CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

Just chased a ned down the street

(43 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from allebong

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  1. Get me, badass vigilante... It pays to be a bit paranoid after our break-ins. Mel was going to bed and looked out the window to see a hoodie crouching by the gate of a neighbour's drive. I came through to have a look as he started to stealthily move up the side of the car.

    Dash to door, trainers on, out the front. He obviously heard this and was upright and walking away nonchalantly. Then quickened. Then as I shouted 'Oi!' he was running off. So. I gave chase. I was catching the little b*, managed a dramatic shout of 'You're not going to outrun me son!', turned into the main road to see him heading strangely straight for a car. But he was into the back seat, and tyres squeal as the dark blue or black BMW touring (3 or 5 series) pulls off, and then Starsky and Hutch style takes the next left. SV02 CVP, which someone on Twitter has checked on the DVLA and... It says VW Golf. So looks like fake plates.

    Turns out there has been another break in on Mountcastle Drive South just round from us. I let the neighbour know what happened and he has a friend nearby who had two bikes nicked a couple of weeks ago. This is turning into the bloody Wild West. Cops, again, as frustrated as we are. Believe it or not there are just SIX officers patrolling East Edinburgh overnight. That includes Niddrie and Craigmillar (which the cop reckoned they needed at least six for on its own). Three cars. That's yer lot. Extends from Cameron Toll to the far end of Porty.

    Angry angry letter going to the Right Honourable Mr Macaskill soon.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  2. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Nothing like a bit of citizen justice.

    When I got broken into, it was my chance finding of a dropped bus ticket at the window of entry (the Police forensic person had missed it) that led to the police quickly tracking the miscreant down and sending him back to the jail. They readily admitted that all too few housebreakings were solved, but Lothian bus ticket with legible date and time of sale > CCTV held and examined > face recognised > hoodlum visited > CCTV at hoodlum's place of residence examined > hoodlum spotted coming home at c. 1030PM on the night in question > hoodlum wearing my bl**dy duffle coat! > "you're nicked, sunshine."

    I wasn't too bothered about the few meagre and relatively worthless things that were taken but I was more bothered that someone else had been in "my space" without permission. It was gratifying to hear that they were locked up and allowed me to feel somewhat like I had fought back a bit. Even it was just finding a bus ticket when I went out to make sure all the glass had been picked up.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  3. I see the naughty word police have asterisked me... ;)

    It did genuinely make me feel a little better to be chasing someone off. But this is all getting a bit ridiculous now.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  4. Charterhall
    Member

    Sounds like a nightmare. What would you have done with the little b* if you had been able to catch him ? Thin ice or what ?

    Posted 11 years ago #
  5. wingpig
    Member

    Start keeping the Contour and a bright torch near your door.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  6. "What would you have done with the little b* if you had been able to catch him ?"

    Hadn't got too far in that thought process. Thinking was kind of along the lines of trip him as he ran when I caught up (which I was doing) and hope he hurt himself (which probably makes me a bad person, but I don't care).

    Posted 11 years ago #
  7. spytfyre
    Member

    Were you carrying a rather large wrench? You're no vigilante if you don't have a wrench. Or a utility belt.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  8. I had a deep voice that meant you could almost not make out what I was saying.

    "Mumble"

    "What?"

    "Mumble"

    "WHAT?!?!"

    "I'm Batman.... Oh, you got away while I was mumbling..."

    Posted 11 years ago #
  9. tarmac jockey
    Member

    Anth sorry to hear of your troubles, the loss of your bikes and damage/threats to your property. Is it time for a neighbourhood watch scheme?
    It may not be prudent to indicate what you might do if you caught the little bar-steward. I would suggest chasing him is the right thing to do and if he should somehow lose his balance when running then that is good. It might be very difficult for the pursuer to avoid running on top of him when he falls. You never know he may even get hurt or badly injured in the process.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  10. Smudge
    Member

    Worth setting up a trail cam overlooking the shed/garage?

    Posted 11 years ago #
  11. Min
    Member

    Really sorry to hear all of this. Don't even know what to say.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  12. Baldcyclist
    Member

    I suggest lucky you didn't catch him, especially with a car full of accomplices. Could have been nasty.

    I remember years ago in my first flat in a not so nice area of Livingston, it's the middle of winter and it had been snowing heavily for days. Me and a mate having a couple of beers, and all we hear is doof... doof doof... doof against the windows. We run out, and catch one of the miscreants, success!
    Oh, what do we do now? We plumped for burying him in the snow. Didn't get any more bother the rest of that winter.

    Satisfaction! Even to this day when I think of it it makes me chuckle. If you were to do that now, you'd probably end up on charge.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  13. Radgeworks
    Member

    I recall a while back when identifying my burglars to the police, stating to the officers in attendance that they had better catch them before i did, the CID officer looked me square in the eye and with a sympathetic knowing look then said "if you do, then just make sure nobody sees you". He could see the vitriol in my face and just knew i meant it. Handy advice i would say.. not advocating anything, just saying.... ;-) RJ

    Posted 11 years ago #
  14. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    Well that's odd. At 5am I looked out of the downstairs window and saw a man trying to open a neighbour's car door. He looked up and saw me and walked off. I called 101 with a description. The police had had an earlier report, very similar, about five minutes walk away from us. Our car was broken into last week.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  15. It was afterwards thinking about it that actually calling the police and watching him might have been a better move, that way the cops possibly catch him in the act.

    The only problem with this is it might have meant we were basically letting him smash a neighbour's car window (we think he was checking out the car), and I know that with the bikes nicked that I wouldn't have felt great if a neighbour told me they were watching them do it while on the phone to the police. Difficult balancing act.

    I ended up not going to bed till 3am, then couldn't sleep for another hour, then just fitfully till 7. It just makes you aware of every noise, and suspicious of everyone that you see. Mel's basically just not feeling safe in the house - and it's more than that, it would be coming home late and possibly disturbing someone (whether on your property or that of someone else) and their reaction. And of course it's getting to the stage that it will be dark coming home from work soon enough.

    On the plus side, can't fault the cops at all, very professional, and sharing our frustration. Their hands are tied in some remarkable ways (learned a bit more about that last night).

    Posted 11 years ago #
  16. kaputnik
    Moderator

    On the other hand, you sent a demonstrable message that you're on the lookout and prepared to chase them away. They are more than likely to think twice about your particular driveway.

    Do you know if there are any points over your rear wall / fence that may provide access? Or are they coming up the side of houses?

    Posted 11 years ago #
  17. Both times for our garage it has been in the front door. But the cops have said they've had foot races through the gardens here. Walls about about 5 feet high, so not a massive deterrent.

    Garage and neighbour's high gate on the right side stop access to our rear that way, on the left we have the gate, but nothing on the neighbour's side. Other houses have the garages behind the house and therefore have an open driveway going all round the back of the house. All slightly different layouts (they weren't quite so design-rigid in the 30s).

    Posted 11 years ago #
  18. wangi
    Member

    You on the "Watch Porty" Facebook group?
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/538853726186544/

    Posted 11 years ago #
  19. twq
    Member

    I'd like in on that group. Feel like my garage is very secure, but I don't know how well equipped these thieves are.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  20. Thanks for that wangi, will have a gander tonight.

    You standing for the Porty Community Council?

    Posted 11 years ago #
  21. wangi
    Member

    Yes indeed; vote for kindness ;)

    Posted 11 years ago #
  22. Thought it was you, and fully intend to - was a nice statement! :)

    Posted 11 years ago #
  23. Roibeard
    Member

    Hmmm - I'm off to not feed the tiger (threads passim) and order a humongous chain and lock for the ground anchor in the cycle shed... I've already got a massive ground anchor for future use as Pino parking, but looks like the chain purchases should be accelerated.

    @WC - chicken wire isn't necessarily the best for the window. I used "welding mesh" I obtained from a farmer - probably used for making reinforced concrete, as it's a grid of 1/4" rods in a 1.5" square grid. I also replaced the hinge bolts with coach bolts (still have plenty, if anyone wants some), so they couldn't be undone from outside. Hence the best way into the garden shed would be sawing through a wall!

    Of course, now the bikes aren't in there, and there's always the hungry tiger...

    Robert

    Posted 11 years ago #
  24. Coxy
    Member

    I've done it before and I'll do it again. This lot are really good for security chains:
    http://securityforbikes.com/security-chains.php

    Posted 11 years ago #
  25. "chicken wire isn't necessarily the best for the window. I used "welding mesh" I obtained from a farmer "

    Was using chicken wire as a generic term - I've got weldmesh (used it to fortify the chicken rnu in the garden, and have plenty left over). Not quite to that grade, but damned tough stuff nonetheless.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  26. Coxy
    Member

    Hinge bolts are a good idea too. The things that are hammered into the side of the door and fit into a metal reinforced hole in the door frame when the door closes. Means that the door is stuck even if the hinges are removed.

    When we were having some building work done, it took the builders over an hour to remove the old back door since they had no room to open it fully and thought they could just remove the hinges. Eventually took an electric saw to the door.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  27. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Expamet "securilath" weldmesh is tough stuff. It's how they build partition walls in banks.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  28. @kappers

    Thanks for the night cam link by the way.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  29. ARobComp
    Member

    Don't suppose anyone has a few "anchors" made out of metal loops and concrete - Girlfriend has a shed at new place and I'm trying to figure out how to make it secure for bike storage aside from a wee padlock.

    Posted 11 years ago #
  30. le_soigneur
    Member

    @RoboComp I did that - took a 1" steel pipe and bent it into a U, cut a few slots in then end to mushroom out a flange, chiselled 2 holes in the floor to take the flanged ends(recessed), rawplugged the holes and screwed the flanges down, then put a mortar mix over the holes.
    If you don't have a concrete floor, you could do the same thing with a concrete block. Screwfix supply Squire floor anchors for £42 that the motorbike insurance companies accept for discounted rates.

    Posted 11 years ago #

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