Bike theft Hurtwood Inn, Peaslake

Cheek of this, and by a fellow rider!

Though yeah, not locking up bikes etc. Most of us don’t bother when visiting the pub, village shop and P&S, and I’m the same. Given the value of our bikes it’s about time we take more care. Doesn’t excuse the scum though.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156806211603061&id=261199578060

Further detail : https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10156804170183061&id=261199578060

Thanks for the heads up, wouldn’t have seen that one coming from another rider around there.

That said, fellow rider theft does happen around here. I ran a road TT a few years ago nearby where someone’s Garmin was taken off a bike left outside. It was returned by post shortly after I announced police would be reviewing the CCTV.

I have sympathy, but seriously, I cannot understand the mindset of people who leave their bikes hanging around unlocked.
I never leave mine out my sight unless it’s in my car or with a mate.
A mate caught a couple of guys trying to pull his off the rack on the back of his car a few years ago in a pub car park.
There are dicks all over, and some of them ride bikes. Some of them may even use bikes they’ve already stolen to steal other bikes.
Never ceases to amaze me when you go to somewhere like Cannock how easy it would be to rock up in a helmet and shorts and just wander off with one of the superbikes that’s leant around unlocked, let alone outside a pub in the dark! How many more times do we have to see this happen?

You wouldn’t leave your phone or wallet unattended on a picnic table at a trail centre, so why do it with a bike? Mines certainly worth more than either of those things! (That’s really not saying much)

I can understand why people let their guard down at Peaslake, its pretty much only bikers around there, not many houses, quite a nice areas and there’s not much passing traffic. Must say though we’ve pretty much stopped leaving bikes unattended there though when using the shop.

Saw this earlier absolutely disgusting the scummy prick

He clearly is a fellow rider not just some random chav passing by

Just goes to show you really cannot trust anyone

Surely there must be some more cctv nearby of him, I don’t know the area but you’d think if he’s riding around there, he’s either going back to his house nearby with carrying the bike like that or in a car which would be be nearby also

I hope they catch the little prick

There’s not much cctv there, the pub and bike shop maybe, not the car parks, it’s pretty quiet / rural. Anybody who can afford a house there won’t be knicking bikes, pension funds maybe!

Yep that’s my point either he’s loaded and still stole it

Or hes driven into the area, surely somebody must have seen him oddly pushing a bike whilst riding one…

It’s obviously a keen mtber either way and it does make it a million times worse in my eyes than some random chav passing by

Somebody must recognise the bike and clothes he’s wearing

that’s blatant, what a git.

I have wondered though as I’ve sat at Box Hill enjoying a slice of cake whether I could just climb on another bike way better than the one I arrived on and ride off without being challenged.

Someone should set up a strava segment which covers the road from that point to the nearest car park on the offchance.

Shite indeed. I never ever leave bike unlocked unless I can see it and I’m very close to it !!

Yep that’s my point either he’s loaded and still stole it

Or hes driven into the area, surely somebody must have seen him oddly pushing a bike whilst riding one…

It’s dark so it’ll be very quiet at that time. There is a small car park about 50 yards down the road where he was heading. I would guess he’s chucked it in the back of a van and driven out the back way which is a single lane road where I’d be surprised if he met any traffic. Scumbag.

Howard had someone walk into pedal and spoke during the summer and walk off with a bike. Caught on his cameras but no idea if they ever caught the guy. The lad working there was distracted with a customer at the time.

by a fellow rider!

wouldn’t have seen that one coming from another rider around there.

fellow rider theft does happen

He clearly is a fellow rider not just some random chav passing by

It’s obviously a keen MTBer

What planet are you lot on? This is no different to the standard trope that you can get access to most areas in most places if you wear a Hi-Viz vest and carry a clipboard. Not the first time people have dressed like mountain bikers so they didn’t raise suspicions when they walked off with an unattended bike – didn’t it happen at one of the big races a few years ago? Mayhem maybe?

The comments here show just how damn effective that is – put the right gear on an you’re definitely not a bike thief, there to steal bikes, oh no, you’re, and this honestly seems to be the hypothesis of some of you, a fellow mountain biker, local to a pretty affluent area, who just randomly stole a mountain bike one afternoon while out riding. Really?

On a serious note, if any of you are doing your security risk assessments when out and about based on the idea that you can spot the bike thieves cos they’re the ones in head-to-toe athleisurewear from Sports Direct then please think again.

On the balance of probabilities I agree that’s more likely a tea leaf wearing a bike helmet as a “disguise” than someone out for a ride who suddenly felt the urge to nick a bike.

Would be worrying either way as the former indicates a degree of sophistication and deliberateness that we don’t see that often.

nah I disagree with all the above he’s on a orange whyte F/S and is wearing a giro switchblade helmet, that’s hardly the attire of your random chav, hes got all the kit on and if it was some scumbag chav on the rob theyd have ditched the shit bike they are one and just ridden off on it, this guy clearly didtn want give up his own bike but saw a opportunity to perhaps upgrade his own bike or make some extra cash

I know its naïve to leave stuff like that and I wouldn’t personally, but take some context into the area of which it is at a certain time of a quiet sunday, I really just think this scumbag had been riding and just saw it there and couldn’t resist

it does make it worse imo that he’s a fellow rider, but there you go makes you think about it at least if nothing else

On the balance of probabilities I agree that’s more likely a tea leaf wearing a bike helmet as a “disguise” than someone out for a ride who suddenly felt the urge to nick a bike.

In Peaslake … after dark – on the offchance a lone biker leaves a bike unlocked?

Would be worrying either way as the former indicates a degree of sophistication and deliberateness that we don’t see that often.

It would indicate a LOT of persistence … just waiting for the right opportunity.

I’m a bit of a bike dork. I’ve often had a good old nosey at a flash bike in the biking honey pots – peaslake, coed-y, and so on. (I would never touch).
Nobody has ever come running out of the pub or cafe to check on me.

I’m going with not a ‘fellow rider’. Reckon the perp’s original bike wasn’t bought by him, and if you are nicking 4-5 figure bikes, 1-2 hundred quid on a ‘disguise’ is prob worth the investment. Yeah peaslake is rural but if there’s always folk leaving nice bikes about unlocked then wouldn’t take too long to rack up a decent haul. Had he been busted he’d have given it ‘yeah some scrotes were eyeing it up mate, didn’t want you losing it’ etc.

Not everyone on a bike is a saint.

stevextc

Member
On the balance of probabilities I agree that’s more likely a tea leaf wearing a bike helmet as a “disguise” than someone out for a ride who suddenly felt the urge to nick a bike.
In Peaslake … after dark – on the offchance a lone biker leaves a bike unlocked?
Would be worrying either way as the former indicates a degree of sophistication and deliberateness that we don’t see that often.
It would indicate a LOT of persistence … just waiting for the right opportunity.

exactly, don’t buy that scenario at all, its just a rider who has spotted it unattended and the sheer scumbag lurking inside his brain couldn’t resist but take it

as above some people may look at it, admire it, think what douchebag has left it outside its asking for trouble, but 99 out of 100 mtb’ers would not steal it, hell if it was me i’d probably stay there and make sure the person comes back out and waits to return rather than leave it unattended, then tell him he’s a lucky lad I didn’t pinch it! (but again some context has to be taken about time of day, where this is etc)

Good points.

Perhaps it’s somewhere between the two? Habitual tea leaf out for a ride on his (possibly half-inched) Whyte sees the opportunity for a free upgrade?

99 out of 100 mtb’ers would not steal it

You have to win every time, he only has to win once…

chakaping

Subscriber
Good points.
Perhaps it’s somewhere between the two? Habitual tea leaf out for a ride on his (possibly half-inched) Whyte sees the opportunity for a free upgrade?

yeh could well be somewhere inbetween, either way genuine rider or not, he’s a thief with a thiefs mind and instinct, if he is a genuine rider it makes it much harder to swallow, which I think it is personally

I just think the time of day (going dark) no one really around, at the back of the pub, and given he’d have had all day to try it at pedal and spoke (whose fleet is out all day long on show), just think its totally random guy coming through after riding local, spots something better than he has and wants it, so takes it…..I think the fact he didn’t jack his own bike in shows it wasn’t premeditated, he wanted his cake and well and truly and ate it

Good points.

Perhaps it’s somewhere between the two? Habitual tea leaf out for a ride on his (possibly half-inched) Whyte sees the opportunity for a free upgrade?

Yep …. I don’t have a van and I’m not a tealeaf and only 20 mins away but going “on spec” and with disguise after dark would seem pretty speculative at best.

Howard had someone walk into pedal and spoke during the summer and walk off with a bike. Caught on his cameras but no idea if they ever caught the guy. The lad working there was distracted with a customer at the time.

He got it back. Advertised for sale not too far away and a meet in a petrol station was arranged to buy it. Guy who was selling it bought it from a work colleague.

Jeepers, the naive attitudes on here are why it’s so easy to get away with!
To draw a parallel: ever stopped to think about why some ‘nice’ areas have relatively high car insurance premiums? It’s not because the people that live there steal cars from their own neighbours!

To draw a parallel: ever stopped to think about why some ‘nice’ areas have relatively high car insurance premiums? It’s not because the people that live there steal cars from their own neighbours!

Around where I live nice Audi’s etc have a habit of disappearing on frosty mornings, the car equivalent of hoping nobody runs off with your bike

Pauly

Member
Howard had someone walk into pedal and spoke during the summer and walk off with a bike. Caught on his cameras but no idea if they ever caught the guy. The lad working there was distracted with a customer at the time.
He got it back. Advertised for sale not too far away and a meet in a petrol station was arranged to buy it. Guy who was selling it bought it from a work colleague.

I didn’t know that, glad they got it back at least

In Peaslake … after dark – on the offchance a lone biker leaves a bike unlocked?

I’m not local, but my impression has always been that Peaslake is biker central, and also shops / cafes, so a very high chance of unlocked bikes lying around. Have I not got that right? (Genuine question, I’ve never been there)

Also, re. “after dark” – I’ve never nicked a bike, but if I was going to, I would have guessed that after dark would be better (than broad daylight)? It was half four in the afternoon, so hardly late at night with no bikers out, if that is what you were getting at?

he’s on a orange whyte F/S and is wearing a giro switchblade helmet, that’s hardly the attire of your random chav

If he’s a bike thief, being in possession of a decent / expensive bike is hardly surprising, be more surprising if he could produce a receipt for it. There seems to be an underlying assumption here that bike theives are generally just random “chavs” wandering the streets and taking a bike if they happen upon one. The idea that some people stealing easily portable, high value kit wouldn’t be a bit more “professional” about it doesn’t seem to occur to people?

We’ve all read encough posts on here of people that have lost bikes to people that have obviously targetted them and their property, broke into sheds and garages despite considerable security deterrents, but the idea that someone in that “line of work” would be incapable of dropping a couple of hundred quid in Evans on a disguise is reasonable? More reasonable than the idea that someone living in that area, and affluent enough to already ride the bike they had, just decided to nick a bike in a pretty brazen fashion one afternoon?

From my understanding of the area, if I was on the lookout for unattended high value bikes to spirit away, Peaslake late afternoon on a winter day is exactly where I’d go.

yeh could well be somewhere inbetween, either way genuine rider or not, he’s a thief with a thiefs mind and instinct, if he is a genuine rider it makes it much harder to swallow, which I think it is personally

More reasonable than the idea that someone living in that area, and affluent enough to already ride the bike they had, just decided to nick a bike in a pretty brazen fashion one afternoon?

Mountain biking is like any other group of people, there are dicks everywhere. Whilst tribalism and empathy has the ability to bring out the best in people and have them go out of their way to “help a fellow cyclist”. I don’t think there’s anything intrinsic about riding a bike that makes you a better person.

but the idea that someone in that “line of work” would be incapable of dropping a couple of hundred quid in Evans on a disguise is reasonable? More reasonable than the idea that someone living in that area, and affluent enough to already ride the bike they had, just decided to nick a bike in a pretty brazen fashion one afternoon?

I don’t think anyone is suggesting it’s a local resident.
I don’t get going along with the intention of stealing a bike and having the Whyte… I’d perhaps stretch to a helmet and some mucky riding kit but even then a Giro?

I’m not local, but my impression has always been that Peaslake is biker central, and also shops / cafes, so a very high chance of unlocked bikes lying around. Have I not got that right? (Genuine question, I’ve never been there)

Yes and No …. shops / cafes is a bit of an over statement… its a shop does takeout pies and tea coffee.. (takeout as in sit around outside as you get real cups) and a pub .. and the bike shop …

Yep its biker central (roadies and MTB) whilst it’s light at weekends so lots of bikers and lots of bikes … most people are in groups anyway so someone can watch the bikes and those that aren’t its fairly social so someone you know will.

However, once the bikers have left its just a few locals with perhaps someone wandering to the pub… left late myself a few times from the car park up the hill and it’s a ghost town for bikes…