Powabyke Theft

[john a]

About two months ago, someone saw fit to help themselves to my powerbyke innovator (lithium). It was left briefly unattended in quiet residential area, and never seen again.

Of course, like a fool, I had not chained it up to anything - as I was only going to be seconds, I thought it was perfectly safe!! Some people never learn!

Thing is, it was either stolen as a prank, or by someone who has a ready means to dispose of such bikes. Considering I have looked and asked everywhere I can think of, I conclude that the latter option is more likely.

Therefore I am posting on this forum (albeit 2 months too late - but I didn't know of this place until recently). I wonder if anybody in the Essex/London/Suffolk areas - or even further afield has been offered such a bike. Trawling through Ebay/Preloved/Freeads/Vivastreet etc etc has drawn a blank.

Hopefully someone out there may know something - usual story, would have been sold without keys & charger.

 

[john a]

I would be interested to hear if any dealer has been offered such a bike, or knows of where such bikes are ending up. Has such a bike turned up in a local paper perhaps - or otherwise privately advertised?

This model is not made anymore, and were produced by Powerbyke before they moved on to producing the current X6 and X24 models.

The lithium battery is housed in a standard powabyke battery case - not in a cylinder attached to the frame as with the more modern versions. The only giveaway that it is a lithium model is a small switch on the right hand side of the battery case.

I would imagine it would obviously need a replacement key and charger to make it work, or be broken down into parts to be sold individually.

Please send a message if you have any information. Thanks

 

[Mike63]

Bit late now, I know, but it may have been wise to offer a cash reward.

I have designed some posters offering £200 reward for the return...no questions asked, of my electric bike "lost" in such an area on such a date.

Hopefully they will never be needed but in the event they will be quickly printed out and fixed to telegraph posts and other such places....I'll have it back in a few days

....'course it's all conjecture ....my Kryptonite lock is still my best bet.

 

[john a]

There have been reports of an unidentified white van driving around looking for what they can get, especially in the evenings. One guess what type of people are blamed.....

If it is not nailed down then it disappears. Unless you want it gone of course, then it will sit there forever - until the local Council threaten you with all manner of action if you don't clear your rubbish.

Did I read recently that 500,000 bikes are nicked each year in the UK? No wonder the Police cant help. Yes its the fault of the owner if the bike is not properly secured - but it is sickening to think that something that you relied upon, and was worth hundreds of pounds was likely pinched for the price of scrap - or drugs.

My theory is that it will turn up sooner or later. Little point in nicking it unless you have an outlet to get rid again. Unless you nicked it for personal use - which seems unlikely. Perhaps it will appear on Ebay or something like it when whoever took it thinks the heat has died down?

 

[flecc]

Bicycles are indeed now the top of vehicle types stolen in the UK by a large factor. The theft problem has long been solved for other vehicles, cars now only being possible to steal when owner carelessness makes the keys available.

Hence the large reward now being offered to anyone who comes up with a new and effective way of cutting bicycle theft.

I know the way to slash bicycle theft by a huge factor, but the authorities won't implement it. I mean legalisation of drugs with BPC supplies available of course, removing the need for tens of thousands of addicts to find £30 plus a day.

 

[john a]

I have just purchased a heavy-duty motorbike type of chain to guard against this happening again. In fact I would go as far as to say that the chain weighs about three times the weight of the bike it is going to protect! Perhaps this is going too far!

Aside from free overdoses for all that want one, I have an idea that might just cut bike theft. A simple tracking device that comes in two parts - one kept by the bike owner, the other embedded inside the bike frame. This way (and I am sure it is already technically possible) - the whereabouts of the bike could always be known. Simple.

 

[benjy_a]

http://www.integratedtrackers.com/GPSTrack/

 

[john a]

Motorcycle and Bicycle GPS Trackers - Products

great! all that remains to be done is to encourage everybody to buy one! really didn't know there was such a thing on the market already, thanks for pointing it out.