Stolen bikes?

[ManyManyBiscuits]

I've just got back from a walk and found three bikes leant against the big bush at the edge of our front garden.

We live down a cul du sac and it's quite dark. If I hadn't have been putting the bins out, I wouldn't have seen them.

They are not locked, one has a wheel removed. All are quite good quality.
Nearly everyone in our street is completely ancient and very unlikely to own these bikes.

My theory is they have been stolen but I'm not sure why they are now in the bush down our road?

Should I report them to 101?

If I report them and they get collected by the police and it turns out someone had just left their bike there for a bit, they will be pissed off.

I could do nothing and hope they are collected by their rightful owners not some disorganised criminals.

Or I could post something on the local FB group, but that risks someone else opportunistically claiming them?

100% stolen.

Take them in and look for stickers under the frame for something called bike register, this is when the owner has marked the bike in the event of theft.

You can also let the police know and they'll collect them.

You can post on local FB groups too. The owners will be very grateful t9 get them back.

I’d take them in and post on Nextdoor app & Facebook asking if anyone has lost their bike & ask for descriptions if anyone replies.

I would take them in and call 101 to advise you have found them and taken them in for safe keeping. If they were left there by the owner (unlikely) they will knock on to ask of you have seen them or call the police to report stolen. The police will probably ask you for the serial numbers in case they have already been reported stolen.

www.bikeregister.com/stolen-bikes

Or

bikeindex.org/

Sadly no bike register info.
Will FB now and then leave 101 message.

They may be stolen and left there for pick up by someone else, keep an eye out if you feel brave and see if anyone turns up but do not approach.

Unless they have a stripy top and a bag marked swag, how would I tell a legitimate owner apart from a wrong 'un though?

😂Good point!

3 upset teens are about to turn up wondering where their bikes went

Did anybody turn up last night for the bikes??

I put them in our back garden but no one knocked on about them. I've been in all day today.

I reported them to 101 this morning and the police took a description. They are not going to collect them though and if no one has claimed them after 30 days the bloke on the phone said I could do what I liked with them.

I've posted to the 'stolen bike' group for my city and the local FB group to my village.

You’ve done what you can, well done. Not sure about the two road bikes but the red and white mountain bike looks like a Specialized camber - a pretty expensive bike.

The local stolen bike FB group put me in touch with the police constable with special responsibility for cycle crime in the area and he has successfully reunited the bikes with their owners.

Thanks for giving me the confidence to do something about them originally.

OP you could try stolen-bikes.co.uk/ The red and white bike, 2nd one in, is a full suspension mountain bike, it depends what make, but they're generally not cheap.

Posted at the same time as you OP. Great news!

It's frustrating that the police couldn't have put you in touch with him. Good on you for chasing it up though

The call handler could be anywhere in the force area. They can’t recall specific officers for every locality. Especially when officers move around and may create a role out of their own interest.

Great work getting them reunited OP.