Cyclists Take Personal Action to Recover Stolen Bicycles

Cyclists state they have resorted to “dangerous” methods to locate and retrieve their own stolen bicycles, contending that this approach offers the most viable prospect of recovery. Fiona Ryalls, 33, from Bristol, discovered her stolen bike advertised for sale on social media, while Josh Steven, 29, employed a tracking device and faced threats when he sought to reclaim his. BBC analysis of police data indicates that less than 3% of reported bicycle thefts since 2019 have led to a charge or summons. Concurrently, Cycling UK noted a “growing trend” of individuals endeavoring to trace their own bikes. Avon and Somerset Police cautioned against individuals taking direct action, stating that such actions could expose them to danger and impede a police investigation. Ms Ryalls expressed that she was “heartbroken” upon receiving a call in August informing her that her bike had been stolen. She stated, “It was completely custom and it’s my baby. I use it every day when I go to work. I don’t really drive, I either walk or cycle so I was heartbroken.” Following an extensive search on social media, she located the bike for sale at £55 and organized a meeting with the seller, accompanied by her fiance and a male friend for support. She informed the police of her intentions and indicated she was not “dissuaded” from proceeding. She recounted, “I asked to test drive the bike and I cycled off with it. I would have felt a lot more secure if I’d had police back-up [or] even if they had offered to come with me. You don’t know what kind of person you are going to meet.” The crime survey conducted in England and Wales (CSEW) consistently indicates a greater incidence of bike thefts compared to police recorded crime data. Avon and Somerset police stated that it prioritised attendance in accordance with operational demand and situations where public risk was elevated. It added, “Unfortunately, there are often very few proportionate lines of inquiry to follow [with bike thefts] and, as a result, the chances of solving the theft are low.” Social media does not represent the sole avenue individuals employ to locate stolen bicycles. Josh Steven, whose bicycle was stolen in December, utilized a GPS tracker concealed within the frame to locate it and observed it inside a property. He recounted that upon contacting the police, he was informed an officer would be dispatched if he “could go to the property and get eyes on the bike.” Nevertheless, upon his arrival, he was advised that an officer would be unable to attend, prompting him to take matters into his own hands. He stated, “I knocked on the door and a gentleman answered and I showed him the tracker on the phone. He went back into the house to get the bike and all of a sudden there was a younger guy climbing out of the window and I thought, ‘Oh no, he’s running off with my bike’.” He continued, “He then threatens me and says ‘If you come any closer I’ll stab you’ and he gets quite aggressive.” Mr Steven mentioned that despite this “heated” exchange, another member of the household had returned his bike. The incident did not lead to a prosecution. He commented, “Inevitably it resulted in nothing. I never heard anything again.” James Dunn established his company, Back Pedal, following the theft of his partner’s bicycle. He explained, “We install GPS trackers to people’s bikes and when they get stolen we send out specialist recovery agents to hunt down the bike. We have the bike’s frame number and it has a tracker on so we know it belongs to our customers. We’re not the police. Our job is not to arrest people – our job is to get the bike back quickly and safely.” While primarily operating from London, the enterprise possesses the capability to recover bicycles nationwide. Mr Dunn indicated that fleet e-bikes utilized for delivery services were frequently targeted by “opportunistic” thieves. He further stated, “The other group thieves are targeting are high value e-bike and road or mountain bikes. That set of thieves are much more professionally set up and those recoveries take more time.” Cycling UK aims to alter the perception that bike theft constitutes a “petty crime” and advocates for police forces to address it with greater seriousness. Duncan Dollimore commented: “We’ve been pushing the police to look at the targeted focus on the sale of second-hand bikes for some time.” He continued: “If those that are stealing bikes realise that it’s quite hard for them to sell them online that will impact the choices they make.” He expressed his hope that this would deter individuals from undertaking “dangerous” actions independently. The National Police Chiefs’ Council stated: “We understand the disappointment felt by victims, when they do not get the outcome they would want through the criminal justice system, or from their local force.” It added: “Police and prosecutors are working hard to make sure we improve the experience of those affected by this type of criminality.” Avon and Somerset police maintains an entire section on its website specifically dedicated to safeguarding bicycles from theft. Additional reporting was provided by Lauren Woodhead, England Data Unit. Readers can follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted to BBC West Investigations via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.