Beloved bike stolen – have you seen it?
It has happened. I have had a dreadful premonition that it would, which has been very strong over the past few days.
My bike has been nicked. My whole life depends up on it as I ride everywhere. Consequently I am at sea, trying to reconnect with public transport and horrified at the cost of taxis.
It went from outside where I live but inside a securely locked outer door.
Funny thing, a bike. It is an organics extension of myself. I know its foibles and it knows mine – we get along. This one was the first I’ve ever had “made to measure”. Condor, a family firm across the road from my office made it – titanium frame, silver cross-breed. Great gears. Heaviest thing on the bike – the motor cycle lock.
I rang the old Bill and within three hours Constable Mark had called me to give me a crime number and a tip – try eBay or Gumtree. I’m insured and Aviva say they will pay whatever it takes to replicate the original.
I kept it three years before this disaster. I’ll get another but that’s not the issue. I miss THAT one.
I hope who ever took it, if they don’t give it back, keeps it and treasures it as much as I did. If they do, I won’t begrudge them.
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There are 44 comments on this post
I dreamt of my bike being stolen. This is collective consciousness.The person who stole your bike was also thinking about it.The thief must of thought about it first? or did you just fear that this might happen and create a self fulfilling prophecy?
A question ..If a line of dominoes becomes convoluted , loops, reloops and its limits are disguised through bushes ,and other types of camouflage, so the last becomes the first and the first becomes the last ., which one end will have the most impact when one is knocked over…supposing all are angled correctly for the dominoe effect.?
The other variable is that the dominoes took many years to put in place one after the other?
The same thing happened to me Jon, only it was my scooter taken from outside a house I was looking after for a friend.
I am bereft and bereaved without it….my one source of independence.
If anyone sees a blue Honda Dylan 125 number plate AF03 TYZ that answers to the name of Izzy then please contact Northampton police.
I hope you get your bike back Jon!
Sorry to hear that Jon, at least now you know how poor chap Cameron felt last summer…
All the best in getting a new one.
http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/3/31/1238517139943/boris-johnson-bike-001.jpg looks a bit similar….
Brilliant Jack….I’m on that man’s tail!!
Oh Jon, that’s heart breaking. I wonder if enough people to look for it, it will show up?
I feel your pain, Jon, although I’m afraid I can’t share your compassion.
I once had two bikes stolen within two weeks – the second taking place less than a day after it had been replaced. I locked it up outside a pub in Islington and made sure to sit in full view of it, and with one eye eagling it at all times, while I enjoyed a drink with an ex-girlfriend. Unfortunately, as was its wont, the eye slipped for a second; the next time I looked out the window a behoodied young…. *ahem*… was mounting the saddle and pushing off. I gave chase on foot but he was obviously at a “slight” advantage as he shot along Holloway Road. Trudging back to the pub I ended up in the comforting arms of the ex, who subsequently, albeit briefly, became the current again, apparently impressed with my fighting flight down the road.
Ultimately worth the sacrifice but still would would have loved to have caught him.
I can’t imagine the new owner of the bike will be using it to ride to meetings with politicians like you did. Just a hunch.
I live up your way, I’ll keep an eye out. Rumour has it there is a reward…!
I once had just the saddle stolen from my bike – it was an uncomfortable ride home.
Sorry to hear this news, Jon. I once had a bike stolen from outside Islington Town Hall while inside attending a meeting, an hour and a half at most. Incident seen clearly on CCTV as it was happening. Unfortunately no-one seemed to have been watching at the time. Daughter’s bike once stolen from inside the common corridor of the house in which is our flat. Notices put up on telephone posts in street and nearby led to its return a few days later, dirty but undamaged. The milk-man said it had restored his faith in human nature. (Mine was never recovered.) Good luck with yours. Best. Meg Howarth
You hope the theif treasures it? Having had had a much-loved bike nicked, I hope he’s caught, trussed up and thrown into a tank of hagfish.
So much compassion, so little tmle. BUY A NEW BIKE!
Ah… little Jony lost his bike!
Oh man, I have had several bikes stolen before. One was locked to a wall!
Hey Jon I saw some old 80s footage of you the other day, your Madchester-esque floppy fringe rocked!
Yours was a bike….mine was a heart… (*_*)
Hurrah for acceptance! Hope you enjoy the process of buying a new bike – you may as well…
Jon, there’s a Scratter lurking round every corner. This is the Selfish Gene. (Read the book ‘The Selfish Gene’ by Prof. Richard Dawkins, you’ll understand)
Anyway, the only chance you’ll have of getting this back is to put up a reward. I’m willing to contribute £20 to start it.
Hey, you’ll never believe this, we found a ladies handbag left on a shopping trolley in the car park at Morrisons (Victoria) in Bradford today. We took it to Customer Service and insisted on that the Assistand check the contents to see if there was a contact tel. no. etc. & that she take our details. The Assistant was downright rude and, very dismissive of such a request and accused us of distrust! I said there are many sly theives in this world and we wanted reasurance that the person who lost this bag would actually get it and, all its contents back. These included a Driving Licence, Log Book to a vehicle, credit cards, household documents, personal ID, etc. etc. Only after I raised my voice did the Manager come over and instructed the reluctant lady Assistant to document the contents and, look for a contact tel number. This was found. She rang the person, who hadn’t realised yet that she’d left it and, arranged its collection.
I asked the Assistant why she was so irritated and, explained that to lose a bag/wallet or whatever, would be a persons worse nightmare. She brushed it off and arrogantly accused us of over zealousness! I told her we should have taken it to the Police. We might have got more gratitude.
Sad situation but, at least we did the right thing, where others might have routed through the bag and taken off with the contents.
I have had so many stolen, but none sound as nice or worth mourning as yours. Mine usually were so poorly maintained I used to fondly imagine the thief smashing his face as he tried to use my broken brakes in vain….it usually made me feel a little better. I hope enough people notice your own one and catch it out and about. Nasty to think it was someone who had access to your own building. All the best.
try brick lane on saturday morning jon, i’m sure you’ll be able to buy it back.
I remember that having a brand new bright red Claude Butler racer (with 501 tubing) stolen was one of the most traumatic events of my university days…scum.
Jon, apart from getting your bike back I hope you listen more seriously to your premonitions. You were being warned!
You could try a Brompton S2L-X. Weighs less than the custom built 531 & Campag racing bike I got in 1990 and you can take it everywhere with you so you don’t need a big heavy lock.
I have a couple of all steel Bromptons too but the superlight is much easier to heft. In London traffic the small wheels and titanium would give an edge to your acceleration.
Brompton are the UK’s biggest bike manufacturer.
Jon, your such a treasure… there’s a reason for everything happening! Don’t worry if you love something truly it will come back, if not, it was never truly yours in the first place!
that is soo mean!! nice to see your doing your bit for the environment. everyone should get given free bikes by the govt!
Jon, hopefully you have been contacted by Grant at Condor by now, we have sent you a little something to keep you going!
Will
Jon, when we met me behind the bike shed and we did all those naughty things like er…….well that’s where you left your bike hun!
PT x
Time for me to vacate to World News Blog…I think !
You rang the old Bill? What planet are you on…did he offer you victim support!
Jon you look like a right dork in that hat…
Comiserations Jon. Hope you get sorted again soon.
The premonition side of your story is really interesting though. Is a premonition just an irrational fear that transforms into a “premonition” when the worst happens, or are they for real…?
Do the right thing and give Jon his beloved Condor back.
Mine has a great security feature: it dates from 1992 and has shocking pink handlebars and forks (remember that trend?). None of the local scallies would be seen dead anywhere near it. Recently, as a couple of youths cycled towards me, one shook his head and said ‘gay bike mate, gay bike’. I’m not sure if it was the pink or meant as in the ‘Chris Moyles’ use of the word?
Commiserations Jon.
I appreciate your sentiment that you won’t hold it against someone that goes on to cherish the bike. I had similar feelings when wishing for the return of a stolen car. I did get the car back, and it had only been used to save someone a one-mile walk; only used long enough for them to smoke a single fag and stub it out on the carpet; and only long enough to cost me £300 in repairs – more than it was worth in the first place.
There’s a reason stealing is against the law – even the Bible has something on it.
PS. Congratulations on the anti-creationist stuff that got on telly the other day. The world needs more matter-of-fact dismissal of that bronze-age mythology.
You could do g7uk suggests as it would then go with your ties and socks with the central metal bits with a designer 4 like the Channel 4 indents on it, it’s that shape. And on the wheel spokes beads with the C4 News logos on them in all the spokes, in a range of different bright colours, you can get luminous ones I’m sure for night-time cycling or you can get luminous paint from B&Q and LED flashy things etc. – It’ll be too distinctive to steal or sell-on then – and fun to ride!!!
I know the feeling of having bikes bolt-cut away by thieves. I lost two and a rear wheel last year in Gosport, Hampshire. When the rear wheel was taken from outside Gosport Library at 4.30pm I informed the police. First thing next day they phoned me and said: they had no CCTV images, witnesses, sightings or scene of crime evidence. It was taken from within the line of sight of a CCTV camera 20 yards away! They clearly hadn’t done any work. The Conservative Councillors were invited to inspect the CCTV suite by the Lib Dems but none of the Conservatives bothered to turn up. The bikes are still missing. £955 of temp’ earnings gone.
Jon,
You have my sympathy. I work in Camden and had my bike stolen about a month ago. I kept my eye out on gumtree and a week later I saw it advertised there. Camden police conducted a sting operation and I got my bike back (a bit worse for wear I hasten to add). So do keep looking on Gumtree – you never know it might just turn up!
I think these bike theives are scum. I hope they get caught, frankly. I find it shocking how you can get years for stealing cars and weeks for bikes. Easy money, and an easy business as there is sadly a massive demand for these goods.
I have many photos of my own bike, plus videos. I have also noted down the frame number and any identifying marks. I use two very expensive and heavy duty locks that together cost almost as much as the bike.
Sadly I dont think any lock seems to be a deterrant. The Police need to put bait-bikes out there and do stings.
I hope you get your bike back, Jon!
I like Clare’s idea of a customised Channel 4 News bike! Mine is something of a mobile video bike as I cycle all over to film things, sometimes with a tripod on the back. Most recently last Wednesday to Eccles for the latest ‘Hazel Must Go’ Meeting’ (exclusive interview with Martin Bell on my website!).
I think this is the way all broadcast news is heading too what with the cuts. So, as usual, with his bike Jon is ahead of developments.
Hi Jon – I feel your pain! I’ve experienced 2 bike thefts and as a result have recently started an online community site (KarmaArmy.com) that empowers victims to put out KarmaAlerts; which goes out to all of our members, their networks, theirs, & theirs, etc. As well as anyone subscribing to our rss feed (police, campus security, bike shops, etc.) The Alert can include photos, serial#’s, descriptions, & a map of where it was stolen. We’re working on a few other technology-based solutions to help track these stolen bikes as well. The site is designed to store all of your gears’ serial#’s, photos, etc. in the event of a theft, you have all of that info in one place. Start a neighborhood “group” on the site and encourage neighbors/viewers, etc. to join and keep an eye out for your Condor! It’ll get back to you one way or another! Thanks!! I hope she returns to you!
Keep It Wheel Jon!!
Dear Jon,
My profound congratulations on your skills as a television news presenter and journalist. Sorry to hear about your bicycle. You are probably bored of all these sorries but I had to include it. Who ever says that it’s easy to “just” present the news on television doesn’t know what they are talking about. It must be very difficult to keep your personal views under your belt.
My profound belief is that this country is suffering a very scary but almost secret downfall due to the “peace keeping” in Afghanistan. The Afghans are never going to give up their country to Mcdonalds and Starbucks be them Talibans or not. The worse thing in my opinion is that more and more Afghans are going to join the insurgency as time goes on. It all started after 9/11, with “W” saying that terrorists are trained there to attack our countries with airliners,yeah right. Our Tony, current Middle East Peace envoy, completely agreed. I have only heard about Tony’s holidays since he left No.10, I am ashamed. Religious extremists, be they Muslims, Christians or Hindus or are operating in countries where we least expect them to be, and always will be. I am a serious advocate of negotiation which leads to peace. We give and they give. An idea in Ahghanistan would be to create a separate state. Lets call it Talibanistan. Anyone who wants to can buy a house there if they wish and comply to local religion. Being an independent state, they would have to conform to international law. With regards to the opium, well, what’s new? Either we legalize personal consumption of all illegal substances or again, we are just fighting another loosing battle.
We as a Mundo(world) should stop spending money on space exploration for at least 50 years and weapons of mass destruction for ever. We would then invest that money not in stocks and shares but slowly but surely give back to our planet what we have relentlessly taken from it for the last five centuries.
OUR mundo will have no mercy on us.
I have started a blog but I am not a very good writer. My ambition is to write about world issues so I am working on it slowly as my epilepsy has slowed me down a bit lately.
All the best Jon and my mother also sends her best wishes,
adzmundo CND
My 12 year old son will feel for you Jon. He saved long and hard to buy his new bike, got it Saturday, and then had four 16 year olds threaten him and just take it from him. He’s gutted, and I am ANGRY!!
I feel for you Jon. I’ve just had my second scooter in two years stolen. My third in 22 years. I have injuries which mean I can’t walk very far and now am at a loss as to how I am going to get to work. – oh! Just been found, damaged. Off to get it!
He seems to have replaced it reasonably quickly as I caught Snow running a red light on the Holborn Viaduct yesterday on his new machine!
Jon, we are a small UK company who through the credit crunch have been developing a hitech solution for theft. We have a prototype which we would like to share with you. We are London Bike Company and our product is ASTERISKBIKE.