Woop! Stolen bike recovered off Craigslist

[Embra]

See ad here: http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/va...552103605.html

I actually stumbled across this by accident having given up trying to find my bike again. I immediately went to the police but after a couple of day's prevaricating they decided they couldn't help as I didn't have the serial number for the frame.

Although I'm not the confrontational type, one of my mates gave me a talking to over a few whiskies on Saturday night and I resolved to meet the seller on Monday, confront him with the 'evidence' the bike was mine (basically some photos of the bike and me riding it, and copies of my email correspondence with the police) and hopefully scare him into just giving it back, before I tried to bluff him by phoning the police (I'd changed my mates name on my phone to 'Constable Wilson' so I could actually dial someone, should it have come to that!).

I had four work mates come along too, probably in part because they fancied some entertainment! I spent a minute or two acting like a genuine buyer before I went into my bag for the photos etc. My mates came out of the starbucks nearby and surrounded him, one actually wheeling the bike away, while I explained the situation. He was a bit stunned and tried to plead his case (he had bought it on Craigslist for $600 apparently) but eventually conceded he was caught and gave up, even handing me the spare forks he had in his rucsac (actually the original forks which I want to refit).

So now I'm the proud owner of my original bike, plus a set of Marzocchi Junior Ts (worth getting serviced and tuned? I kinda like them in a retro way). Need to get the rear brake re-bled and the rear seatstay pivots fixed, I think there's some spacers missing. All in all a good night's work though!

[Kever]

Yeah dude! I love success stories like this. Seriously, fuck bike thieves.

Story time: I was working as a wrench at a shop when my bike that was stolen was placed in my workstand. Seriously pissed me off when the kid said he found it in a field but I didn't want to make a big deal because my insurance company had already given me $4000 and I had built up a sweet new bike with that cash. So I informed him that the bike is stolen and that it used to be mine. He looked scared and left with the bike.

[Embra]

Yeah fair play, I was actually worried it was going to be some kid showing up with the bike that had bought it with his pocket money or something, thankfully it was a proper junky looking guy so I didn't have too many qualms taking it back.

Bloody jakeys though, what they lack in mechanical knowledge they make up for in covering everything in GT85 and grease, stripping the bike down and looking for damaged stuff was a pretty filthy job

[in_a_bath]

Congrats on getting the bike back.

Might want to turn those Junior T's into the police. If they came from a thief, I would guess they are hot.

[CraigH]

Originally Posted by Embra

Bloody jakeys though, what they lack in mechanical knowledge they make up for in covering everything in GT85 and grease, stripping the bike down and looking for damaged stuff was a pretty filthy job

You must be from the UK, had no idea what GT85 was until I looked it up.

I'm guessing the North American equivalent is WD40.

[in_a_bath]

Originally Posted by CraigH

You must be from the UK, had no idea what GT85 was until I looked it up.

I'm guessing the North American equivalent is WD40.

We have WD40 over there too. That said, I assume he is from Edinburgh by his name.

[Embra]

Ha, good spot in_a_bath, although native to Oban actually. There's more than one scotsman here now!

CraigH, GT85 is marginally 'better' than WD40, its like a very thin teflon lube, I guess Tri-Flow or something is the equiv here.

Sort of reluctantly agreeing re: turning the Junior Ts in, I guess I felt sort of entitled to them though given that I'm out of pocket for repairs to the bike.

[cerealkilla']

I found a crappy old bike in a field near my house a few weeks back. I wheeled it over to the cop shop to turn it in (after lubing it up to prevent it from rusting and becoming useless to anybody). The police had me sign a form upon which I could either choose to claim the bike if nobody else claimed it in like 60 or 90 days or something, or I could give up that opportunity and leave it up to the police to deal with the bike. I really had no use for it, so I signed it away to the police.

I'm not sure if all police stations run the same way. However, if so, you could turn the fork in and retain your right to claim. That way the original owner at least has a chance to retrieve it. Another option might be to put up some ads, assuming there is some way that the original owner could identify it (and assuming the crack head you repoed it from doesn't see the ad and respond).

Just a few options to consider. Glad you got your bike back. Good job!

[yahdancer]

I think the jakeys drink the GT85