Looking to hunt down my stolen bikes and was looking for tips on finding them. Obviously the thieves will be moving them on and at some point they will be offered for sale. So far I’m checking ebay, Gumtree, Preloved and Craigslist.

Ideas welcome thanks

Pinkbike? CTC forum? Bikeradar?

Another tip – put up an ebay listing for the stolen bike at 99p and renew it every week.. same for gumtree. This will prevent the thieves moving it on so easily!

[Disclaimer]I understand these guys do all they can to avoid trafficking stolen goods[/Disclaimer]
Maybe, despite their best efforts, some get through the net.
http://webshop.cashconverters.co.uk/auction-items/163/Bicycles

Put it on Immobilise.

https://www.immobilise.com/index.php

It links in with ‘The NMPR’ (a property register that the police search against).

All good stuff thank you

I’m looking for parts and complete bikes.

All good stuff thank you

I’m looking for parts and complete bikes.

Local markets, car boot sales, cash converters – even local bike shops.

When I worked in a bike shop we used to recover one or two stolen bikes a month, always the same style.
Some scrote would come into the shop wheeling a bike that obviously wasn’t his and ask us either to fix it (usually a puncture) or ask if we wanted to buy it. In either case we’d take the bike off to be repaired or for a “valuation” and then just not hand it back. 🙂

Thing is with offline stuff like car boot sales it’s infinitely harder to trace, especially if the bike is split down or parts swapped with other nicked bikes or if it’s transported away from the area.

When I worked in a bike shop we used to recover one or two stolen bikes a month, always the same style.
Some scrote would come into the shop wheeling a bike that obviously wasn’t his and ask us either to fix it (usually a puncture) or ask if we wanted to buy it. In either case we’d take the bike off to be repaired or for a “valuation” and then just not hand it back

Yep, used to do that in my place as well, BITD. Only we used to add a little extra in that while the mechanic had taken the bike out back for an “assessment” he was actually on the phone to the local police station (A hundred yards away, and full of very loyal and well looked after customers of ours!).

So, scrote would be loitering around the shop feigning interest in stuff, whereupon five or six of the Met’s finest would saunter in, giving it the “‘Ello, ‘ello, ‘ello” treatment.

“You, son, is nicked”

I am dreaming constantly of the theives getting their comeupance… Preferably in a country with a particularly brutal justice system. Or perhaps me and them in a wharehouse Reservoir Dogs style. It helps me get through the day