Bike Theft - Inaccessible Entry

Sandyra

Hi

Not sure which board to post it on, as I couldn’t find something similar. Yesterday I realised mine and my boyfriends bike was stolen (likely to be have stolen on Monday evening as my flat mate had noticed that’s when it had gone but had thought we had taken it) from an inaccessible cycle store in our underground parking of our housing association block. 8 weeks ago I highlighted to the housing association to the problem. The lock had been broken, the barrel completely gone. I provided pictures as well as explaining that no one could get in and no one could get out.

They then sent a in house repair who couldn’t fix it (surprise surprise), they then sent a locksmith who couldn’t fix it and said that they need would need to call an ironmonger to cut the iron gate. I had been complaining as I bought my bike on the cycle to work scheme and I haven’t been able to access it. There are about 10 bikes in the store of varying values and conditions. My bike and my boyfriends bike were locked to one of the cycle stands. Last week I sent a further annoyed email. Yesterday only our 2 bikes have been stolen.

I have insurance and I have rung up to see I how much it’s going to cost. I have got a crime report number, the police will be round this week. I’m interested to see how they have (police) identified it was stolen. You can’t open the gate, the store is a bricked up room, there isn’t a large enough space around the gate to climb over or around and the gate can’t be lifted off its hinges.

I’m not sure if there is cctv, if there is, it’s probably a dummy one. I am planning to contact the housing association again. It’s just so weird as I can’t fathom how they got it. It’s like it’s a magic trick. When I have explained and shown the photo, people have said it must be an inside job.

What are your thoughts?

Sandyra

Sorry I’ve worked out how to upload the photo of the cycle store:

Tigsteroonie

For clarity:

Is the bike store still unaccessible due to the same problems that prevented access before? (i.e. the access hasn't been fixed)

Or was it unaccessible previously due to a bent/broken lock, and is now unaccessible because that's been fixed but you don't have a key? (i.e. your bikes could have been stolen when it was open and being fixed)



There's never a mystery, bikes don't just disappear, so somebody has access.

Sandyra

Hi the first. The problem of the missing barrel is still missing.

https://i.imgur.com/FxIdOdB.jpg

sal_III

Your post doesn't make much sense, first you realized your bikes are stolen, confirmed by your flat mate. Then the police is still due to arrive, but you wonder how the police knows that the bikes are missing without access to the room.

Maybe they consider them missing because you (or someone else) reported them missing? In any case unless there is a nook to either side of the gate, you can pretty much see everything that is (or rather isn't) in the room.

Also what is the insurance related question here?