Bicycle Theif on K&A

[David Schweizer]

Be warned. Last week a friend of mine had his bike stolen from near the Canal and saw it later on the same day on a boat moored near Bradford on Avon. The Police were contacted, but by the time they arrived the bike had been hidden. The Police searched the boat and found the Bike which, together with the bits that had been removed and fitted onto another bike, was returned to it's rightful owner, who has decided not to press charges.

 

But the boat owner is now in much deeper trouble because the Policeman noticed a shotgun in the boat for which he apparently does not have a licence. If he is not able to produce one he will probably be charged for that.

 

I know the name and location of the boat but unlike some other people will not name and shame on here, but cyclists near Bradford on Avon are warned to keep their bike in view if they leave it resting against a femce.

Edited July 18, 2011 by David Schweizer

[Doug Scullery]

Wow. Thieving is bad but a thief with an unlicenced firearm is really frightening, I hope the law is able to throw the book at this guy, he certainly deserves it.

 

Glad your mate got their bike back.

[J R]

Be warned. Last week a friend of mine had his bike stolen from near the Canal and saw it later on the same day on a boat moored near Bradford on Avon. The Police were contacted, but by the time they arrived the bike had been hidden. The Police searched the boat and found the Bike which, together with the bits that had been removed and fitted onto another bike, was returned to it's rightful owner, who has decided not to press charges.

 

But the boat owner is now in much deeper trouble because the Policeman noticed a shotgun in the boat for which he apparently does not have a licence. If he is not able to produce one he will probably be charged for that.

 

I know the name and location of the boat but unlike some other people will not name and shame on here, but cyclists near Bradford on Avon are warned to keep their bike in view if they leave it resting against a femce.

 

Western end of the K & A is renounded for bike thefts. Most I would have thouhght are opportunist thefts from bike owners who do not secure their bikes, and their kids bikes, when they leave them outside pubs and hire boats. They only have themselves to blame. You lock your house, boat, car, etc. Its down to peoples stupidty. For example, a couple of months ago an aquaintence of mine walked into a 'friendly ' local pub and ordered a pint. He put down his credit card, Blackberry and car keys on the bar and went out for a cigarette. There were no locals in there but there were non locals. After a few minutes I picked up his stuff in case it got nicked, went outside for a cigarette to and thanked him for the £5000.00 he had given me. He asked what did I mean, and I gave him his 16 digit card number (Visa) the exact name on the card and the last 3 numbers on the back (security number). Etc car and phone wind up. He was appalled. Seen him since and he has not done it again when I have seen him. Did give his stuff back without doing anything naughty and he did thank me.

 

Happens all the time; bikes, wallets, mobiles. As I said above, people only have themselves to blame. A little thought saves hassel and an insurance claim. Not impressed with whoever is the boater; gives us all a bad name.

[David Schweizer]

Western end of the K & A is renounded for bike thefts. Most I would have thouhght are opportunist thefts from bike owners who do not secure their bikes, and their kids bikes, when they leave them outside pubs and hire boats. They only have themselves to blame. You lock your house, boat, car, etc. Its down to peoples stupidty. For example, a couple of months ago an aquaintence of mine walked into a 'friendly ' local pub and ordered a pint. He put down his credit card, Blackberry and car keys on the bar and went out for a cigarette. There were no locals in there but there were non locals. After a few minutes I picked up his stuff in case it got nicked, went outside for a cigarette to and thanked him for the £5000.00 he had given me. He asked what did I mean, and I gave him his 16 digit card number (Visa) the exact name on the card and the last 3 numbers on the back (security number). Etc car and phone wind up. He was appalled. Seen him since and he has not done it again when I have seen him. Did give his stuff back without doing anything naughty and he did thank me.

 

Happens all the time; bikes, wallets, mobiles. As I said above, people only have themselves to blame. A little thought saves hassel and an insurance claim. Not impressed with whoever is the boater; gives us all a bad name.

 

I have always found it a strange defence to blame a theft on the "carelesness" of the property's owner, rather than the criminal intention of the thief. If you canot leave your old bike leaning against a field hedge for a few minutes, whilst you trim the other side of it, without someone stealng it there is something very sad about today's society.

Edited July 19, 2011 by David Schweizer

[AlanH]

I have always found it a strange defence to blame a theft on the "carelesness" of the property's owner, rather than the criminal intention of the thief. If you canot leave your old bike leaning against a field hedge for a few minutes, whilst you trim the other side of it, without someone stealng it there is something very sad about today's society.

Heartily agree. How on earth can it be the victim's fault? The blame lies entirely with the crimminal.

[luctor et emergo]

I do't normally get involved in these threads, but this time I will make an exeption. I don't know why you are so adament about not 'naming and shaming' but in this case I think the basterd should be named. Has he recently painted (half) his boat? Is he called greg(ory)? Some of us live on our boats, and would like to know what to expect when dealing with such scum.

But thanks for the partial heads up anyway. The rest of the details will no doubt be out soon enough

[Scooby]

Heartily agree. How on earth can it be the victim's fault? The blame lies entirely with the crimminal.

 

I bought a bike from reading(halfords), following day went into reading to do a spot of shopping, padlocked it to railings for 1 hour and came back and it had gone..had the bike 1 day. Padlock in 2 halves laying on the floor.

[luctor et emergo]

I bought a bike from reading(halfords), following day went into reading to do a spot of shopping, padlocked it to railings for 1 hour and came back and it had gone..had the bike 1 day. Padlock in 2 halves laying on the floor.

 

when was that? The modus operandi sounds familiar, and he did spend some time down that way a few months ago...

[Scooby]

when was that? The modus operandi sounds familiar, and he did spend some time down that way a few months ago...

 

It was about a month to 6 weeks ago.

[Sir Nibble]

I too would like a heads up as to who we are talking about here and how to recognise their boat. Clearly we are not talking "alleged" here the perpetrator was caught red handed so it would be appropriate for the boating community to turn their back upon this person and certainly I would like to withdraw the trust I generally employ in my face to face dealings with other boaters.

[Scooby]

I too would like a heads up as to who we are talking about here and how to recognise their boat. Clearly we are not talking "alleged" here the perpetrator was caught red handed so it would be appropriate for the boating community to turn their back upon this person and certainly I would like to withdraw the trust I generally employ in my face to face dealings with other boaters.

 

Cant blame fellow boaters for one persons doings..reminds me of a man shouting across at me the otherday at reading telling me to move boat out of the visitor moorings cos he needs to get his cruiser in and his wife is disabled, he managed to pull in further up and i heard his wife saying to people on the cut that we will have been there a week most likely, (just cos we are liveabords and have stuff on the roof dont mean we are overstayers. had been there 20 hours and was waiting for bss guy to come check our boat at the time. Down and out rude way of asking and presuming dont get you nowhere.

[mayalld]

Be warned. Last week a friend of mine had his bike stolen from near the Canal and saw it later on the same day on a boat moored near Bradford on Avon. The Police were contacted, but by the time they arrived the bike had been hidden. The Police searched the boat and found the Bike which, together with the bits that had been removed and fitted onto another bike, was returned to it's rightful owner, who has decided not to press charges.

 

But the boat owner is now in much deeper trouble because the Policeman noticed a shotgun in the boat for which he apparently does not have a licence. If he is not able to produce one he will probably be charged for that.

 

I know the name and location of the boat but unlike some other people will not name and shame on here, but cyclists near Bradford on Avon are warned to keep their bike in view if they leave it resting against a femce.

 

I am flabbergasted that the bike owner "decided not to press charges", and still more amazed that the police didn't rspond to such a suggestion with "That isn't how it works".

 

The bike owner reported the theft of his bike, and the police found the stolen property in the posession of another person. It is a decision for the police to take as to whether charges are brought.

 

I am also somewhat perplexed by your disinclination to name the thief, unless of course you are concerned that naming a thief who carries illegal shotguns around may put your safety at risk.

[CanalWalker]

Maybe the boater wasnt the thief, merely a fence or receiver of stolen goods. Or maybe they bought it in good faith of another boater.

[stewey]

I have always found it a strange defence to blame a theft on the "carelesness" of the property's owner, rather than the criminal intention of the thief. If you canot leave your old bike leaning against a field hedge for a few minutes, whilst you trim the other side of it, without someone stealng it there is something very sad about today's society.

Well said, David.

 

Stewey

[mayalld]

Maybe the boater wasnt the thief, merely a fence or receiver of stolen goods. Or maybe they bought it in good faith of another boater.

 

Ah, silly me!

 

I forgot that there is an unwritten rule around here that says that no matter how obvious it is that somebody has done wrong, we must concoct some unlikely explanation that excuses their behaviour, and demand that the 0.00001% chance of this being the case should mean that we all give the miscreant a break.

[JDR]

Ah, silly me!

 

I forgot that there is an unwritten rule around here that says that no matter how obvious it is that somebody has done wrong, we must concoct some unlikely explanation that excuses their behaviour, and demand that the 0.00001% chance of this being the case should mean that we all give the miscreant a break.

 

I think there is a very big difference to me between somebody doing something which may be annoying but is ultimately trivial and

somebody that is a proven thief. I have no sympathy for the latter. Anybody who preys on fellow boaters is beyond the pale.

Is this the same boater that did a runner (is that the correct phrase for a narrowboat getaway) from Luctor's fuel boat?

[David Schweizer]

I am flabbergasted that the bike owner "decided not to press charges", and still more amazed that the police didn't rspond to such a suggestion with "That isn't how it works".

 

The bike owner reported the theft of his bike, and the police found the stolen property in the posession of another person. It is a decision for the police to take as to whether charges are brought.

 

I am also somewhat perplexed by your disinclination to name the thief, unless of course you are concerned that naming a thief who carries illegal shotguns around may put your safety at risk.

I think you have understood the position of my friend very well, although I understand that the Police Officer indicated that my friend would have to press charges before they could charge the offender.

 

I have already stated in the past that I do not agree with naming and shaming, and the Police are now persuing a potentially far more serious offence. I think it is probably prudent to let them get on with it.

[CanalWalker]

Ah, silly me!

 

I forgot that there is an unwritten rule around here that says that no matter how obvious it is that somebody has done wrong, we must concoct some unlikely explanation that excuses their behaviour, and demand that the 0.00001% chance of this being the case should mean that we all give the miscreant a break.

 

innocent until proven guilty, how silly! its political correctness gone silly! health and safety gone sillier!

but you were there when the police interviewed him, you have the transcript of the conversation, you have all the facts and evidence so you can judge and sentence this chap yourself. us silly people do not have the facts just a couple of lines on a forum written by a friend of someone who may or may not have been there.

[mayalld]

innocent until proven guilty, how silly! its political correctness gone silly! health and safety gone sillier!

but you were there when the police interviewed him, you have the transcript of the conversation, you have all the facts and evidence so you can judge and sentence this chap yourself. us silly people do not have the facts just a couple of lines on a forum written by a friend of someone who may or may not have been there.

 

As I said, there is a prevailing view on here that no matter what information we have before us, we should believe something that makes the alleged miscreant innocent, no matter how obvious his guilt is.

 

It is a view that is very silly indeed.

 

Come the day that you too are a victim of a theft, and it is bloody obvious who did it, I will delight in making excuses for the thieving scrote who probably just took it to keep it away from some dodgy characters, and was going to return it, honest.

 

Get real.

[CanalWalker]

I am sure you will.

[David Schweizer]

innocent until proven guilty, how silly! its political correctness gone silly! health and safety gone sillier!

but you were there when the police interviewed him, you have the transcript of the conversation, you have all the facts and evidence so you can judge and sentence this chap yourself. us silly people do not have the facts just a couple of lines on a forum written by a friend of someone who may or may not have been there.

I seriously hope that you are not seeking to imply that my friend and myself are not in possession of the facts. My friend may not be young but he is niether deaf nor stupid, he knows what was said and was present during the whole incident at the boat. I have known hm for more than thirty years and he would not lie or seek to embelish the facts.

Edited July 19, 2011 by David Schweizer

[Doug Scullery]

I am also somewhat perplexed by your disinclination to name the thief, unless of course you are concerned that naming a thief who carries illegal shotguns around may put your safety at risk.

 

While I would love to know this guys identity, I would definitely be afraid to name a criminal who carries illegal shotguns.

 

I have always found it a strange defence to blame a theft on the "carelesness" of the property's owner, rather than the criminal intention of the thief. If you canot leave your old bike leaning against a field hedge for a few minutes, whilst you trim the other side of it, without someone stealng it there is something very sad about today's society.

 

Absolutely right.

[mayalld]

I seriously hope that you are not seeking to imply that my friend and myself are not in possession of the facts. My friend may not be young but he is niether deaf nor stupid, he knows what was said and was present during the whole incident at the boat. I have known hm for more than thirty years and he would not lie or seek to embelish the facts.

 

Quite.

 

I for one am quite happy to accept your word that he is a thief over the namby pamby hand wringing that there may well be a vague chance that somehow this is just a misunderstanding.

[CanalWalker]

I seriously hope that you are not seeking to imply that my friend and myself are not in possession of the facts. My friend may not be young but he is niether deaf nor stupid, he knows what was said and was present during the whole incident at the boat. I have known hm for more than thirty years and he would not lie or seek to embelish the facts.

 

Your friend may have been there when the bike was stolen and on the boat when it was found and when the suspect was interviewed by the police but no one else on this forum was and you did not give much information in your original post in order to find this person guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Obviously some people would have just hang people without a trial and have no interest in namby pampy things like evidence, justice or the law. they prefer a good knee jerk reaction and a quick lynching regardless of the facts or the actual events. they like to run paedatricians out of town based on someone elses second hand account.

 

So in order to answer your serious concern, I am in no way seeking to imply anything about your friend or yourself, just the people who will find some one guilty based on two sentences on an internet forum.

 

I hope that has settled your concerns without being too handwringing or nampypamby.

[JDR]

So in order to answer your serious concern, I am in no way seeking to imply anything about your friend or yourself, just the people who will find some one guilty based on two sentences on an internet forum.

 

I think you have some valid points but I would ask this hypothetical question- if somebody offered you an expensive mountain bike

at a ridiculously low price would you buy it? If you did buy it and it turned out to be stolen would you be surprised? I don't

see any difference between buying stolen goods and nicking them in the first place, to me it is all feeding the beast.