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Original poster

Neighbours "Stolen" Bike

207 replies

FergalHunter · 27/07/2026 14:27

A very curious incident occurred in my block of flats recently that I am eager to hear the forum's perspective on.

Our development runs along the corner of two roads. There are three buildings with about 55 flats in total. There's a shared garden at the back with a covered bike store where I keep my bike. There aren't any allocated spaces, but people tend to leave their bikes in the same spot and leave their locks on the stand when out for a ride. I've parked my bike in the same spot for the last two years, and there are always spare racks.

When I leave my bike there, I use a D-lock, a cable, and a bike cover. There are about 4-5 other people also using covers. I usually put another small lock on to secure the cover. This might sound like overkill, but we've had multiple instances of bikes getting nicked while I've lived here.

Anyway, onto what happened. A couple of weeks ago, I took my bike out to head to the gym, leaving my D-lock and cable attached to the rack in my usual space. When I came back about 90 minutes later, another bike was attached to the same rack. I'd seen the bike before, but don't know who owns it. Not a massive issue, but a little annoying considering there were racks nearby with spaces where people don't cover their bikes.

I was due to head on holiday for 10 days early the next morning and didn't want to leave my bike uncovered that long, so I threw the cover over both bikes. It wasn't locked down and could easily be lifted up. I didn't think it would be an issue, if anything, her bike was getting the benefit of the cover too!
While I was away, someone posted in the residents' chat that her bike had been stolen. Like I said, this isn't an uncommon occurrence, so I didn't think too much of it.

When I returned from holiday 10 days later, her bike was still sitting under the cover right next to mine. I took my bike out for another 90ish minute gym trip and when I got back, I decided I'd move my bike to an empty rack next to it so I could go back to my normal setup. I moved my bike and my cover over to the new rack, leaving her bike completely exposed on her rack.

About an hour later, the same woman posted on the residents' chat claiming her bike had been "returned", but that she'd already bought a replacement!
I'm flabbergasted that a supposedly grown adult seems to lack basic object permanence. Arriving back at her rack, seeing a cover draped over it, and immediately concluding her bike was stolen, without taking two seconds to lift the sheet, is genuinely mind-boggling to me.

Now she's on the chat insisting someone must have stolen it, taken it for a joyride, and returned it, and she is demanding CCTV access.

Is it worth trying to engage with someone like this?

OP posts:
MandemChickenShop · 27/07/2026 18:07

you covered her bike and you failed to respond to the WA message about a stolen bike. this is on you OP

wrongthinker · 27/07/2026 18:06

I've been in similar situations and just half covered my bike so the other person can still access theirs. What you did was pretty weird.

I think she's having you on, tbh. She found her bike, was annoyed when she realised your weird behaviour and decided to wind you up. She must have known what happened when she saw her bike 'returned' with lock and everything intact.

So yeah, I think she just clocked you as Weird Bike Rack Woman and thought she'd wind you up.

Mcdhotchoc · 27/07/2026 18:06

I would keep quiet. How does she explain her locked bike being unlocked and relocked up?

Hillarious · 27/07/2026 18:05

The point of a Sheffield stand is that two bikes can use it at the same time. I always wondered what kind of people leave a lock on a stand. How do you lock your bike when you get to your destination or are you always doing round trips? Or do you have dozens of locks scattered around the bike stands of your town?

Bottom line is that YABU. Selfish action on your part with unfortunate consequences for your neighbour.

johnd2 · 27/07/2026 18:02

Reads like you were annoyed that someone took "your" spot so you decided to cover their bike up to mark your territory and put them off and cause them an issue, not realising it would escalate to them shelling out for a new bike, and now you are claiming you couldn't cover just your own bike and trying to justify your behaviour as perfectly reasonable and deflect all the blame back onto the bike owner.
Personally I think it's 90% on you and the other person has been unlucky to fall foul of special unwritten bike shed rules

FourSevenFour · 27/07/2026 17:54

So when you cover your bike, you effectively take two spots (especially when you lock the cover).

This time there weren't two spots together for you to take, and you decided you are annoyed, because the owner could have used a single space at another rack and left both spaces on "yours" empty for you.

I think you need to get a different bike cover design, because always taking two spots and expecting the full rack empty is not reasonable and leads you to weird decisions.

Strangerthanfictions · 27/07/2026 17:54

FergalHunter · 27/07/2026 14:27

A very curious incident occurred in my block of flats recently that I am eager to hear the forum's perspective on.

Our development runs along the corner of two roads. There are three buildings with about 55 flats in total. There's a shared garden at the back with a covered bike store where I keep my bike. There aren't any allocated spaces, but people tend to leave their bikes in the same spot and leave their locks on the stand when out for a ride. I've parked my bike in the same spot for the last two years, and there are always spare racks.

When I leave my bike there, I use a D-lock, a cable, and a bike cover. There are about 4-5 other people also using covers. I usually put another small lock on to secure the cover. This might sound like overkill, but we've had multiple instances of bikes getting nicked while I've lived here.

Anyway, onto what happened. A couple of weeks ago, I took my bike out to head to the gym, leaving my D-lock and cable attached to the rack in my usual space. When I came back about 90 minutes later, another bike was attached to the same rack. I'd seen the bike before, but don't know who owns it. Not a massive issue, but a little annoying considering there were racks nearby with spaces where people don't cover their bikes.

I was due to head on holiday for 10 days early the next morning and didn't want to leave my bike uncovered that long, so I threw the cover over both bikes. It wasn't locked down and could easily be lifted up. I didn't think it would be an issue, if anything, her bike was getting the benefit of the cover too!
While I was away, someone posted in the residents' chat that her bike had been stolen. Like I said, this isn't an uncommon occurrence, so I didn't think too much of it.

When I returned from holiday 10 days later, her bike was still sitting under the cover right next to mine. I took my bike out for another 90ish minute gym trip and when I got back, I decided I'd move my bike to an empty rack next to it so I could go back to my normal setup. I moved my bike and my cover over to the new rack, leaving her bike completely exposed on her rack.

About an hour later, the same woman posted on the residents' chat claiming her bike had been "returned", but that she'd already bought a replacement!
I'm flabbergasted that a supposedly grown adult seems to lack basic object permanence. Arriving back at her rack, seeing a cover draped over it, and immediately concluding her bike was stolen, without taking two seconds to lift the sheet, is genuinely mind-boggling to me.

Now she's on the chat insisting someone must have stolen it, taken it for a joyride, and returned it, and she is demanding CCTV access.

Is it worth trying to engage with someone like this?

I am slightly confused, why did you put your bike beside hers on that rack and cover both? Why didn't you put your bike elsewhere or only cover your own?

Namechangingregularly · 27/07/2026 17:54

takealettermsjones · 27/07/2026 16:56

What about if you'd left your keys on a communal table and when you went back to it they weren't there, there was only a pouch that said GEOFF'S KEYS? Would you assume they'd been tucked beside Geoff's to keep them company, or would you think surely not as that would make Geoff a loon and therefore they must have been swiped?

Show quote history

Exactly this.

and I also agree with the person who said you did it out of spite. And now you’ve lost your nerve because she is going to
find out you’re the oddball

Dersie · 27/07/2026 17:54

KarcherK5 · 27/07/2026 14:57

I don’t have a great visual memory, I’d know my bike was in the bike store but probably wouldn’t remember which rack it was on. When I got back and couldn’t see my bike I would assume it was stolen - it would just never occur to me to go around peeking underneath all of the covers to see if somebody else had hidden my bike!

Honestly I think that was an odd choice, and that morally in your shoes I’d feel to blame for her wasting money on a new bike, but you probably don’t want to get into debating it with all 55 flats.

Just stay quiet and ignore, it can be one of life’s little mysteries for her.

Edited

I totally agree with this statement and advice!

Namechangingregularly · 27/07/2026 17:50

Hopefully she can get the cctv and see you hiding her bike. Such a weird thing to do. And then to say nothing when she assumes it’s stolen. And then to blame the other person for not lifting the cover and looking. What odd person would cover someone else’s bike before going on holiday. Pure laziness and selfishness. And she should have expected this behaviour? Hilarious. Can’t be real. Not allowed to say that but hmmm

GreyBeeplus3 · 27/07/2026 17:48

@FergalHunter
I personally wouldn't bother
Strikes me as lacking common sense
Alongside righteous assumption

Bomdigi · 27/07/2026 17:41

OP, you’re a wally. At least she gets a new nickname “Sally two-bikes”.

BlackCatsForever · 27/07/2026 17:24

I’m so confused by this. Sorry if it’s already been answered but why did you have to use that stand if you wanted to cover your bike? Why couldn’t you move bike and cover to another stand?

Megifer · 27/07/2026 17:23

takealettermsjones · 27/07/2026 17:17

Of course I have 🤣 and I realise the analogy isn't exactly right, and I also said previously that I would have probably looked under the cover. But I can really see why she wouldn't have done, given the previous thefts and also the fact that OP's cover was usually locked, so it would be a fair assumption that it was locked this time too. But also, in your key scenario, isn't that the same thought process as the woman's? - i.e. that it's not where she left it, so she must have left it somewhere else?

Show quote history

Not the same thought process because I said id lift stuff up to look for them if said stuff was in the space i left them 😩

BluTangClan · 27/07/2026 17:23

She must be absolutely amazed by magicians. Does she think no one can see her when she covers her eyes?

category12 · 27/07/2026 17:23

I think you were peeved about her using "your" rack and wanted to make a point & inconvenience her or give her a fright that her bike was gone. I think it's a bit of a fib that you had no alternative than to cover her bike.

Bearbookagainandagain · 27/07/2026 17:22

Not just checking under the cover is on the same level of stupidity as covering someone else's bike.
But you've created that situation so YABU. You could have taken 5 minutes to put your bike - covered - on another rack.

Datafan55 · 27/07/2026 17:19

FeckAboutAndFindOut · 27/07/2026 15:22

Are you a known, active user on the group chat?
I'd ignore it totally until the CCTV reveals you, doing what?, covering then uncovering her bike.
If footage is added, you can do the "oh that's me! I'm so sorry blah blah" then and claim you hadn't added 2+2 before.
Until then, keep shtum.
Unless you have £500 spare for a second bike, or whatever she paid for it. If you do end up being asked for cash, you insist on seeing a receipt/statement, keep the new one for resale and possibly knock a bit off for a month's usage.

If you have made a mistake, however well intentioned, you own up.

Lostworlds · 27/07/2026 17:19

Yes she should have checked under the cover but I also understand why she didn’t. She’s posted on the chat in the hopes that someone had any information, at that point you could have replied explaining you’ve covered a bike.

It wouldn’t have taken her long to check and it wouldn’t have taken you long to reply and explain what’s happened.

takealettermsjones · 27/07/2026 17:17

Megifer · 27/07/2026 17:03

I'd lift the pouch up and see my keys underneath 😭

Im getting the feeling you've never put something down somewhere and had someone come along and put a letter/pair of gloves/hat/bag etc on top meaning youve had to move stuff around a bit to find it. Just instant "nope, its gone forever" 😂

Show quote history

Of course I have 🤣 and I realise the analogy isn't exactly right, and I also said previously that I would have probably looked under the cover. But I can really see why she wouldn't have done, given the previous thefts and also the fact that OP's cover was usually locked, so it would be a fair assumption that it was locked this time too. But also, in your key scenario, isn't that the same thought process as the woman's? - i.e. that it's not where she left it, so she must have left it somewhere else?

OvernightOats101 · 27/07/2026 17:13

Bit weird to claim ownership on a space just because you are used to have it.

But at the same time, if I park my car on a space, come back to find a mystery car parked at exactly the spot I left mine but hidden under a car cover.. I"d look before reporting mine stolen? 😂

I would translate the cover as a passive-agressive way to try to claim a space, not assume whatever is obviously underneath has been stolen.

Weird.

blythet · 27/07/2026 17:06

as shes not got a set space she uses all the time she probably doesn’t remember exactly where she left it. I’d be the same and I wouldn’t go around uncovering everyone else’s bike to check. Surely you could’ve covered your own bike while not covering hers?

Megifer · 27/07/2026 17:03

takealettermsjones · 27/07/2026 16:56

What about if you'd left your keys on a communal table and when you went back to it they weren't there, there was only a pouch that said GEOFF'S KEYS? Would you assume they'd been tucked beside Geoff's to keep them company, or would you think surely not as that would make Geoff a loon and therefore they must have been swiped?

Show quote history

I'd lift the pouch up and see my keys underneath 😭

Im getting the feeling you've never put something down somewhere and had someone come along and put a letter/pair of gloves/hat/bag etc on top meaning youve had to move stuff around a bit to find it. Just instant "nope, its gone forever" 😂

takealettermsjones · 27/07/2026 16:56

Megifer · 27/07/2026 16:51

If the strangers pocket was on the side in the same place I left the keys then sure!

Show quote history

What about if you'd left your keys on a communal table and when you went back to it they weren't there, there was only a pouch that said GEOFF'S KEYS? Would you assume they'd been tucked beside Geoff's to keep them company, or would you think surely not as that would make Geoff a loon and therefore they must have been swiped?

Bobbie12345678 · 27/07/2026 16:52

FergalHunter · 27/07/2026 15:13

That's her bike and mine under a cover to the right. You can see with a D-Lock on there's no way to cover just 1 bike

Show quote history

I think it is very strange to cover up someone else's bike. She might not have remembered exactly whish spot she left it in and cannot be expected to go looking around under covers to find it.
And actually, I do think you could have covered one bike not two. The cover would have been a bit hitched up over the D-lock but your bike would still have been 90% covered. Or hey, you could have moved to a different spot if it was so important to you.
I think this was an unexpected thing to do and you need to immediately own up on the facebook page. You should offer to cover any shortfall she gets from buying the new bike after she sells one of the two bikes she now owns.

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