Hi-Jack

[slysi]

Hi all Hubbers. I am posting this on behalf of a mate. If anyone comes across these bikes please let me know. B@stards!

 

Hi All

 

PLEASE PASS ON THIS MESSAGE TO ANYONE YOU KNOW THAT CYCLES!! THE MORE THAT KNOW THE BETTER!!!

 

3 of us were on an off road ride and held up on Saturday morning (2 October 2010) by 2 armed men near Hoekplaats in Centurion / Erasmia area. (GPS coordinates are -25.852456, 28.076946) at about 08h00. They ambushed us and then tied us up face down on the ground and took all our valuables (and obviously the bikes). The men indicated to us that they had been watching us ride there previously and asked us where our other two usual riding partners were. They kept us there for at least 30 minutes and were in no hurry whatsoever to clear the area.

 

We are all fine and diffused the situation by co-operating and remaining calm. Having been through a few hold ups I can assure you this is the best way to respond particularly if you are taken by surprise. They knew what they were doing and made sure they kept their distance until we were well tied up.

 

The bikes that were taken are as follows:

.

1) Scott Spark 15 2009 (with Epic sticker). Black with Yellow and white trim

2) GT Marathon Team Bike 2010. Black Carbon with silver and a bit of yellow

3) GT Marathon Pro 2009. Silver with a bit of black carbon

 

I am convinced that someone has to be behind this as they must be creating a market for these bikes. My bike for example is only one of very few of its kind in South Africa. We must be able to start to track down whoever is ‘redistributing’ these bikes into the market. There are possibilities that these bikes are making their way across our borders, but there is also a good chance that they are staying right here. Please also send to people in other provinces as the bikes may well make there way there too.

 

Should you ever be buying a second hand bike please make an effort to enquire as to the details of the previous owner and somehow make sure it is not a stolen bike. We have to stamp this out and be allowed the freedom to enjoy our riding with peace of mind. We will most certainly keep on riding and not let this affect us, but this vicious circle must be stopped……………stolen……….sold………..claim from insurance……………no arrests…………so it goes on………….stolen…………………

 

I hope that we can put an end to this and start to live a rightfully free existence.

 

Cheers

Steve Ellis

[MyGT]

sorry guys. feel bad. i love my bike and would not want anyone to touch it.

 

this sounds very bad, cos there are other people that are using petty thieves to carry out their dirty work. someone that understands the value of these bikes. maybe we should be now setting traps to catch these guys. also similarly how they would be tracking all the riders in these areas, we should also use the same methods to see who are the common guys that hang around.

 

by the looks of things, the rate at which bikes are being stolen, insurance premiums are going sky rocket. the next time you want to insure your bike, you are going to be told that it is a high risk vehicle and that you need to install a tracker unit it. (there is a lekker idea).

 

 

lucky you guys are unharmed.

[Caerus]

This is so hectic, so sorry to hear. Just glad youre all ok and got away unscathed. There has got to be something that can be done about this, must we wait till someone gets killed, I bet the cops are involved as well. Its obviously a syndicate that is controlling this, I cant believe that they even knew who you normally rode with. So they must be staking out everyone that rides in that area F%$^in bastards.

[nathrix]

Bellow is what I call the hijack hot spot triangle outside Midrand and at least 5km further out from each line. I attempt to avoid these spots. Perhaps, if you can, post some pics of the bikes stolen.

[Caerus]

Is this near to townships or rural areas? I cant believe that the Insurance companies are not getting more involved, it must be costing them a fortune. The cops have got to be involved somehow as well. The bikes must be getting resprayed and ending up on here for sure, as well as leaving the country. Where too I cant understand, there cant be a massive cycling community in the rest of Africa, can there? This is a massive syndicate going on by the sounds of it

[nathrix]

Is this near to townships or rural areas?

 

The circles that i have drawn are mostly squatter camps.

[nathrix]

I believe they walk all the time between these 'townships' to go on a booze party with their fellow neighbors gangsters on a regular basis. They don't work and have LOTS of time on their hands which gives these maggots ample time to survey the area and take note of who they frequently encounter on these little booze trips. It's like having a menu and know exactly on which days and times to pick something from it, especially weekends. I'm sure they get a huge thrill in this as well and lots of booze money as a bonus. They have a huge area to do just as they please and they know it will be difficult to catch them. They think they are very clever until the day they hijack the wrong group of riders.

[Zaskar09]

I believe they walk all the time between these 'townships' to go on a booze party with their fellow neighbors gangsters on a regular basis. They don't work and have LOTS of time on their hands which gives these maggots ample time to survey the area and take note of who they frequently encounter on these little booze trips. It's like having a menu and know exactly on which days and times to pick something from it, especially weekends. I'm sure they get a huge thrill in this as well and lots of booze money as a bonus. They have a huge area to do just as they please and they know it will be difficult to catch them. They think they are very clever until the day they hijack the wrong group of riders.

 

Sorry about your bikes man, that really sucks. Interesting you mentioning "the wrong group of riders". I heard a story about four guys who showed up just as another guy and his girlfriend where being held at gunpoint for their bikes. The guys showed up quite unexpectantly and just literally rode into the would-be hi-jackers. Apparently at some speed. The 4 guys plus the other guy then proceeded to beat the crap out of them, took their gun and went to the nearest police station and reported it. When the cops got there both the hi-jackers where still there and they got arrested and sentenced to 15 years for armed robbery.

 

Another story, I'm part of our community police forum thingy and we recently (about 2 months ago)recovered something like 18 stolen bikes all buried underneath shacks in a nearby field.

Also 4 arrests, can't remember the sentence.

 

I know, not the nicest way to transport the bikes, but what can you do?

 

Just some good news regarding this, I'm sure there are more success stories, they just don't get told as much.

[Caerus]

I believe they walk all the time between these 'townships' to go on a booze party with their fellow neighbors gangsters on a regular basis. They don't work and have LOTS of time on their hands which gives these maggots ample time to survey the area and take note of who they frequently encounter on these little booze trips. It's like having a menu and know exactly on which days and times to pick something from it, especially weekends. I'm sure they get a huge thrill in this as well and lots of booze money as a bonus. They have a huge area to do just as they please and they know it will be difficult to catch them. They think they are very clever until the day they hijack the wrong group of riders.

 

 

Thats hectic, its also what Im worried will inevatibly happen, sooner rather then later. Its gonna be gunfight at the OK Coral. the are definatly more & more riders carrying guns these days for this exact reason. So where do the bikes get sold off to though, if you think these c&%ts are on "booze trips", are they to order then. They can t be hiding the bikes in the townships or using them in there(maybe they are) Im going to email Supercycling tomorrow and the cops, i wanna know what their stance in KZN is.

 

Sick of this ****, its making me want to leave this country more & more, and more so my wife(an Ozzie) is getting annoyed having to live like this. I dont blame her, how much longer can I defend it and the violent crime that goes on, she is getting into MTB now, I would hate to have to explain to her family what happened if something goes wrong one day(gosh we both not even be around)

[Mojoman]

What happened to all those recovered bikes? Did the cops trace the owners?

[Zaskar09]

Thats the problem, its difficult to connect a certain bike to a certain case document. Thats why it's important to register the serial number. The CPF (community police forum) are also encouraging people to install something they call "Datadots" on your household items. They cost like R400/kit but all the police stations in the country are supposedly equipped to scan them and then see who the owner is. I've installed it on my bike.

 

As far as I know only 4-5 bikes where actually returned to the owners, the rest are probably rotting in some store or being ridden by some constables son.

[Caerus]

Sorry about your bikes man, that really sucks. Interesting you mentioning "the wrong group of riders". I heard a story about four guys who showed up just as another guy and his girlfriend where being held at gunpoint for their bikes. The guys showed up quite unexpectantly and just literally rode into the would-be hi-jackers. Apparently at some speed. The 4 guys plus the other guy then proceeded to beat the crap out of them, took their gun and went to the nearest police station and reported it. When the cops got there both the hi-jackers where still there and they got arrested and sentenced to 15 years for armed robbery.

 

Another story, I'm part of our community police forum thingy and we recently (about 2 months ago)recovered something like 18 stolen bikes all buried underneath shacks in a nearby field.

Also 4 arrests, can't remember the sentence.

 

I know, not the nicest way to transport the bikes, but what can you do?

 

Just some good news regarding this, I'm sure there are more success stories, they just don't get told as much.

 

I just love reading stories like this. Good work for the Police Forumn( you are a true example of what more of us could/ should be getting involved in, myself included ) . How did you discover the 18 bikes under a shack? Also did they get returned to their owners? What happens to them if they dont get returned to their owners? Sorry for all the questions

[Zaskar09]

One of the locals (NOT a criminal) told us about the bikes. Regarding the returning of the bikes to the owners, see above

[Zaskar09]

I definately recommend the Datadots, it's not going to protect you or prevent your bike being stolen but it will help you maybe getting it back.

 

Datadots website

[Caerus]

Thats the problem, its difficult to connect a certain bike to a certain case document. Thats why it's important to register the serial number. The CPF (community police forum) are also encouraging people to install something they call "Datadots" on your household items. They cost like R400/kit but all the police stations in the country are supposedly equipped to scan them and then see who the owner is. I've installed it on my bike.

 

As far as I know only 4-5 bikes where actually returned to the owners, the rest are probably rotting in some store or being ridden by some constables son.

 

 

Where do i get these kits from, also where is the best place to register my serial numbers? Have you got a link, I'll do it now.

[Zaskar09]

See the link above for the datadots, as to the serial number, I dunno!

 

Was preaching to myself!!