Stolen bike.....then i see someone riding it....

[twain]

has this happened to any one?

ages ago i had my beloved Carrera Kraken-16th b-day-present stolen from outside uni.
Ever since i would look up every time i saw an orange bike (my Kraken was orange and black - quite distinctive, not many around then, plus i had made some mods)

about a year later, im sat outside my work waiting to go in, when i see some bloke ride past on MY BIKE. i was 100% sure it was. Had the same cheap-o rigid forks i put on it, stem and broken spoke on the rear wheel!
Not really knowing what to do, i politely stopped the guy and informed him that was my bike and he's riding around on stolen property.
I hadn't registered the bike, so actually had no way of proving it. But thought i should bequeath him with the knowledge that the bike carries bad karma.

Haven't seen it since. but am tempted if i do see it, i'm gonna lock it up with my bike lock. does that sound harsh/silly?

 

[legrandefromage]

one of my bikes was stolen without its wheels - I get an early train home from work, the GF picks me up and I seem my bike being ridden.

Just by the police station with a pic and a report of said bike

I kept the bike.

 

[marin man]

Similar thing.....

About ten years ago I had my marin fleece stolen off my washing line......about three weeks later I spotted a local toe rag wearing my fleece....I jumped out of the car and grabbed said toe rag and asked him where he got the fleece....he said from his brother ...who lived opposite me by chance....I pulled the fleece over his head and told him to piss off......The police came round my house and arrested me :roll:

Charges got dropped in the end and his brother is now in prison by curious chance

I would take it back but be prepared to get knicked for it :x

 

[Harryburgundy]

I would suggest caution is the way forward here....MMs 'case' was just circumstantial evidence and you deserved to be banged up

Seriously...let the police do their job however slow and frustrating it can be at times.

 

[marin man]

Cheers carlucio

 

[BarneyRubble]

A friend of mine had his Xizang stolen by a local toe rag and he later saw him riding it in town. He was a friend in his van, so they followed him home at which point the lad left the bike leaning against the wall and went in to the house. A quick call was made to the police who said if he was 100% sure that it was his bike to take it back. They popped the bike in the back of the van and left before the lad came out of the house. Job done.

 

[Reluctant]

I had my Overburys back when I saw someone riding it 4 or 5 months after it was nicked. I gave the rider no choice - that's my bike and I'm having it back. Had to take the wheels out to strap it on the back of the Honda - bit wobbly on the way home, but what the heck.
If you see someone riding your bike, take it back!

 

[FMJ]

I have ALL my serial numbers of ALL my bikes written down inside my toolbox. You should too.

 

[twain]

I have ALL my serial numbers of ALL my bikes written down inside my toolbox. You should too.

this i shall be doing

 

[wired99]

I had my bike nicked from my garage about two years back. 6 months later I was walking into town and I saw my bike leaning against a shop. The guy who had it is a local painter decorator who uses it to drag his trailer. I stopped and told him that he was riding my bike. I had no proof although it still had my sticker and front wheel magnet from the computer in the spoke. Transpired he bought it from a local shop. I went there and confronted them about selling my bike. After a couple of weeks of twoing and froing they dug there heels in and said unless I had proof they would do nothing. The painter sold it on again a couple of weeks later despite me giving him the whole story and half expecting him to at least return it to the shop knowing it was stolen. I later found out who stole it, some local bad news bear, but by that time I got back insurance and that was that.
6 weeks later the shop burned to the ground. How's that for karma?