Bike Thief
** Please help me try and identify the bike thief **
It’s been a happy two and a half years me and Brommie spent together. We’ll have some very happy memories, including entering a World Championship Race.
Me & B in World Championships
So, what happened to break up this relationship? A bike thief, that’s what happened.
Scorching Saturday afternoon (10/07/10) in Kingston market place, International Youth Arts Fair in full swing, the tills are ringing. All in all a beautiful day.
I lock my bike up securely outside millets, meet up with my girlfriend, a spot of shopping followed by lunch with a beer. (It’s my bribe to go shopping). I’ve got a Streetcar booked for 2.30 as we have to spend the rest of the afternoon moving stuff out of our flat.
Okay, it’s 1.30pm, a couple hours after leaving the bike. We have just bought our last item from Millets and I head outside. Check the bike, still there. We decide we need one more item as a gift for my Mum. We head up Thames Street towards Lakeland. Just past The Entertainer a bike flies past me, haring it off. Automatically I shout “slow down you tw*t”, which is quickly followed up by my g/f telling me to hush. I watch the bike as it rounds the corner towards Kingston bridge, then it dawns on me that it’s a Brompton. I then have the feeling that I’d best check mine. 10 seconds later, I’m on the phone to the police.
Okay, “The Entertainer”, that’s right next door isn’t it? Yes, it bloody well is. This guy clearly came tooled up to nick bikes. Why did I lock my Brompton, when it’s a folding bike? Well, I wish I hadn’t. However it was such a nice day and In & out of shops all the time. Also, my “pub/lock outside bike” had a severe metal fatigue issue recently. And I can’t stand walking anywhere anymore.
Back to the police. I give a full description to the call centre. It’s a black brompton “really noticeable … you know the one … little wheels and a little frame, but adults ride”. Police cars turn up very promptly on Kingston bridge. They jump out and I give them a quick debrief. Unfortunately, I presumed they had my description of the bike. Turns out none of that information was passed on. So, off rush the police cars with their blues & twos going … “sssh, he’ll hear you and cut up a side road/passageway” … with a description of finding a young white bloke on a bicycle near Kingston.
10 minutes later they’re back. Yes, no surprise, no find. I wasn’t really expecting it. I’m told that there are also units Twickenham side searching. Next, they will call me later to give me a crime reference. Oh, and when I told them about the “security chip” in the bike, that I was given by their colleagues, the officers were completely blank .. “never heard of it”. Amazing.
Okay, a slight feeling of “no faith whatsoever in the police” comes over me. The public CCTV is pointing in the general direction, but will probably be blurry or too far or deleted. Also, will the police really have time to review it properly? They really don’t know what they are looking for as well as me.
Right, into Millets. Politely ask whether they have CCTV that covers the front of house. “Yes we do”. They find someone who can work it, and off we go to review.
Video of the Lanky twat bike thief
So, we’ve got him stealing the bike. We’ve got him staring pretty much directly at the CCTV camera in the shop; twice. We’ve got him checking the bike out three times. (The original CCTV is much better quality, and longer, this is me videoing off a tv on my iPhone). We’ve also got him walking out of the shop right on my shoulder. 5 seconds later, and I’ll have been right on top of him. Literally. Probably punching, kicking and headbutting.
Okay, I’ve managed to get CCTV evidence and the shop are keeping for the police. That’s great. Phone the police. They gave no indication anyone was on their way. He’s sat at home now, most likely, stripping it ready for sale – making it difficult for me to recognise. The feedback I got from the shop staff is that he’s known. Bikes have gone from there before. Most likely it’s the same guy. This is a *fantastic opportunity* to halve the cycle crime in Kingston.
So where are the police? I march down to the cop shop. “That police officer has gone home, she’ll pick up the evidence tomorrow”. WHAT??!! Bloody hell. Here we are, red hot, ready to roll. And she’s gone home. Well, that’s fine, end of shift and all that. Why can’t another police officer take a look? I’m then told “the crime has happened”. This infuriates me, the crime is still going on.He’s still got to sell it. He’ll probably sell it at a pub tonight. Get him NOW! I’ve done your detective work for you, the least you can do. Right, now the excuse is that they are dealing with a major fire (no not the Cambridge estate one yesterday, some fire on Saturday PM … not sure where). I try and hold back, I can’t … “Isn’t that what the fire service is for?”
So, the position is that the evidence was picked up on Sunday and likely viewed. I heard nothing on Monday, but there was that Cambridge estate fire, so I decided not to follow up yesterday. Just called again .. the latest is a note on file “I picked up the CCTV, intend to view today (Sunday).”
I’m getting that feeling again.
Update 13/07/2010 2:30pm : The police have taken screen shots and are sending out to colleagues to see if anyone recognises. I asked for Twickenham police to also be included. The police have suggested that they may call me in a couple of weeks. Great. <checking gumtree>.
Update 14/07/10 5:20pm : The local paper are doing a piece on it. Also the police have issued an appeal (turns out to be circulating to other officers, not public .. boo!), I understand via the journo on twitter. Thanks to all for RT’ing and passing via facebook, and also for the advice r.e. using http://bikeshd.co.uk …. really useful!
Update 19/07/2010 : Signed witness statement. Had to change as am sure the police don’t really listen much. Fair play to them though. Waiting for news.
Add commentJuly 13th, 2010
