Bike Security

[WALKERMAN]

My local paper had an article in it stating that the local police were going to do a free bike-stamping session on the following Saturday morning. Details of bikes were to be recorded so that they could be identified in the event of it being lost or stolen.
It seemed a good idea to get my expensive ProConnect stamped and registered on their computer database so off I went and queued-up with all the little kiddies with their bikes outside the police station.
The Community police officer used a Dremmel to scratch freehand the house number and postcode on the frame - so much for the bike-stamping as advertised! Stamping would have been a better way to mark the frame, scratching is more easily removed by a thief.
I gave my name, address and phone number. The paper I was handed stated that a photograph of the bike would be kept on the computer. There was no sign of a photographer and no photo was taken. We all got a free Halfords Combination bike lock for attending which I tried out when I got home. It wouldn't release with my chosen code - good job I hadn't used it on the bike. I wonder how many others used the lock on their bikes and then had to cut it off!
A few days ago a police officer phoned and asked my wife what the make, model and colour of the bike was. He said without this information the details wouldn't be added to the computer database. I was at work at the time and he wouldn't give my wife his phone number so that I could call him back later.
He hasn't called again so I guess my bike isn't recorded after all this.
Then I remembered the recent publicity about C.D. copies of databases that have gone missing and possibly ended up in criminal hands and thought that with the incompetance shown so far perhaps it is best I don't give them my bike details.

 

[flecc]

A sad story Walkerman, but not uncommon with police initiatives. They really don't inspire confidence with this sort of incompetence.

Some forces are using free "smart liquid" marking of property, spraying on liquid containing thousands of microdots containing a number unique to you. It's invisible and can be scanned when recovered to enable the return of the property to it's owner. Of course, once again it's vulnerable to omissions and mistakes in recording the data, so only as good as the force using it.
.

 

[Stephen-Gately]

Its all useless anyway as that only works if you catch the tea-leaf. Unlikely. Instead, buy a big dog and chain it to your pro connect.

 

[Footie]

WALKERMAN posted:
Then I remembered the recent publicity about C.D. copies of databases that have gone missing and possibly ended up in criminal hands and thought that with the incompetance shown so far perhaps it is best I don't give them my bike details.

Wise decision.
I think everyone needs to be very careful about giving details away over the phone. I won't give details to cold callers and tell them to write to me. I have had several cold callers put the phone down on me because I would not confirm details - doesn't worry me. If they won't write back to me or get stroppy then alarm bells ring and I tell them to bug off. Don't be afraid to dig your heels in, if they are the genuine article they will comply.
.

 

[HarryB]

I thought all bicycles had a serial number on the frame so why don't they just make a note of that rather than making mess of the frame with a drill? By the way you can register your bike on line at immobilise - the home of the National Property Register and Recovery Service but in the end I don't think it will make much difference.

I think the Police need to tackle the re-sale of stolen bikes and they don't have the time so are not interested. A friend had his very expensive bike stolen and amazingly found it in a cycle shop - he called the rozzers but they weren't able to help - not interested in stolen goods. He was very persistant and a few days later got them to come to the shop and recover the bike. Nobody was prosecuted for handling stolen goods although you would have thought that if somebody turned up at your shop selling a £1500 racer you would get some form of id and address? You cannot rent a £10 DVD without id and proof of address so it seems odd.

 

[Blew it]

The Economy of Crime

The GOVERNMENT, which ever Party it is, will never do anything to eradicate the crime of theft, It's bad for the economy!.

Whenever a person loses property as a result of theft, the natural reaction is to make sure it "never happens again". The victim of a bike theft will purchase bigger and better locks, perhaps an alarm as well, and in doing so, immediately adds further value to the original theft to the economy. In the event of a burglary, they will increase the security of their homes with additional locks, security lighting left on all night and perhaps paying £30+ per month for an alarm monitoring service. Again, this adds to the value of the original crime to the economy.

So you see, crime does pay, but perversly, it's the victim that does the paying!. The way you can refuse to be part of the economy of crime is simple. When suffering a loss, resist the natural instinct to increase your security, just pick up the insurance payout, replace the item and nothing more. If you do anything else, you are simply making further contributions to the crime driven economy. In fact, the ONLY person that doesn't benefit from the crime of theft, IS YOU....THE VICTIM!!!

Think it through

Bob

 

[Danny-K]

I thought all bicycles had a serial number on the frame so why don't they just make a note of that rather than making mess of the frame with a drill?...

My thoughts exactly Harry.
Answer? Because they love to make a meal out of something simple!

Speaking to the council people the other day. (Trouble with my council tax payments going awry). My Council tax number is 19 numbers long. 19!

There are only 60 million people in the UK - 8 digits long.

In fact the entire world population is estimated to be 6.7 billion - 10 digits long.

So, why, I petulantly asked them, is the council tax number long enough to accommodate trillions of billions of residents in the UK?

Very patiently they replied that the number also identifies the area, and street etc.,

Oh! Well I was just asking, thank you for etc., etc., ...

- So, maybe the police system also has a method of recording your area in it somewhere too. (Haven't seen it; but bet it has my little bugbear - enough digits for more bikes than have ever been manufactured to date!)