UKC

Light thief

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 Flinticus 04 Oct 2017
Locked my bike up in the unsecure* bike locking corral for the TCA Glasgow.

Lots of bikes in there and busy inside. Students back after the holidays.

I leave about 6:30pm and find my front Cateye Rapid light has been stolen. Luckily I have a spare light in my bag.

I cannot shake my feeling that it was another TCA bike customer that took it. Is this reasonable?? Probably a young student type...

The theft seems too specific. Bike was not vandalised and my bike was in no way the nearest to the entrance.



*Big metal fence & gate with combination lock that hasn't worked bar the first few weeks after opening, so the gate / door is always open
 her_t6 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

I seen a few dodgy people around there last night about 6pm on bikes. Given the gate is never locked and accessible to anyone I would never leave anything of value on a bike, trust no one. It might be a big task to steal a bike itself but stealing some lights off a bike could be pretty quick. Maybe take them inside in the future and I hope you find out who it was, I will never understand why people do this.

 TMM 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:



> I cannot shake my feeling that it was another TCA bike customer that took it. Is this reasonable?? Probably a young student type...

Yeah, probably a student type or one those black types, or a woman, or a man with beard. I've never trusted black, bearded woman types, always shifty.

Genuinely sorry to read about your loss but making sweeping generalisations about any group is not going to help.

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OP Flinticus 04 Oct 2017
In reply to TMM:

Yeah, I know: that 'student' part was more tongue in cheek, 'pesky kids' and all that. I just envy their energy!

2
 coinneach 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

My daughter is a “ young student type” and lives in Glasgow.

I just asked her but she hasn’t got your light.
 greg_may_ 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

You left a detachable light, on a bike, in a publicly accessible space, and expected it to still be there?

Even in locked, secure staff parking on a university campus (with plenty of student and ex student types) I don't do this.

Lesson learnt, good call on having a spare light though, many wouldn't.
1
 RX-78 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

I must admit I am always amazed at people leaving their easily removable lights on their bikes. I thought that they are removable for the purpose of taking them with you so they don't get nicked? As an aside I had my saddle nicked off my bike, a cheap £10 saddle on a steel seat post, not much resale value.
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In reply to Flinticus:

Obviously the perpetrator was light-fingered...
 althesin 04 Oct 2017
In reply to captain paranoia:

Cat burgler
1
 defaid 04 Oct 2017
In reply to RX-78:

That would have left you shafted if you'd tried riding it.
 Brass Nipples 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

Maybe it was grump Dave that did it?

 balmybaldwin 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

I know in many ways its victim blaming, but never leave anything removable on your bike - take it with you (especially if te bike isn't in secure parking)
1
 Dave B 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

Check if Percy Jackson was nearby. Well known for stealing lightning, but may have moved on to other sources of photons by now.
 john arran 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

If it's the back one that went missing, look for someone light fingered and red handed; that'll be your thief.
 broken spectre 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

Light Thief would make an excellent title for a Sci Fi film or book!

Sorry you had your lamp nicked though.
Lusk 04 Oct 2017
In reply to balmybaldwin:

It's not victim blaming at all.
One just needs to remember that the world's full of scumbags who will steal anything that hasn't been secured with anything less than an industrial grade Hilti powder-actuated fixing gun.
1
 tjin 04 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

I'm Dutch; if you leave removable lights on your bike here; don't expect it to be there when you are back. So either take it off or have lights that bolt on. It's just the way it is...
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 Yanis Nayu 04 Oct 2017
In reply to RX-78:

> I must admit I am always amazed at people leaving their easily removable lights on their bikes. I thought that they are removable for the purpose of taking them with you so they don't get nicked? As an aside I had my saddle nicked off my bike, a cheap £10 saddle on a steel seat post, not much resale value.

Fetishist
 Brass Nipples 05 Oct 2017
In reply to john arran:

> If it's the back one that went missing, look for someone light fingered and red handed; that'll be your thief.

They will be probably found hanging around in a red light district.
 Webster 05 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

why assume it was another climber? TCA is in a pretty accessible, dodgy and rough inner city area, plenty of passing opportunist scumbags around. had an attempted theft on my bike there once, saw the flimsy combination lock and thought it would be an easy snatch and grab, failed to see the two D-locks also attached however... dumb NEDS!
 GrahamD 05 Oct 2017
In reply to Lion Bakes:

> They will be probably found hanging around in a red light district.

Sounds like they should be charged. I don't think a charge of battery will stick, though.
 Brass Nipples 05 Oct 2017
In reply to GrahamD:

> Sounds like they should be charged. I don't think a charge of battery will stick, though.

Might get caught flashing though
mrmint 07 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:
Not just you mate. I was in a hurry and forgot to take my lights off on Wednesday and also got both my lights lifted, £60 worth. Just coming into a time of year when I would be using them too. Hope they die a slow and painful death.
Post edited at 00:33
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Jim C 07 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus

> I cannot shake my feeling that it was another TCA bike customer that took it. Is this reasonable?? Probably a young student type...

IF true, there are a couple of positives,
You saved a poor student some money, that no doubt they have put to paying off their student loan. ( I know Corbyn said he would do that
You kept a young student safe on the roads this winter.

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 smollett 08 Oct 2017
In reply to Flinticus:

I work near Amsterdam at the moment. We hauled a bike out of the canal and made it usable. It worked well but looked a total wreck. We left it for an hour in a locked hotel car park in front of CCTV and it got nicked. They wouldn't even review footage without a police report. We have since pulled another out and just got it working but someone stole the wheel nuts just last week. Bike crime in Holland is in another league.

Also, when I went to TCA last year I was in the back of my van parked outside and some kid was trying to wrench the window open. He shat himself when he saw me. I would have chased him but was bollock naked at the time.
 Siward 08 Oct 2017
In reply to balmybaldwin:

Such as wheels, saddles, chains... the list goes on. Best answer is ride a truly horrendous bike everywhere and only ride nice bikes when you are not going to be parted from them...

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