London people, thieves are about

[Taipan]

Came out of work tonight and went to ride of on my scoot and it locked up. Bastards put a kryptonite D-lock through the back wheel. Presumably this was to make me leave it here and they'll come back for it later? Cue maintenance guys and varying sizes of bolt crops which saw my scoot freed from its captor. Price of owning exotica I suppose!

Anyway, the feedback I've had is bike theft, particularly scooters, is rife in London. Forewarned is forearmed and all that...

[SH125Paul]

I presume Plod were not interested...
Care to mention where this was?
Parking Bay?
Underground NCP?

[sad vampire]

Anything shiny will attract the thieves in London, especially during half-term. Some parking bays are safer than others, so try to use the ones that are in busy places next to coffee bars, etc.

I use a large chain & padlock (Oxford Hardcore I think) to chain it upto some solid street furniture, together with a disc lock on both front & rear wheels.

My old trick was just use a Honda NTV600 that had done over 90k miles & looked like it was a couriers rat, no-one ever bothered to touch it in case they caught something from it.
Big advantage too in that a scratch from someone else parked next to me would more likely improve the look of my bike rather than bother me.

Well done in removing the offending lock though, I too would have had a friend come with a full set of engineering tools (we'd have used the angle grinder with a cutting disc, or the hydraulic shears).

[Taipan]

I presume Plod were not interested...
Care to mention where this was?
Parking Bay?
Underground NCP?

Private car park but it is unsecure and a public thoroughfare in Russell Square WC1. Security are reviewing CCTV and if anything is usable will report it to Police. Last time someone here saw a couple of scroates checking out the bike bays he rang 101 and the Police noted it but said they were already aware and were also active in the area.

[MrGrumpy]

Up this way, its the little scooters (eg Speedfights) that are attractive to youthful thieves....big bikes and scoots seem too big for them!

[johnp]

So must remember bolt cutters under the seat as part of tool kit.

[Data]

These people are just complete 'barstewards'!! Would love to catch one in the act...or maybe it's best I don't! Glad your bike is ok.

[Maxsymuppet]

Haven't heard of this one. But I am reminded of the old trick of thieves looking for bike owners who leave their padlock and chain etc hanging off a post or railings when they go off to work in the morning and fill the lock barrel with glue. Then, when the hapless owner returns from work to find he/she can't lock up their bike they think ' I won't go out and buy another lock now. I'll risk it tonight and sort it out tomorrow. ' You can guess the rest. This is why I always take my padlock and chain indoors after removing it.