Bike wheel was stolen in public place.

Martynb_

Just need some advice but didn't know where to put this.


I use a gymnasium, council run (Labour), and outside the gym there are places where you can lock up your bike. Today I used the gym for two hours and when I came back, the front wheel had been taken right off and stolen. The bike was chained up with a decent chain.


I informed the gymnasium and the security came out. I asked him about CCTV and he said there isn't any. A public place and there are no CCTV cameras!! Then I asked whether there were signs nearby informing visitors that if they chain their bikes up here they may get damaged or stolen. There were no notices!


Now if I had been told there were no CCTV I would not have locked my bike up here. If I had been informed not to leave my bike here I would certainly have taken advice. Nothing. No CCTV and no warning sign. Do councils have to put up these signs? I would have thought they would at least warn visitors and customers. I've seen bikes here locked up with string!


The gym security kidly offered to keep my poor old bike in the gymnasium store shed but he did say not to bother reporting it and don't bother with the council because he had a 2 x £800 bikes stolen from within the staff entrance. It was caught on CCTV inside the building and the owners got sweet FA, the theives have still got the bikes because the original owners could not prove that they owned the bike (even though CCTV caught the owners with the bike first!!) Now what does that tell you about these councils?!


So what do I do? I'm thinking about writing to the MP and get him to fork out some cash (they always have cash these politicians) and get a damn bloody sign up warning people not to leave their bikes here or risk damage/theft!


I know it's not the council's fault, but all they need to do is put a small red sign with some white lettering! They could afford it with all the damn proceeds they get from parking fines!

geri1965_2

I doubt that signs would have prevented the incident from occurring. I can understand your annoyance, as I've had wheels and whole bikes stolen before, but it really isn't the council's fault.

custardy

Get a grip.
CCTV would have given you a video of your wheel getting nicked.
you chained the bike up,but not the wheel
Either fit security skewers(minimal security) or use a locking set up that locks the wheel.
Either by removing and locking with the chain/U lock.
Or using a secondary cable.

tomtontom

Martynb_ wrote: »

Just need some advice but didn't know where to put this.


I use a gymnasium, council run (Labour), and outside the gym there are places where you can lock up your bike. Today I used the gym for two hours and when I came back, the front wheel had been taken right off and stolen. The bike was chained up with a decent chain.


I informed the gymnasium and the security came out. I asked him about CCTV and he said there isn't any. A public place and there are no CCTV cameras!! Then I asked whether there were signs nearby informing visitors that if they chain their bikes up here they may get damaged or stolen. There were no notices!


Now if I had been told there were no CCTV I would not have locked my bike up here. If I had been informed not to leave my bike here I would certainly have taken advice. Nothing. No CCTV and no warning sign. Do councils have to put up these signs? I would have thought they would at least warn visitors and customers. I've seen bikes here locked up with string!


The gym security kidly offered to keep my poor old bike in the gymnasium store shed but he did say not to bother reporting it and don't bother with the council because he had a 2 x £800 bikes stolen from within the staff entrance. It was caught on CCTV inside the building and the owners got sweet FA, the theives have still got the bikes because the original owners could not prove that they owned the bike (even though CCTV caught the owners with the bike first!!) Now what does that tell you about these councils?!


So what do I do? I'm thinking about writing to the MP and get him to fork out some cash (they always have cash these politicians) and get a damn bloody sign up warning people not to leave their bikes here or risk damage/theft!


I know it's not the council's fault, but all they need to do is put a small red sign with some white lettering! They could afford it with all the damn proceeds they get from parking fines!

You do have a tendency for dramatics OP! Do you not have insurance?

Martynb_

custardy wrote: »

Get a grip.
CCTV would have given you a video of your wheel getting nicked.
you chained the bike up,but not the wheel
Either fit security skewers(minimal security) or use a locking set up that locks the wheel.
Either by removing and locking with the chain/U lock.
Or using a secondary cable.

I would not have ever chained the bike up here if I had know there was no CCTV though. Why put out specially designated parking spots for bikes? Do the council just assume you have locks for each wheel or something? I've only got one lock and that's to tie the bike frame to the bike stand. I can understand someone wanting to take three separate locks with them if they happen to have to chain their bike in a place with no security, but this is a public space! This is a council run gymnasium, you'd think they would have a cctv camera up or a sign at least. Even the bike stands at the side of the train station has a warning sign, including the bike stands near the central arcade - and they have cctv up to boot!!


I know the council is not to blame but they should think about visitors and customers and ensure that if there is no cctv then at least there is a warning sign. If they are not going to put either up then what's the point of installing bike stands?! Bonkers!

Forwandert

I doubt it would be a good idea to place a sign up advertising to would be thieves there isn't any CCTV in a certain area.

geri1965_2

I had both my wheels stolen from a so called secure underground car park where I used to work.

It's a bummer, but these things can happen anywhere. You'd need signs in every street!

peachyprice

You really couldn't have worked out for yourself that chaining your bike in a public place could lead to it being stolen?

Martynb_

Forwandert wrote: »

I doubt it would be a good idea to place a sign up advertising to would be thieves there isn't any CCTV in a certain area.

Erm... what??

Sooler

Martynb_ wrote: »

So what do I do?

Buy a new wheel.

silverwhistle

Martynb_ wrote: »

A public place and there are no CCTV cameras!! Then I asked whether there were signs nearby informing visitors that if they chain their bikes up here they may get damaged or stolen. There were no notices!

That's funny, I had you down as the sort who complained about too many CCTV cameras..

Basically you need to use a bit of common sense and carry an extra loop of chain to ensure that the other wheel is also secured. Unfortunately the !!!!!!!s may also try nicking bits off the bike. All cyclists everywhere worry about meeting a cycle thief as many of us would have to plead diminished responsibility for the consequences...

And the point about the cctv notice: you're telling them they've no CCTV to worry about as they leisurely set about your bike with their bolt croppers...