http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Avon and Somerset Police 'steal' bikes to test reaction en Mon, 18 May 2026 17:22:51 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8859#post-90246 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:19:54 +0000 Baldcyclist 90246@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>They don't care much about cars either. I once had one trashed by a gang of yobs jumping up and down on it, caused £3,500 in damage. I knew who the yobs were, and the police knew who they were, and they did nothing about it because of no evidence!</p> <p>*Edit. Actually, it wasn't just my car, they basically ran up and down the car park on all of the car bonnets and roofs, so god only knows what the total damage was, must have been well over £10,000 as there were about 10 cars in the car park, all trashed. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8859#post-90245 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:17:21 +0000 SRD 90245@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>good one min. amazing how a bike parked somewhere isn't 'property'.</p> <p>@cc I had this happen to me - first bike I bought in the UK. proper 'cyclechic' had lovely flowers painted on frame and basket on front. It was parked with lots of others outside the <a href="http://www.thejamfactoryoxford.com/">Jam factory</a> in Oxford, and hen we came out after a fab concert by <a href="http://www.mark.fry.freeuk.com/threepm.htm">Three Pressed Men</a>, it had been trashed. I was devastated. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8859#post-90242 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:09:36 +0000 Min 90242@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I'm sure you could report it if it was a car that was being wrecked. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8859#post-90240 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 12:07:11 +0000 cc 90240@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The skeleton suit was a nice touch.</p> <p>I'd have been shocked by this if I hadn't had a bad experience with L&amp;B Police myself. I saw some teenagers jumping up and down on a bike on the street outside my flat. Really jumping as high as they possibly could, coming crashing down on it, in an attempt to destroy it. When I phoned the police (and yes I didn't dial 999, just the local station; I suppose because nobody's life was in danger) the person who answered did their best to manipulate me into saying that the bike <em>might</em> have been somewhat near a bin, it <em>might</em> therefore have been left for the bin men to take away, and that it therefore wasn't necessary for any action to be taken. Of course I didn't know whose bike it was or anything else about its status other than that it was being rapidly destroyed before my eyes.</p> <p>I was appalled; as far as I was concerned, I was seeing violent crime and I was reporting it as it took place, giving the police every opportunity to arrest those responsible. But they weren't interested. Not even remotely. As I remember, they refused to take a report and they never bothered to get back to me about it.</p> <p>Needless to say I won't bother to report such things to the police again, as they don't appear to care. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=8859#post-90236 Thu, 08 Nov 2012 11:51:45 +0000 steveo 90236@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p><em>A police force has filmed an officer "stealing" bicycles in full public view to show "just how easy" it is for a thief to get away unchallenged.</p> <p>PCSO Neil Spiring, of Avon and Somerset Police, used bolt croppers and brute-force to 'steal' four bikes.</p> <p>To further highlight his staged activity the officer at one point dresses in a skeleton outfit.</p> <p>The force said it wanted to encourage members of the public to call 999 as soon as they see a crime taking place.</em></p> <p>From one comment on my Facebook people don't think of bike theft as 999 worthy. </p> <p>It might be if I saw my bike nicked... </p>