Bike theft in Baildon, West Yorks – gutted.

Just a quick word of warning, and request that folk keep an eye out in the area. Just had garage broken into and, along with a load of tools from work, had my new bike stolen. It’s a Titus FTM carbon frame in blue, with white Revelations, White Avid Elixirs and DT Swiss 1800 wheels. The b*st*rds took the window pane out, took everything of value then opened garage doors from the inside and made off. Police been and done what they can but not holding out much hope. SOCO coming out in morning to dust for prints as they have touched all sorts of things, but can’t see them not wearing glove’s.

Never even rode the bike, literally finished building it at the weekend and due to go out tomorrow, well today now I suppose. Sod’s Law – am just about to start a business selling and fitting security device’s for this sort of thing – week to late by the looks of it.

Any help would be really, really appreciated.

Thanks, John.

Wow! Some POS is getting the first ride on your dream bike. That’s heartbreaking! I feel for you, that’s for sure.

Many thanks, Joe. Absolutely gutted, has never happened to me/us before so feel sick about it. Am selling my Langster on the classifieds so took some picture’s of it last night and put it in back room, otherwise that would be gone as well.

I’m in the US, so I own the quintessential American vehicle; a pickup truck. The bike goes in the bed, which is covered by a locking fiberglass cap with windows. Some years ago, someone local had a bike stolen from a locked minivan or SUV. The thief just smashed out a window and took the bike.

Since then, I’ve used a maybe 1/4 inch cable lock with a regular padlock when the bike is in the truck. My thinking is that it would be enough to prevent a smash and grab. If someone wants the bike bad enough, they’ll bring enough tools or find a way to get it, I guess. I guess that it comes down to how much of a PITA you’re willing to put up with to keep your bikes secure. More security = more time, effort, and expense. And you only have to forget once.

I really can’t say that I have any sort of emotional attachment to my bike (it doesn’t have a name or anything) but I’m sure that it would be a terrible experience to have it get stolen.

Is bike theft as big of an issue in the UK as it appears based on STW?

I personally don’t know of anyone who has had a bike stolen recently, but there always seems to be a thread or two on here about it – plus obviously the bikes they had nicked at STW over the weekend. It’s quite a distinctive frame, never seen any other than mine around here, so am going to go around Cash Converters and the like tomorrow morning asking them to keep an eye out. Plus obviously looking on Ebay every day.

As I mentioned in the original post, I’ve put an order in for dozens of new ground anchors, chains and locks and am in the process of setting up a website with a view to offering a fitting service for securing the likes of MTB’s, motor bikes and even expensive BBQ’s and patio furniture etc.

I’m a Technical Consultant for Paslode and had three or four tools in there as well, plus a load of bags with stock and kit in etc so have ringing my boss in the morning to look forward to as well!

Will your bike “security systems” include anything like the pic below, maybe attached to a motion detector? 😉

Thats exactly one of the tools that was taken, along with a couple of others and all sorts of fixings and chemical resins etc. Am going to make the garage as secure as possible, to be honest it has put me off having an expensive bike again, but am hoping that will wear off in time.

Am going to make the garage as secure as possible, to be honest it has put me off having an expensive bike again, but am hoping that will wear off in time.

Insurance is your best security.
Disguise and make it hard to get into and noisy but if someone wants to get it they will. Just make sure you have ticked the boxes on the insurance.

Where do all these bikes go!

My mate had 4 stolen from home in Leeds last weekend. Doesn’t seem long since Funkydunc had his nicked over your way.
My mate lived at the bottom of Baildon and they broke into his garage a couple of months back, took nothing and the police said they were looking for bikes.

They also had a look in loads of garages on Villa road in bingley recently.

Good luck with your new business and I hope you get your bike back.

Where do all these bikes go!

A lot seem to be stripped & sold. There have been a few lockups found with frames piled up. They can be traced a set of forks/brakes is much harder to. I think there were also e-bay accounts linked to the thieves each with a lot of traffic.

Also try not to advertise the fact you’ve got a load of expensive bikes by carrying them on top of or on the back of your car.
Most of these thefts seem targetted.

Unlucky mate.

Will keep an eye out in the Shipley / Thackley area for your bike.

I’ve heard a number of stories from neighbours that garages in Baildon are being targeted by thieves. They’re also targeting unlocked cars – a policeman / community officer was round the other Sunday checking all cars on the street and putting notices on the windscreen / giving advice (Mrs p7pro had left hers unlocked).

Any news on your Titus chunkymonkey?

I don’t think these thefts are entirely targeted, more that some thieves are doing the rounds at the moment. My parents live in Baildon and thieves broke in to their house whilst they were on holiday and didn’t take anything. A few weeks later they tried to break into their van which they had left a bike in overnight.

So on the one hand there may be some targeted thefts but also some chancers.

Seems odd that in the 12 years they’ve lived there with no problems that 2 attempts in less than that many months is a bit odd.

P7Pro – Police came over today and did a check on all the cars on the street, half of them weren’t locked apparently. Police came back on Friday afternoon with a bag full of my work samples, unfortunately not bike and/or tools. I’m scouring Ebay and keep in touch with Cash Generators/Convertors in Shipley, Bradford and Keighley but not holding out much hope. Have made the garage like a fortress, but only for the insurance guy to say that if they really wanted to get in they’d come in through the roof!

SOCO reckons that the chisel and screwdriver they used to chip away at the window and remove the pane of glass were taken in a similar break in last week just down the road so they have taken them for DNA testing. You never know mate, the Police have been really good and I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

I mentioned this over in the STW theft thread, but some friends bikes were nicked from Saltaire yesterday too (a blue Orange 5 with fox 36s and a white/blue lapierre zesty, incase you see them about while looking for yours, or if it’s the same nobs that took yours and the police manage to find them).

Will keep an eye out for your Titus.

Cheers Glen, will do the same for the Orange and Lapierre.

I’m in the area regularly biking with mates…will pass the info on and keep my eyes and ears open.

The b*st*rds took the window pane out, took everything of value then opened garage doors from the inside and made off

Been pushing this advice for a while now, fit grills or bars to all windows, fit mortice sash locks to solid doors,top and bottom,fit a curtain to all windows so they cant see in, and always keep them drawn when the lights are on, fit decent hinges and hinge bolts, on t hinges use 3 hinges and bolt through door, use descent closed shackle padlocks and hasps with a cover,secure the roof from inside with builders band, and long screws and fix plywood sheet to inside of roof eaves, have a security light,and an alarm,perhaps a baby monitor, and covert cctv. then inside the garage shed, descent floor anchors and chain.

In the house hide the garagee/shed keys, beware of leaving th shed /garage door open if seen from the street.

All the security stuff is available from Toolstation.com, or screwfix.com/

Project – believe it or not mate, I’m just in the process of setting up my own little business selling security devices for MTB’s, notor bikes, expensive BBQ’s/Patio sets etc, have a look at my thread a couple of days before regarding a name for my venture! How ironic it is that I had a car full of ground anchors, locks and cables etc together with fixings and chemical resin from my day job, and a day or two before I fit them all this happened.

I have now boarded up the window on each side with 18mm Sheathing Ply, with threaded rod chemically fitted to the wall each side. I was going to put a couple of inches of cement all around the window opening then put smashed beer bottles in it but got told by the insurance guy I may get done if it causes any injury – hows that work out then?

yep read that thread, and put forward a few names for your venture.

Sadly its the ones who buy or order stolen stuff that are to blame , massive fines for them would help if caught.

As for the beer bottles in the window void and liability for injury, perhaps it may be a fireman attending a fire , not some thief who gets cut, how would you feel then.

Like i said dont forget the roof , and if a wooden shed also the sides.

Sorry to hear that. I had the same happen to me a few months back. Baildon seems to be a honey pot to bike thieves.

Fortunately I disturbed them and they left empty handed.

I’ve bumped up security since them. All the bikes are locked together and locked to a floor anchor and a large set of ladders.

Just had 3 bike stolen from Saltaire. Wilier izoard xp, trek 1.1 and a marin kentfield. The unlocked the shed and cut through metal cable before taking bikes and relocked the shed.