To expect the police to care about this?

[FoxtrotFoxtrotSierra]

My bike was stolen a couple of weeks back and has now popped up on eBay. I called the police to let them know, and after a battle of trying to be put through to my officer (we can't put you through madam, he can call you back) I eventually got through to one of his colleagues. He couldn't have cared less that my bike is on bloody eBay, doesn't want the link, doesn't want to do anything about it, has said my officer might call me about it tomorrow.

AIBU to think they should be recovering my property that was stolen from me? And reasonably urgently to prevent the bike being sold?

I think you are unreasonable to demand to speak to someone immediately about a stolen bike. Much better to call you back. The poor plod could've been having a wee or dealing with something else that might be just as important to that victim as your bike.

That said, yanbu to expect there to be better procedures in place to deal with eBay related crime. There is no reason for eBay to take so long. Where crime is suspected things like the Data Protection Act allow for swift information sharing. Be cross with eBay and cross that nothing's being done about them.

Hope you get your bike back.

They should, OP, but in my experience they don't.

I was mugged a few years ago. I found out the next day that a couple of hours afterwards, someone had tried to use my credit card in a nearby nightclub. Most nightclubs have CCTV behind the bar, so I offered to go and view the CCTV. The police could not have been less interested. And this was a big aggressive man who physically attacked two women. It very much distressed me that despite my best efforts there was nothing I could do to help keep him off the streets. He's probably still out there, giving other women nightmares.

I don't dislike the police, but I don't understand why they seem to have a limited interest in solving crimes and keeping our streets safe.

We're London so we don't have a newly elected commissioner. Maybe I should hassle Boris about it.

We had nearly £2k worth of bikes taken, so it is a lot of money's worth. The insurance excess will take enough of a chunk that we'll have to dip into our savings to be able to replace them with similar models (we take cycling very seriously in the FFS house). It's just galling. and let's not get started on the management committee stalling on the cctv

tired is that the real problem, too much paperwork and accountability? Should we be calling for a return to the old ways or do you think on balance that too much corruption/mishandling went on then and we have to compromise with things as they are? I'm comparing how things happened in the 60/70's, with now? Known criminals allowed to sue for not handcuffing them comfortably type thing, rather than being allowed to clip a young thief round the ear, give them and their parents a good talking to and hope they don't reoffend? I'm in awe of Police Officers today, I think my BP would go through the roof if I had to deal with half the rubbish they do.

I'm cross on your behalf.
Please don't go there yourself - these could be nasty people.

I was mugged in London years ago. I was asked if the guy was black, around 18 years old and 5ft 4 ,wearing casual clothes by this Policeman who was pissing himself laughing. They did nothing. I complained but only got some token letter in response.

I hope you can get your bike back. Yes, write to Boris and your local politician too.

There is a lot more bureaucracy and it increases each time someone says that it is reduced. We are stuck with it because of the past. We just have to work with it, but things like info requests from eBay take so long because Internet based companies are not necessarily based here. The new pcc's are just another political level to add their own agenda for each force other than the met and btp which is silly because we are supposed to be non political

ffs do they have lots of other bikes for sale under their name on ebay? If so it may be a gang of them, in which case I would assume the Police would be more interested.

There are two bikes at the moment, but his selling history is almost entirely second hand bikes. I would have thought the police would have been interested in that too. Maybe I just got a distracted/new one when I called.

Maybe if the Police Federation lobbied on cutting the bureaucracy there might be a chance at change.

Agree about the commissioners, neither asked for or wanted by the country. Pretty sure the majority of us would prefer more bobbies on the beat, dealing with this sort of crime and drug related problems if asked, rather than more levels of management, not really doing anything for the community on the streets.

Apologies OP for derailing your thread.

This thread has really depressed me. Being a victim of theft is awful, and mugging even more so. So to hear that the police are too overworked to even follow up evidence is just so sad.

I know that some would argue they are just "things" but when something is stolen, that sense of violation stays with you for ages. Sorry they were bloody thieving bastards, op. Hope karma pays them a visit.

I hope so OP, I would take all the information you have and call in to your local station, it's got to be better dealing with it in person rather than on the phone.

No need to apologise, Pantah you make a very valid point. We could say the very same thing about the NHS, or indeed any part of the civil service - less bureaucracy can only be a good thing!

fuzzypicklehead am sending out hate vibes to the thieving scum who stole our bikes, I'm sure karma will bite them on the arse hard. It's not like they will get arrested.

I'm massively over thinking about the theft today, and the criminals would have had to walk past about 30 other bikes to get to our lockers, which are well out of sight of the road, which they were equipped to get into. They then managed to leave the gated compound with two bikes (you need a code). It's someone who comes here, or lives here, isn't it.

Unfortunately us "bobbies on the ground" don't set the agenda for what is/isn't dealt with, thats set my high up management, who haven't been out on the street in years, and are so far removed from what policing actually involves they are clueless.

They set the policies, but it is who have to tell the poor disgruntled "customers" that no, we can't look into their ebay crime for them, as it doesn't fulfil our criteria. Or no, if you've had some kind of fraud involving your bank card and the bank has refunded you, then no, we don't investigate it.

And I hate to say it, but my experience with the Met Police has not been great, and thats me as an officer trying to get them to take on crimes that have happened in their force area but reported to us. They don't want to know, and I also happen to know they are not at all interested in ebay crimes (know this from trying to pass some over).

Honestly, the hoops we have to jump through and paperwork we have to do to find anything out from anyone is ridiculous. Its not just data protection, there is other legislation as well. And did you know, for example, that we (the police) are often charged for information, particularly from mobile phone companies. So again, that can have a bearing on how a crime is investigated, as at the end of the day, rightly or wronly, everything boils down to money.

Probably a friend of someone who lives there, sorry OP. Can you take your new bikes, or old ones if you manage to retrieve inside? I know you shouldn't have to but if thieving scum have access to a gated compound then its going to happen again. I think I would be keeping up a stink at the management meeting if I was you.

That's incredibly depressing fluffy

My Dc bikes were stolen, I had 3 visits and 5 phone calls and they found both bikes, then the Officer asked me out on a date, so I have no idea if he was planning this all along, he also complained of the paperwork, and the fact that there are only 2 cars patrolling a 4 car area around here, last I heard he was signed off with stress.

He was a little bit strange, he collected teddy bears and displayed them on his window ledge, I think that's a little bit strange for a 39 yr old man.

If it was my local ebay I would buy the bike not involve the police and go take the bike and get my money back. If the police took no notice, they generally do around here, thankfully.

Overly - I don't think it would be as simple as getting your bike and money back.
If you've knicked something your not going to say 'Oh yeah, sorry. Have it back'

Isn't there a special division that deals with this type of crime? There really should be. They need more funds and more staff.
I hear stories like this often. So unfair and shit and frustrating for decent people.

your = you're
Ooops.

Yeah I guess you're right some shouting may be involved. I ran after the boys who stole my dc bikes, sadly I cannot run as fast as I could, it became quite embarrassing by street 4. I found out who took them though.

Bastards! I suppose they were on your bikes.
It's almost worse when you know who did it and where they are.

I have now further pictures from the seller which show it is definitely my bike. I also have his name, and google has given me his location and place of work (miles from where he listed the bike, just down the road from me). I wonder if the police will care today?

I'm sure they will if you turn up at the station with all the evidence, if they're evasive ask to borrow a PCSO. It might help if they can corroborate everything and all the police need do is swoop in afterwards, bear in mind that this guy may have bought bike off the original thief. You should still get your bike back though. Wishing you good luck.

I've given them the name, address (from Companies House), workplace and all manner of information. They said it might not be this guy, someone may have made up an email address with his name. Still worth a look, no?

Do you have any heavy looking friends? Think I'd be going with that option, you can obviously do no more the conventional way :(

Wow Yes one of them was on my Dads bike my DS had borrowed it this one was found dumped locally, the other bike I found the child on and took it off him and gave the police his name and rough idea of address (well known family) he was charged.

This sounds terrible that you have so many details and the police sound so uninterested.