Cycling in Melbourne Australia
My bike's been stolen...
I'm a first time poster but a fairly irregular visitor to this site and I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this but I thought I'd post to say that my bike was stolen last night.
It was a Gitane Rocks T4.5 that I always kept on a landing outside my 2nd floor apartment, usually chained to my kids' two bikes, a scooter, and a stroller, but not to a fixed point as there was nowhere to attach the chain to in our rented flat. Last night however I absent-mindedly left it unlocked following an exhausting afternoon ride along the beach and woke up this morning to find my kids' bikes strewn all over the place and my bike gone.
It wasn't a particularly valuable bike, but was of immense sentimental value as it was a gift from my wife and kids a few years ago, so needless to say I'm pretty devastated and have been spewing that I forgot to lock it up for the first time ever.
The theft was immediately reported to the police, and I've visited local cycle shops and pawn-brokers just in case someone attempts to sell it on, but I don't hold out too much hope for it's return.
So I thought I'd issue a word of warning to anyone else that may think their bike is safe just because it's outside their apartment/house, behind a locked gate, and up a few flights of stairs; please make sure you lock it up as well as you can and look after it!
In the meantime, if anyone does come across someone attempting to off-load a red Gitane Rocks T4.5 I'd be grateful if you'd let me know via this forum.
Thanks for reading!
It was a Gitane Rocks T4.5 that I always kept on a landing outside my 2nd floor apartment, usually chained to my kids' two bikes, a scooter, and a stroller, but not to a fixed point as there was nowhere to attach the chain to in our rented flat. Last night however I absent-mindedly left it unlocked following an exhausting afternoon ride along the beach and woke up this morning to find my kids' bikes strewn all over the place and my bike gone.
It wasn't a particularly valuable bike, but was of immense sentimental value as it was a gift from my wife and kids a few years ago, so needless to say I'm pretty devastated and have been spewing that I forgot to lock it up for the first time ever.
The theft was immediately reported to the police, and I've visited local cycle shops and pawn-brokers just in case someone attempts to sell it on, but I don't hold out too much hope for it's return.
So I thought I'd issue a word of warning to anyone else that may think their bike is safe just because it's outside their apartment/house, behind a locked gate, and up a few flights of stairs; please make sure you lock it up as well as you can and look after it!
In the meantime, if anyone does come across someone attempting to off-load a red Gitane Rocks T4.5 I'd be grateful if you'd let me know via this forum.
Thanks for reading!
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Chris Harris on -
Bugger - what area are you in and what was the police response like?
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Permalink Reply by Tim Grey on -
I'm in Elwood; the police were OK but admitted that they had little hope of tracking my bike down. Strangely though, when I first went into the station the copper who took my details started writing it all down on a scrap of paper before then admitting that he should really fill in the correct paperwork and getting an official bicycle theft form from a drawer under the desk, he also asked why I was reporting the theft again as I'd already been in that morning - I hadn't: it didn't fill me with confidence!
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Permalink Reply by Chris Harris on
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Yeh, I often wonder how much the stats are out by either people not reporting things because they think nothing will come of it, or when it is reported, it doesn't make it to the stats for whatever reason.
On a positive note, I had a bike stolen when I was about 14 and got it back (and I still have it).
It was a mate who spotted it oneday and the police who got it back.
Good luck.
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Permalink Reply by Tim Grey on
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There's some hope then! I've already alerted my friends and neighbours to keep an eye out for my bike and to ensure that their own property, two-wheeled or otherwise, is secure.
I can but hope that it does show up, and in the meantime continue to kick myself that I didn't lock it up for the first time since it was bought for me...
:o(
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Permalink Reply by WalkingMelways on -
Bike theft... sorry to hear that Tim.
There has been some discussion about bike theft on Blogs here:
http://www.melbournecyclist.com/profiles/blogs/biketheiving-bstards...
Also there is a Stolen Bikes section (should be at upper right) but it hasn't been "launched" yet.
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Permalink Reply by Tim Grey on
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Thanks for the sympathy.
Unfortunately I have no pics, I guess I've been quite naive about this as I know I should have had a picture of it in case this did happen, and I can't even find an image of the particular model on the net; Once (if) I get another bike I'll do things very differently.
I have been to a few local pawnbrokers and 2nd hand stores and left my details, but I'm not holding my breath, I'm sort of resigned to never seeing it again...
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Permalink Reply by Marco Thommo on
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Mate, I knowing the felling, just had mine pinched. I starting to believe we need to have some sort of registration laws when bikes are sold/exchanged it has to be registered, Im looking into a GPS tracker to fit to my next one as this is the second I had stolen in 5 years.
If the scum bags who stole mine read this, I bench press 185 kg if I get hold of you I will squeeze you F*&k%en drugged soaked head like a big zit.
Fell better now I have vented my spleen
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Permalink Reply by ChrisS on -
New group - add the details of your lost beloved here:
http://www.melbournecyclist.com/group/stolenbikes
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