CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

Police: 'Did you see thieves on mountain bikes?'

(16 posts)

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "
    TWO men armed with an axe have raided a city centre pawn shop.

    The pair used the tool to smash glass display cabinets at Duncanson and Edwards, in Queen Street, at around 5pm.

    They snatched watches, rings and other jewellery before making off on mountain bikes. Police said the suspects wore identical hooded tops, with their hoods pulled up to hide their faces. The tops are described as light grey with a black chequered pattern and black sleeves.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/axe-raiders-smash-up-pawn-shop-1-3270069

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    The traffic on Queen Street at five can be murder - I hope they had adequate lights front and back, as well as a bit of hi-viz to go with the hoodies. Plus, adequate storage for the axes could be a problem - I'd recommend a trailer or cargo bike to be on the safe side.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. algo
    Member

    :-) indeed - I imagine it was tense for them waiting at the lights when they left too....

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    Perhaps their escape route, once known, could be set up as a thrilling Strava segment?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. crowriver
    Member

    Getaway cars are so last century.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. wishicouldgofaster
    Member

    Can't imagine they'll suffer a punishment pass from anyone if their axes are on display :)

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    I can't find it, but I'm pretty sure Rapha do a hollow-ground Damascus steel cycling axe with a French oak shaft.

    Seriously though - I'm wondering what kind of puncture protection they used. I'd expect that smashing the display cases produced many razor sharp glass fragments that could easily have rendered their mountain bikes inoperable.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. allebong
    Member

    The pair used the tool to smash glass display cabinets at Duncanson and Edwards, in Queen Street, at around 5pm.

    I can't decide if it was very clever to do it then (plenty of crowds to make it difficult to pursuit) or very stupid and they got lucky (plenty of crowds to be witnesses/slow them down). Not being an expert on robbery I can only speculate.

    When they say mountain bikes, I wonder if they mean £80 BSOs, 90s steel frame rigids, modern XC hardtails, or for bonus points a squidgy tyred downhill bike.

    Regardless, does anyone see the potential for an ad campaign here?

    "Cycling. Good enough for robberies, good enough for you"

    "Forget getaway cars. Embrace the modern, embrace the getaway bike"

    "Thinking of overtaking that cyclist? Maybe he's thinking about the axe he's packing"

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. kaputnik
    Moderator

    Commercial robberies generally take place either at opening or closing times, when premises are quieter and staff are distracted. Money and valuables are also generally less secure as cashing up / opening up means they are not under lock and key.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. deckard112
    Member

    You realise that under current thinking cyclists will now be tagged as pavement riding, no light wearing, RLJing armed robbers now.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. PS
    Member

    Great. Another reason why we won't get cycle infrastructure. Cyclists will hardly be able to show the responsibility that Neil Greig requires of them to be taken seriously as a mainstream form of transport if they continue to rob pawnbrokers.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  12. crowriver
    Member

    @allebong, according to Detective Sergeant Bob Richardson from Police Scotland they were "push bikes". Should be easy to spot then.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  13. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    There's something distinctly fishy about robbing a prawnbroker and then escaping by mountain pike.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  14. I were right about that saddle
    Member

    And I see one of them was wearing a blue baseball carp.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  15. sallyhinch
    Member

    In all seriousness, thieves escaping on bikes will be another reason why police will be reluctant to see much filtered permeability with bollards used to block off traffic...

    Presumably in the Netherlands the Dutch police are on bikes too so this isn't such an issue

    Posted 11 years ago #

  16. sweb67
    Member

    You realise that under current thinking cyclists will now be tagged as pavement riding, no light wearing, RLJing armed robbers now.

    Just laughed out loud on the train!

    Posted 11 years ago #

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