Found my stolen bike - re-sold via Cash Crusaders, Observatory

[Gavmeister]

Unfortunately even if i see sum1 on my bikes after 5 years... you are going to be ejected off it rapidly with my foot.... that will be your schoolfees on buying stolen goods..

 

Rambo, and you'll be sure this guy knew he bought a "stolen" bike?

[Red Zone]

Dude, I feel for you, I have had a number of bikes nicked in my lifetime, all of them probably stripped, spray painted or otherwise unrecognisable, but I still take a second look at bikes that look like mine, just to be sure. And bet your bottom dollar, if I see anyone riding one of my bikes, even if it was stolen ten years ago, they are not going to be riding it for long. Straight to the police to lay a charge of being in possession of stolen property. Remember Caveat Emptor the buyer beware. You buy from any place which has a rep for stolen goods - we know which places - and you have a legal obligation to take all reasonable steps to ensure that you are not buying stolen goods.

[Cassie]

I might be missing something, but how do you know for sure it's your bike? Some individual part or, serial number?

 

main road, next to checkers.

 

This is my question also...how do you know?? Ther are litterally 100's of Talons (silver) out there...

but then if there ae a cerati really unique idenntifying mark on the bike...then one can be sure - even after 3 years!! was this the case?

[Cassie]

We need to take photos of our bikes and serial numbers and also payslip because this will prove the police, buyer and Cash Crusaders and also insurance... I made a small mistake in the past about the payslip because the writing on payslip disappears over the time and I could not prove it.

 

I notice that poor people sells lots of stolen stuff to Cash Crusaders and also drug addicts because they desperate for money... It is sad...How to stop it? Don't buy from them...

 

Yeah, i meticulously kept slips ....fro various TV, Fridges etc...only to find that after ~2yrs or so...it had faded into non-readable blank slips!!! WTF?? what now??

[cadenceblur]

take a photo of the slip or scan it - save it electronically.

[ThePubSA]

Rambo, and you'll be sure this guy knew he bought a "stolen" bike?

 

IDC what he knew.. he knows now.. and thats JOHN to you,bud

[Cassie]

Dude, I feel for you, I have had a number of bikes nicked in my lifetime, all of them probably stripped, spray painted or otherwise unrecognisable, but I still take a second look at bikes that look like mine, just to be sure. And bet your bottom dollar, if I see anyone riding one of my bikes, even if it was stolen ten years ago, they are not going to be riding it for long. Straight to the police to lay a charge of being in possession of stolen property. Remember Caveat Emptor the buyer beware. You buy from any place which has a rep for stolen goods - we know which places - and you have a legal obligation to take all reasonable steps to ensure that you are not buying stolen goods.

 

<mini hijack on>

I've related this a few years ago - but here's again for all the new readers...

 

my "old" MTB got taken from my garage by an ex-gardener...(he was friendly enough with my dogs to be able to get in!) I suspected as much at the time of theft...since he never returned to work....but left it and paid the school fees..it was an old bike after all!

 

so, ~6months later...driving down the road one evening...lo and behold...WHO is peddalling in from of me going home??? Mr ex-gardener...peacfully unaware that I'm behind him!

 

Well, throught he red mist in my eyes i managed to pass him and swerve right in front of him (he had to evade and half stopped half fallen onto pavement)...my car parked in middle of traffic...me kicking a little bit of shyte out of Mr gardener...faark - you should have heard the excuses...."I bought it from so & so..." I told him to TAKE to so & so...more excuses!!

I took the bike off him told him to flippen WALK home and be thankful he can still walk...(funny thing many cars passed and no-one cared or enquired!)

 

so, there I am...in the middle of the street no bike rack on car...I had to dismantle and put in my boot and just drove off!! (must have looked like a bike jacking by a mlungu!! thinking back now...)

 

The bike was totally f-ed...Mr ex-gardener had decidied to bend bottle cage 180degrees...and fit a moerse chain and padlock!! which constantly banged and removed all the paint on downtube...

 

I merely handed the bike over to my next gardener a few week later, satisfied that i have dispossesed another bastard from his bike.

 

Pity i did not have my tazer with me in those days!

 

<mini hijack off>

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Off topic but I bought a fishing rod from the Cash Crusaders in East London on Monday, was in town on business, and they wanted a copy of my drivers license for buyingthe item.

Seemed a bit odd.........

[Vetseun]

Off topic but I bought a fishing rod from the Cash Crusaders in East London on Monday, was in town on business, and they wanted a copy of my drivers license for buyingthe item.

Seemed a bit odd.........

I bought a second hand laptop for our domestic workers daughter. I had to give them my ID. They captured it on their system. Dunno why. Im not a skelm so I didn't mind

[eddy]

 

@ Eddy; still thinking about this. Am I still the legal owner if I was too stupid (or never thought about it) to make sure I can prove it? Can I lay charges without that exact proof?

 

Of course you are the legal owner. You also retain all the rights that go along with ownership including having possession returned to you and laying a criminal charge against those unlawfully in possession of it.

 

Asserting those rights MAY be more difficult in the absence of easily verifiable documentary evidence, but not impossible. You need to decide if it is worth your while to attempt to do so.

 

 

 

Think your dig at Cash Crusaders in this specific instance in somewhat unwarranted.

 

Dealing in stolen property is a criminal offense. Period.

 

 

Why is pointing out criminal activity unwarranted ?

[Guest Omega Man]

Just a heads up. (Expensive lesson learned by me)

 

Once the insurance pays out it's not your bike anymore. Don't be a tool like me and recover your bike and inform your insurance company (I thought I was doing the right thing) They will simply come to your house and get it.

 

Yes I know I was stupid but I truly loved that bike and emotion got the better of me.

[andydude]

What this thread proves it that stolen bikes are bought by regular cyclists all around us and even us hubbers. Therefore we create the demand and bikes will keep on being stolen to supply us.

 

There should really be more emphasis on serial numbers and perhaps special dots somewhere that you can prove it's yours and the onus should be on both the buyer and seller to make sure it's legit.

 

Remember, if you buy something that's stolen and it can be proved, it can be taken from you and at worst a case can be opened against you.

[SwissVan]

New here so not sure about all rules but just want to share a story;

 

My silver GIANT Talon bike was stolen 3 years ago out of my garage on High Level Rd, Sea Point (yes, I know storing it there was stupid). After exactly 30 days from logging my case with the cops, my bike went up on Gumtree, for sale in Plumstead! The cops though were not interested in helping because I couldn't proof that the bike on Gumtree was actually mine. Though I had sufficient pictures, I did not have an invoice or insurance policy or so linking me with the bikes serial number.

 

Last weekend I rode Lebanon Forest, and there was a guy riding my bike. I went up to him, told him the story and he told me that he had bought the bike at Cash Crusaders in Observatory, Cape Town.

 

I probably already messed up that guys' conscience for which I feel a bit sorry about actually. Not his fault. Hope he enjoys the ride :-)

 

However, if it helps for the other Hubbers; I suggest to avoid buying stuff at Cash Crusaders in Obs. It seems they don't verify origin of the goods they sell...

 

And if anyone from that shop is reading this and now considers charging me for badmouthing. F%&k you and make sure you do the right thing in future!

 

A bit pissed about this whole thing still, sorry for abusing this forum for this. But I thought that is what public forums are about.

 

Welcome to the Hub

 

And well done

 

Scrap metal dealers and pawn shops should be banned or regulated incredibly strictly...its just to easy to steal stuff (copper cables, metal) and other stuff (like your bike) and then resell it without fear of being questioned or caught

[milky4130]

Just a heads up. (Expensive lesson learned by me)

 

Once the insurance pays out it's not your bike anymore. Don't be a tool like me and recover your bike and inform your insurance company (I thought I was doing the right thing) They will simply come to your house and get it.

 

Yes I know I was stupid but I truly loved that bike and emotion got the better of me.

care to share details on how It became "an expensive lesson" please?

[marko35s]

care to share details on how It became "an expensive lesson" please?

At one point he had money/replacement bike and his old bike, then after he informed the insurance company he suddenly didn't.

[DJR]

stretch hurtles downstairs and takes a photo of his serial number..........well not really because I am in Tanzania at the moment...but I will when I get back!

 

I just put a reminder on my phone to take pictures tonight when I read your post