Where do all the stolen bikes go?

[observer]

Had my new bike stolen from my lock up a couple of weeks back. Nice matte black colnago clx3.0 with mavic ksyrium wheels. I'm obviously fuming, but life goes on and I'll just have to go without wheels for the next few months.

It got me thinking though, I've been checking out all of the online channels for selling, contacted a host of LBSs, and obviously notified the police, but I don't really expect anything to come up. So, where do all the bikes go?

If there is a black market for it, where is it? how do I get to it?

Most people say, it'll get stripped and sold for parts, but I've been looking for parts too. A lot of the parts on the bike are branded Colnago, or specific for the bike only.

By the way, I'm in Melbourne, Fitzroy area. If you are in the area too, keep an eye on your things, a lot of apartments are getting raided at the moment for various items.

 

[King Boonen]

I'm guessing they get taken a fair distance away for sale. These days they cost so much, thieves are as aware of this as we are, and they know they need to get it out of the area.



Here is a great tip. Take the wheels off and keep them in your house. Won't stop a determined thief stealing the rest of the bike but it does stop the opportunist from just cutting the locks and riding away. Also, if your wheels are worth as much as your bike is (or close) at least you'll still have them.

 

[BroDeal]

If there is a black market for it, where is it? how do I get to it?

I would like to know as well. I need a "new" bike.

 

[StyrbjornSterki]

Where do all the stolen bikes go?

To the planet of lost ballpoint pens.

 

[observer]

ehhh someones gotta know!

 

[observer]

So, I've reviewed a whole heap of cctv footage. And I noticed one stand out suspicious thing.

There are some tradesmen working on the shop down at street level. A car turns up, hangs around for about 45 minutes, and then the tradies seem to give him access to the basement carpark.

There is no reason why any trades person would need the basement carpark. I'm inclined to think that this is the culprit.

Has anyone else heard of a scam like this one?

 

[RidingSeed]

They're sold in Europe most likely.

 

[laziali]

They're sold in Europe most likely.

Nah, postage costs too much to make it economic. Full article from priceonomics is here http://blog.priceonomics.com/post/30393216796/what-happens-to-stolen-bicycles

Based on your CCTV description, it looks like the thieves were "professional" and so look to to the top of this sales pyramid for your Colnago:

 

[durianrider]

Insurance shouldnt take that long to process. I had a street fight a few months ago and my Cervelo got scratched up. I claimed a new frame and was paid out in about 3 days.

Ive been with my insurer for 11 years now. Great to deal with.

 

[RidingSeed]

Nah, postage costs too much to make it economic. Full article from priceonomics is here http://blog.priceonomics.com/post/30393216796/what-happens-to-stolen-bicycles

Based on your CCTV description, it looks like the thieves were "professional" and so look to to the top of this sales pyramid for your Colnago:

Sold in Europe as in selling them online in Europe. Didn't take postage into consideration. They can make the buyer pay the fees (like $20 on eBay or something?) and just send it.

 

[observer]

Sold in Europe as in selling them online in Europe. Didn't take postage into consideration. They can make the buyer pay the fees (like $20 on eBay or something?) and just send it.

I dunno, i hope it hasn't been sold yet. I've been looking on a few sites for all the parts or the complete bike, nothing has shown up yet.

They came back 2 more times to the complex and took other peoples bikes, and ski gear. Got some cctv footage so hopefully we can figure out who they are.

I personally think they have something to do with tradesmen working on the site at the moment, every time they show up, things seem to go missing.

 

[laziali]

Sold in Europe as in selling them online in Europe. Didn't take postage into consideration. They can make the buyer pay the fees (like $20 on eBay or something?) and just send it.

$20 postage for a bike from Melbourne to Europe???? Try $1,000. Not economic to do, so the thief's online market is limited to Oz. Don't discount the possibility that he is just riding it himself.

 

[biokemguy]

Got Patience?

If you're patient, it might show up online.

An acquaintance had a bike stolen and checked ebay and craigslist for a full year before it showed up. Turned out the seller had bought it from the original thief.

 

[lostincosmos]

i had my cdale EVO stolen and it appeared on Craigslist in my same city within 2 weeks.

i and a guy who worked on that bike chased the guy off craigslist by posting that his posting was stolen 2 or 3 times. came within INCHES of getting the cops to set up a buy to get the bike back and multiple people emailed us with the guy's name who was selling it.

here in SF, it seems to be common knowledge too that if you show up to the nearby flea markets you have a good chance to find it, or if you show up very early to the local farmer's market and look around you can see a van buying bikes from people off the street.

there are multiple stories about bike messengers going to a particular corner to get or buy their bikes back on a regular basis.

seems pretty low tech and with some effort and luck you could get a bike back now and then. the question is, would you WANT it back? i'd have had no idea what he did to that frame...not sure i minded getting a new bike altogether myself. plus i got DA9000 on the replacement...

 

[observer]

If you're patient, it might show up online.

An acquaintance had a bike stolen and checked ebay and craigslist for a full year before it showed up. Turned out the seller had bought it from the original thief.

Well I was patent, and it showed up online. I won't say too much but it was being sold at a pawn shop in Melbourne (home town) and it showed up on Gumtree, an ebay like site.

Currently the matter is with the police, I don't have the bike back yet and I probably need to go through the courts to get it.

I got some legal advice a bit late saying basically, steal it back, nothing they can do about it as they have no legal right to it. As much as I'd love to do that, I don't think I'd have the balls come crunch time.

 

[Aapjes]

I got some legal advice a bit late saying basically, steal it back, nothing they can do about it as they have no legal right to it. As much as I'd love to do that, I don't think I'd have the balls come crunch time.

In my country, the situation is different if the seller bought it without knowing that it was stolen (or if it was so cheap he should have known). At that point he can't be blamed for the theft and is the new legal owner, but he has to help you find the real thief.

 

[observer]

In my country, the situation is different if the seller bought it without knowing that it was stolen (or if it was so cheap he should have known). At that point he can't be blamed for the theft and is the new legal owner, but he has to help you find the real thief.

That situation is kind of understandable, however it is extremely open to corruption. Although if it was the case that they only paid a small amount for my bike, I would happily buy it back from them to reimburse, at the end of the day it is cheaper than replacing the bike (a cost I cannot afford).