be less crime. Put 2&2 together. Exactly the same reason for acid attacks. Its not because its in the media, you're right it was happening way before but at least it was way less. The numbers do not lie.
 

Lurch

Administrator
May 5, 2014
5,527
2,067
113
Yorkshire
I ride a
2016 Street Triple R and a 1999 Honda NT650V Deauville
I'll meet you halfway on this one, and repeat the second half of my post.

At which point do we stop letting the perp become the victim at the point of, or during the getaway from the crime? Only one reason someone takes their helmet off when riding, and that's to evade capture.
 
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Reactions: 2WV

2WV

@2WheelVandal
Feb 25, 2017
476
247
43
South England
I ride a
A motorcycle, silly.
Our Judicial system is a joke to be honest. They get away with a slap on the wrist and a measly fine. Im sorry but not sorry but mounting a curb and snatching phones is no different to mounting a curb in attempt to cause terror. Half the crap they're doing should be treated with the same response - 0 tolerance. If i saw a moped coming at me on the path, i'd 10/10 shit myself and think its going to run me over! Not only that, these cretins carry acid and big ass knives... Then you get the more serious ones who actually carry firearms. And you only have to look at the media to see these type of people would die by the sword as they live by it :/
 

Toma Rider

Hailing from Japan
Jun 7, 2017
124
60
28
Miyazaki Japan
I ride a
Kawasaki Ninja 400R
Jesus... Above anything I'm surprised there's such a large market for bikes in the UK that stealing has become so common... Why is this? I understand criminals are always looking for ways to get cash, but yikes. Is there no way to organize a movement or contact your government reps about this? If people are being blinded by acid this is chemical warfare
 

Jafnhaar

Riding Triumph Sprint GT SE 1050
Jul 13, 2017
117
103
43
East Anglia, UK
I ride a
Triumph Sprint GT SE 1050
Jesus... Above anything I'm surprised there's such a large market for bikes in the UK that stealing has become so common... Why is this? I understand criminals are always looking for ways to get cash, but yikes. Is there no way to organize a movement or contact your government reps about this? If people are being blinded by acid this is chemical warfare

Lack of manpower in the police department.... They say they're "handling" it but they are bullshitting...

I've made a video talking about this... I've been wanting to do a few motovlogs in london for months but have put it off because of this....
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2WV

2WV

@2WheelVandal
Feb 25, 2017
476
247
43
South England
I ride a
A motorcycle, silly.
Jesus... Above anything I'm surprised there's such a large market for bikes in the UK that stealing has become so common... Why is this? I understand criminals are always looking for ways to get cash, but yikes. Is there no way to organize a movement or contact your government reps about this? If people are being blinded by acid this is chemical warfare

Yesterday: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-eng...er-rider-jailed-for-driving-100mph-in-crawley - In America, that guy would be in a coma right now. Although i understand their reasons to abort/cancel the pursuit, it does infuriate me, its a loop hole they all take advantage off. Especially the helmet scenario when their 2up.

The BBC did a documentary about it a few months ago now, i don't know if anyone on here saw it. But long story short, they were chasing a scooter with 2up. The pillion took his helmet off, they canceled the pursuit. The police knew who it was anyway and the suspects ditched a rucksack, the police later found the rucksack and inside it was like 100 iphones/samsungs and in the other compartment was a big ass machete. The police eventually went to the suspect's house and someone's mum came out shouting "Haven't the police got anything better to do!" - Later turns out her son died by police pursuit and he was riding a stolen motorcycle.

In a nice way, if you raised your kid right, it wouldn't of happened.. I honestly believe a lot of parents are also to blame for this epidemic. This is the consequences of not giving 'pocket money' loool

(According to the policeman those phones were worth thousands on "the black market" - Admittedly, i'm curious at what black market this is considering silkroad got shut down... )
 
Last edited:
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2WV

@2WheelVandal
Feb 25, 2017
476
247
43
South England
I ride a
A motorcycle, silly.
1 Like = 1 Police arrest for motorcycle thieves lol

View said documentary below.


 

Lurch

Administrator
May 5, 2014
5,527
2,067
113
Yorkshire
I ride a
2016 Street Triple R and a 1999 Honda NT650V Deauville
Re the black market.

When it's hundreds for a new iPhone, couple hundred for a decent recent iPhone from a legit source, a stolen iPhone is still worth plenty those who can't or won't pay going rates. Plus phones smuggled in to prisons go for an astonishing amount of money.

If you've stolen 10 phones, you'll have "earned" £500-£1000. Some people don't make that in a month.
 

2WV

@2WheelVandal
Feb 25, 2017
476
247
43
South England
I ride a
A motorcycle, silly.
Re the black market.

When it's hundreds for a new iPhone, couple hundred for a decent recent iPhone from a legit source, a stolen iPhone is still worth plenty those who can't or won't pay going rates. Plus phones smuggled in to prisons go for an astonishing amount of money.

If you've stolen 10 phones, you'll have "earned" £500-£1000. Some people don't make that in a month.

Dayyumm
 

Mr. G

Essential G
Nov 19, 2017
349
200
43
54
I ride a
V-Star 1300
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!
Yikrs!
 

BluMblRdr

Blue Marble Rider
Apr 16, 2018
34
19
8
53
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
www.instagram.com
I ride a
Husaberg FE390, Suzuki VStrom 1000, Yamaha XSR900
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![/QUO

It's amazing to me that the old Bill are not interested in stopping these criminals.
 

Emma13

Gesto and Lane - The Motorcycle Diaries
Mar 20, 2019
7
8
3
31
I ride a
Honda CBR 600RR and MTo9
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!
I've been very lucky so far with no bike thefts but I do make it super difficult with never leaving it out of sight and keeping it locked in a garden that is very innaccessible or in a garage with a bolt in concrete.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mr. G

mainemonty

Live in the Maine woods with cats and a GF
Sep 3, 2019
13
21
3
I ride a
2006 FZ1...Red with the full fairing.
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!
I lived there back in the '80s and bike theft was bad back then...theft, in general, was bad...i was there three years and had two bikes stolen and one car...i lived in nice places like Golders Green and St Johns Wood...But in all honesty, it was the same story in almost every big city I lived in...now living in the country not so much...fewer people...less opportunities...my bikes where locked..so either the lock was broken of the bike was dragged into a vehicle..i could see the drag marks usually...cheers
 

YBGuy

Yellow Backpack Guy
Aug 14, 2020
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663
93
San Francisco Bay Area
ybguy.com
I ride a
2005 RC51, and a 2004 Honda CBR1000RR
These are all good reasons why everyone should have comprehensive insurance on their bike(s). I drive my CBR1000 all over the place and its got comp, makes me feel a little safer knowing I'll get refunded if my bike is stolen. I drive my RC51 a lot less because I am scared of it getting stolen (it's made of un-obtanium), the mosts stops the RC makes is at the gas station, but I have comp insurance on that one too just in case. haha.
 
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HippoDrone

Admin
Jan 2, 2017
7,683
7,006
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West Sussex, UK
I ride a
1984 Honda CB100-N
2012 Moto Guzzi V7
2017 Suzuki GSX-R750
2020 Beta 390RR
2022 Aprilia Tuareg 660
Sadly insurance companies often don't pay out enough to actually replace a bike fully like for like... especially if you have fitted upgrades etc. My Moto Guzzi V7 is insured on a like for like policy, so if the Kineo wheels, or K-Tech suspension got damaged, then they would be replaced... most policies will only dit original parts even if the mods are declared. Well worth checking the wording if you have a custom bike! :)
 
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