Stolen Bike Turns Up 5 Years Later on Gumtree

[Moog]

OM Freeking Gawd.......5 Years after my Marin Pine Mountain was stolen, browsing Gumtree there is a seller who has some ok looking bikes now and again and today it just so happens he has my bike up for sale :xmas-cool: oh yeas...It's like all your christmases at once....

So I call the guy and tell him the bike belonged to my self and understandably he becomes upset telling me there is nothing you can do and neither can the police...... :?:

Stolen Bike with new seat, wheels/tyres and additional crud catcher rear mudguard - side view

Front view :xmas-big-grin: OMG

Original bike after purchase

- side view

Tell me that is a different bike.....!!!!

 

[BarneyRubble]

Re:

100% the same bike. I'd call the police!

 

[mk one]

Does look similar, did you report it at the time? and do you know the serial number? Is it from the same area? Kind of hard to prove especially if the seller can prove its history. And if the serial number has been removed then its even harder.

If it is stolen then the seller will probably remove the ad now you have contacted him, and/or claim it was sold, you should act quickly

Mark

 

[Moog]

Re:

After the bike was stolen 2011, I'd contacted the police and again the police were informed. Course the advert is down and I did give the guy the opportunity to solve the problem, he chose to remain silent and whistle.....He did mention he bought the bike and the seller's address is 200 yards from my home address

As for him reselling..The police have a copy of his advert and telephone number and are sending a local officer to investigate.

I'm aware of the complications involved and unfortunately did not get the serial number, a buffed serial is a dead give away isn't it...? Other than that the photos show a similar bike with very similar scratches on the handlebars and bar ends, even the forks [non standard] are similar.....

:facepalm:

 

[mk one]

Hopefully the police will resolve it

A removed serial number does usually indicate a stolen bike, but unfortunately it also makes positive id of the frame a lot harder and if they are unable to prove the bike is/was stolen, then there is nothing they can do really

All indications point to it being yours though, you should name the seller to warn other buyers

Mark

 

[k-rod]

Re:

Perhaps it would have been wiser to arrange to meet him (to view his tires for sale) first, without giving him a heads-up warning that you are on to him and the fact that that bike might well be yours ... as now he will try to avoid all incrimination (might even get rid of the bike/evidence). Had you popped by in secrecy about knowing the bike might be yours, you could have set him up with the cops much more easily ...

 

[Moog]

Hopefully the police will resolve it

A removed serial number does usually indicate a stolen bike, but unfortunately it also makes positive id of the frame a lot harder and if they are unable to prove the bike is/was stolen, then there is nothing they can do really

All indications point to it being yours though, you should name the seller to warn other buyers

Mark

And is that legal...?

 

[mk one]

Hopefully the police will resolve it

A removed serial number does usually indicate a stolen bike, but unfortunately it also makes positive id of the frame a lot harder and if they are unable to prove the bike is/was stolen, then there is nothing they can do really

All indications point to it being yours though, you should name the seller to warn other buyers

Mark

And is that legal...?

Is what legal?

 

[Moog]

Ok...Other than that, he may have purchased the bike second hand not knowing it was stolen...

All I can say right now is, the seller male, is from Newmachar Aberdeenshire, Oldmeldrum Road.

 

[themountie]

Re:

same thing happened to me my custom mongoose otero was stolen look at gumtree 9 month later and saw it forsale in London it got stolen in stoke on trent,

call the police I had a vist from the police officer he said can you prove it I said yes I still got the recept for the desert passion paint I painted the bike with on my helmet the same colour,
Its got my name on the side by the shock linkage.

I said send a offer around and I can tell u every detail about the bike over the phone even some that the seller will not know.

so couple days later I got a call from the met police saying they called posing a buyer they guy gave em a false address and took the add down,

they said they have never been soo close to catching some one