Bike Theft: This is ridiculous

[corriekuilder]

How do we solve this:

 

1.) Tracking - problem is battery.

 

2.) RFID?

 

How about the (bike) hub putting together a fund to fund some research and possibly assist with tracking these criminals and setting up a fund to allow us to find out what is going on here.

 

I would be willing to put up funds.

Another option would be to data dot frame and components.

[Pofkat]

205 reported The stat for the whole country is, I'm sure, far higher. 

 

 

Sorry, I mis-read. It's as per a newspaper article, so it should be semi-accurate. Still just reported thefts though, so I'm sure the actual figure is a bit higher

 

My intention is not to diminish the whole bike theft issue in SA but if you look at most other countries we are actually not that bad compared to the global statistics. 205 bikes stolen in 9 months countrywide, considering our catastrophic high levels of poverty and unemployment this is hardly a major crisis. As far as theft is concerned, look after your damn stuff better. I see expensive bikes on bike racks and bakkies every day without any locking device in sight, gates left open, bikes in open garages etc.

 

Bikejackings on the other hand are a serious problem given the violence involved in these events and also the limitation of our freedom of choice to ride where and when we want without fear of this happening.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/recreational-cycling/11180315/Where-is-the-worst-place-for-bicycle-theft-in-England.html

 

Yes - April 2014-March 2015: 381 000 Bikes stolen in the UK (http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/ctc-cycling-statistics#How%20many%20cycles%20are%20stolen%20in%20England%20and%20Wales?)

 

Thats around 30 000 per month.

I've read that mostly they end up in Eastern Europe, they get stolen to order. I guess it will be pretty similar in SA. (Edit: as in they end up in Moz or Zim or where-ever)

 

And also, more thefts probably get reported in the UK (as opposed to SA. )

 

Edit#2: OK, take into account that the vast majority of those "bikes" are in fact bicycle shaped objects", and not "real" bikes. As in heavy pieces of metal fashioned into something resembling a bicycle.

 

Edit#3: You probably won't ever be bikejacked in the UK.

 

 

 

[Falco]

I very much doubt if more than 10% of stolen bikes are sent out of the country. IMO the majority are sold in the townships or stripped for parts that move through the classifieds, including this very Hub.

 

I sold used DA9000 and Ultegra 6800 parts just a few months after the groupsets were released, not one single question as to where they originated. I've sold Garmin's, frames, wheelsets aplenty, in fact if I was a syndicate mastermind, I would be happily selling right here, without any issues whatsoever.

 

It's fair to say that the few people who collected from my house could see that I ride and follow the n+1 principle, but most of my sales are conducted using the internet, eft and courier/post. 

 

If I could lay my hands on a couple of stolen high end bikes, I'd be willing to bet that I could sell the whole lot (excluding frames) through the Hub classifieds, without any suspicion, and within a short space of time. 

[Bonus]

Yes - April 2014-March 2015: 381 000 Bikes stolen in the UK (http://www.ctc.org.uk/resources/ctc-cycling-statistics#How%20many%20cycles%20are%20stolen%20in%20England%20and%20Wales?)

 

Thats around 30 000 per month.

I've read that mostly they end up in Eastern Europe, they get stolen to order. I guess it will be pretty similar in SA. (Edit: as in they end up in Moz or Zim or where-ever)

 

And also, more thefts probably get reported in the UK (as opposed to SA. )

Is it comparable between the two countries taking into account population numbers?

[Pofkat]

Is it comparable between the two countries taking into account population numbers?

 

No, not really... I was just throwing it out there.

 

The population is roughly the same (hah give or take a couple of million )  however, the population of bike-owners is much smaller in SA. So if someone did the math you would be able to get the %

which is also actually meaningless in the end, you can't really compare the 2....so I'm going to go with "that was just an interesting side note"

 

carry on

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Is it comparable between the two countries taking into account population numbers?

don't you mean population within the various LSM's?

 

Raw population is almost the same... 

[Patchelicious]

I am not so sure that these bikes are broken up and sold as parts.

 

I have been trolling the Hub, OLX, Gumtree etc for weeks now looking for a nice used gruppo.

 

The number of new adverts that pop up does not correlate back to the number of bikes being stolen. Its the same adverts that stay up for ages.

 

I am sure "some" of the stolen parts end up on the classifieds, but there must be another angle too.

 

Wasn't there that dude who doing some sort of investigation into this a few months back?

[Bonus]

don't you mean population within the various LSM's?

 

Raw population is almost the same...

 

I didn't know that the populations were close to equal. I assumed the UK was higher. I'm maybe confusing it with population per area, with the UK being smaller and denser.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I didn't know that the populations were close to equal. I assumed the UK was higher. I'm maybe confusing it with population per area, with the UK being smaller and denser.

52.98m vs 64.1m as of 2013.

 

So not a big enough difference to account for the variation. 

 

A lot more bicycle owners there though. And yes, bike theft over there is a HUGE problem

[velomonatiCT]

52.98m vs 64.1m as of 2013.

 

So not a big enough difference to account for the variation. 

 

A lot more bicycle owners there though. And yes, bike theft over there is a HUGE problem

 

I really don't think our population figures correlate to the UK in the slightest....they are a wealthy first world socialist state with almost zero unemployment

 

we..........................aren't (not going there)

 

short version I think almost all the swanky bikes that get pinched here come from like ten percent of our population don't you so the theft figures mean nothing comparing us to the UK

 

and the imbalance in the western cape of bike theft is because western cape folk still thinks its 1975 and they aren't security conscious like our smarter brothers in Gauteng

 

people here think its a status symbol to drag your mtb about day and night on your cars bike rack - hence disproportionate amounts of bikes go walk about here

[Andymann]

I am not so sure that these bikes are broken up and sold as parts.

 

I have been trolling the Hub, OLX, Gumtree etc for weeks now looking for a nice used gruppo.

 

The number of new adverts that pop up does not correlate back to the number of bikes being stolen. Its the same adverts that stay up for ages.

 

I am sure "some" of the stolen parts end up on the classifieds, but there must be another angle too.

 

Wasn't there that dude who doing some sort of investigation into this a few months back?

I agree - I had a very unique Giant XTC 26er which I built up from components which was stolen from the guy who I sold it to - for months after I trawled the classifieds looking for the complete bike, or at least the bits I would recognise.  Zero, zipp, nothing.  Either it's in a shack somewhere in CT, or it's out of the country.  But I doubt if it was broken up for spares

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I really don't think our population figures correlate to the UK in the slightest....they are a wealthy first world socialist state with almost zero unemployment

 

we..........................aren't (not going there)

 

short version I think almost all the swanky bikes that get pinched here come from like ten percent of our population don't you so the theft figures mean nothing comparing us to the UK

 

and the imbalance in the western cape of bike theft is because western cape folk still thinks its 1975 and they aren't security conscious like our smarter brothers in Gauteng

 

people here think its a status symbol to drag your mtb about day and night on your cars bike rack - hence disproportionate amounts of bikes go walk about here

that's what I was alluding to. Maybe when comparing the amount of people in the various LSM brackets, it'll be more comparable. 

[velomonatiCT]

I agree - I had a very unique Giant XTC 26er which I built up from components which was stolen from the guy who I sold it to - for months after I trawled the classifieds looking for the complete bike, or at least the bits I would recognise.  Zero, zipp, nothing.  Either it's in a shack somewhere in CT, or it's out of the country.  But I doubt if it was broken up for spares

 

you need to appreciate that to you every bit has unique value because YOU paid for each bit

to a thief none has value cause he paid nothing if he just sells your brakeset or just your rims or bar or seatpost its all maximum profit for him

 

so if most of your bike (incl frames ) gets dumped none of its a loss to a thief

 

however its also possible that your bikes alive and well and peddling up a rural mountainside with two live trussed goats slung over the bars as we speak

[JGR]

My intention is not to diminish the whole bike theft issue in SA but if you look at most other countries we are actually not that bad compared to the global statistics. 205 bikes stolen in 9 months countrywide, considering our catastrophic high levels of poverty and unemployment this is hardly a major crisis. As far as theft is concerned, look after your damn stuff better. I see expensive bikes on bike racks and bakkies every day without any locking device in sight, gates left open, bikes in open garages etc.

 

Bikejackings on the other hand are a serious problem given the violence involved in these events and also the limitation of our freedom of choice to ride where and when we want without fear of this happening.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/active/recreational-cycling/11180315/Where-is-the-worst-place-for-bicycle-theft-in-England.html

These are mostly commuter bikes left, unlocked mostly at train stations surely. Secondly I think many more people use bicycles there than here so not quite apples and apples. Quite different from being bike jacked for bike more valuable that many small 2nd cars. 

[Bernard Horn]

Next time you drive around your suburb checkout who is washing his car with the garage door open .Look inside and you will see the bikes in the garage.That is inviting trouble! Keep the bikes in the house.My family and friends  think I am nuts.Who cares!

[Eddy Gordo]

Next time you drive around your suburb checkout who is washing his car with the garage door open .Look inside and you will see the bikes in the garage.That is inviting trouble! Keep the bikes in the house.My family and friends  think I am nuts.Who cares!

Yeah, I never Leave my garage door standing open. When I pull my car in, I make sure the street is clear