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Reading the good news [url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/bike-stolen-but-power-of-the-internet-returned-it ]here[/url], it makes we wonder what we consider to be an appropriate punishment for bike thieves?
I know some will want them hanged, but whilst I understand the anger that drives such a response, it's probably too extreme for most.
And with the arrival of elected Police tzars, we have the opportunity to suggest something that the community thinks is appropriate - not that they set sentences and the law, but they represent democratic opinion and can start ot make moves on this sort of thing.
What would that be? If you can justify your choice, so much the better. If we did come up with a punishment that fitted the crime, and some community agreement, we can take it to the Crime Commissioner as a serious suggestion.....
Human caterpillar.
Road side litter picking wearing orange jump suits and chained together for a year or two.
Death squads, acid baths, Chinese burns, and a time machine and Jimmy Saville...
[wonders why I'm not in charge]
an eye for an eye....take their bike from them and sell it to compensate the victims perhaps?
or..
Community service in the bike industry (these bike recycle places for charity)
Community service- Endless fitting of tubeless with a mini pump?
I recently saw about a pilot "Bad Lads Army" bootcamp style parole system for what the system would term persistent but minor offenders. Instead of being put on tag and having to report once a day to a social worker for a chat about their feelings, a cup of tea and a biscuit, they have to go out with a group of ex Marines every morning at 7am and get properly beasted.
Net result is they a: are too knackered to go causing trouble afterwards, b: have some discipline forced upon them and c: probably for the first time in their life have a positive male role model rather than some waster (if present at all).
If they don't attend every day, it's back to court with a view to proper jail.
I reckon that's not only a good way to knock them into shape, but also would create opportunities to help employ ex-servicemen in something valuable and where they can make good use of their skills.
an eye for an eye....take their bike from them and sell it to compensate the victims perhaps?or..
Community service in the bike industry (these bike recycle places for charity)
Problems being a) any bike you take from them is unlikely to be [i]their[/i] bike. b) These people steal bikes and bike parts - not ideal candidates for working in a place where there are bikes and bike parts knocking around.
Bullet to the back of the head is the only realistic solution.
Unfortunately by the time the theft has taken place punishment is pretty futile, the root cause needs addressing.
I firmly beleive that re-establishing a national service will help to instill a level of self integrity that will address some of these problems.
I understand that this will be expensive, however we have excellent ex armed forces personel who have come back from tours of duty and are sidlined by the forces. These are the real world teachers society needs (School teachers do an excellent service too, but they do not have the level or type of first hand experiences ex armed forces have).
Also if the young crime costs (Including imprisonment costs) can actually be calculated then i'm sure that a national service may actually be a cost saving initiative.
Unfortunately the probelm is that this is a no goer due to spineless governments that are only interested in short term goals with short term gains.
khani - Member
Jimmy Saville...
^^^This for repeat offenders^^^
Acid bath for 1st timers.
(Awaits the "give them a cuddle"/"It's only a bike" brigade to come along...)
(Awaits the "give them a cuddle"/"It's only a bike" brigade to come along...)
Jim would fix that....
take their eye from them and sell it to compensate the victims perhaps?
Make them build/maintain trails.
Make them do the Tour de France 🙂
In December 🙂
Get them to milk cows blindfolded.
Don`t they cut off a hand from convicted thieves in the middle east?
Sounds like a pretty good deterrent and difficult to re-offend!
Net result is they a: are too knackered to go causing trouble afterwards, b: have some discipline forced upon them and c: probably for the first time in their life have a positive male role model rather than some waster (if present at all).
You forgot c They become so fit and aggressive that we have an underclass that no-one can approach in safety.
National service French style where the youth help the community is where it's at. Create a sense of local belonging and ownership. Our service personnel good as they are lack this local belonging, they are taught to regard themselves as better than "civilians" and other units. This is essential for kicking the crap out of our enemies but not good for local harmony.
Make them build/maintain trails.
+1
c: probably for the first time in their life have a positive male role model rather than some waster (if present at all).
Yur view f a positive role model is not my view
Not sure why you think being shouted at by a squaddie will help them think highly of society, if they did it to me it would just annoy me tbh.
Anyone ever been in a pub when the squaddies arrive...it is some way short of the highly disciplined and moral body of men you are presenting them as.
Many solutions to the problem but i have better things to do than debate it with the hanging brigade
locked in human hamster wheels driving rope uplifts at trail centers.
Make them watch X Factor, I'm a Celebrity get me out of here, and anything with Peter Andre, Jordan or Jedward on a constant loop à la Clockwork Orange
orange jumpsuits + sign saying what they did whilst cleaning bikes for commuters in city centres.
A good bumming by a massive black man named "Bubba". That's the only way they'll learn what it's like to feel [i]violated[/i] 😀
Or, thrown into a pit guarded by a mad-man (a la Silence of the Lambs)
I could go on... Hanging's too good for 'em! 😆
As ex forces I'd hate the idea of serving with scroats like that there's enough gets thru the net already that need wedding out let alone forcing people to serve. Maybe if all they did was guard fields and dig holes that would be ok but then what would the raf regt do 😉
What is it that stops decent people from wandering down the road and pinching everything you can get your hands on?
For me it would be that the consequences of getting caught would mean that I think I would struggle to get a descent job, would not get a mortgage and I would feel ashamed of anyone I know finding out. I think there are too many people where none of these factors even cross there minds. There's allways going to be bad eggs, we have to find a balance between a punishment that will have an effect and somehow instill some better values into people !
I think most of them probably just need a really nice loving hug.. and perhaps a few beers and a smoke to help them relax
I'm awaiting the police outcome of this:
[url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/i-found-the-bits-from-my-stolen-bike-on-ebay ]Stolen bike found on eBay[/url]
I'm sure they have no idea the amount of anguish that is caused by them nicking bikes.
I do like the idea that criminals should work though. The thought of them being in prison doing bugger all makes me pretty angry too.
I can only think of taking their skin as part of the carcass for my tyres 🙄
But perhaps some would say its a little bit too much 😉
It's only a bike FFS.
I stole a bike once. [b]Years[/b] a go. A Trek hardtail. It was high spec. From the owners garden. Desperate times. I remember shaking with worry and fear about getting caught.
I'm not proud of it and I wish I hadn't had to but I had to get hold of something I could sell quickly for more than just a few quid.
I even thought I'd stumbled across the owner on here and I apologised and offered to pay for a modern day replacement. it wasn't the same guy.
Sorry everybody. It was a rubbish thing to do.
If there was a chance of having a digit or hand cut off, I wouldn't have done it. That doesn't mean I'm all for such measures. A fine paid to the bike owner to pay for a new bike and a 50% more to the courts would do it. Prison if you don't pay.
need to establish some new penal colonies, 10 years on rockall for instance.
what about the people who turn a blind eye to obviously stolen parts because they're a bargain?
Handcuffed up in various city centers on hands an knees with there a**e hanging out so I can park my bike in it
what about the people who turn a blind eye to obviously stolen parts because they're a bargain?
to be honest they are worse than the thieves, no market, no theft. or at least nothing more than nicking a bike to get home from the pub when pissed.
I think most of them probably just need a really nice loving hug.. and perhaps a few beers and a smoke to help them relax
The hang em brigade or the thiefs?
as al said
It's only a bike FFS.
It's only a bike FFSbut where do you do you draw the line ??
I had to get hold of something I could sell quickly for more than just a few quid.
was it worth it ?
From my perspective, yes. Saved me from having my ear held down on a red hot hob which was one of the methods employed by the person's thugs who set me the task of getting him £150 within three days.
Christopher Little. Stockport. Google him if you can be bothered.
Like I said, I'm not proud.
I don't need to google him, bad man.... 😥 hope you're out of it now..
It's only a bike FFS.
and for those who saved hard to get the money together? for those who are the recipient of serial theft?
I assume you have had your house broken into, i assume you have had some thieving little $$$$ go through your stuff? I assume you have known who the $$$$ was and known that a) the police don't give a $$$$ or more likely can do jack $$$$ anyway!
FWIW I have had a bike stolen and known who did it, caught someone breaking in to my car [ even the police were surprised no kicking had been delivered] and had my house robbed.
What is your point?
mrmo no I've not - and that sounds like theft rather than bike theft, though I don't see why bike theft is worse.
Sounds to me like situations like monksie's are behind the casual theft.
This sort of thread just seems to exist to attract those who enjoy frothing at the mouth.
I doubt bike theft is any worse for the victim than any other sort of theft or mindless vandalism such as running over cars or breaking windows/slashing tyres etc so why should it be punished any differently?, if i happen(ed) to catch someone attempting to steal or vandalise any item i own it'll be the last time they ever do such a thing, i caught a scrote crawling out my window a number of years ago and i frightened the piss/crap out of him (literally) and nae doubt i'd do it again if i caught anyone else, pretty much everyone i know would do the same thing rather than call the police etc as whats the point? - they get community service or a suspended sentence?, or turfed back in jail for a few weeks wi all their mates?.
I'm all for reforming the prisons no matter what it costs to offer more of a rehabilitation service (and drug abusers should not be in prison - full stop) rather than a punitive punishment but what's the point when the vast majority of offenders are let down from a very young age by the government regarding housing conditions, schooling, social services and support networks along with ****in inept parents who should not be allowed to have kids in the first place if they cannot support them and bring them up to have morals and common decency.... Ohhh - got a bit daily mail there but it's true.
I stay in a nice wee town in Galloway (Kirkcudbright) and there's generations of entire families who are drug abusers/alcohol abusers who have never worked in their lives and their kids are all pupped by the age of 16, by the age of 20 they have a few kids to different fathers and by the time the parents have turned 30 their kids are having kids...they're breeding like feral rats, entire generations on benefits with no notion of working and paid for housing along with extra cash for having an alcohol problem and disability due to consumption of alcohol and i cannot see a possible solution, i've grew up in this small town and can only sympathise with what it must be like in some inner city areas or in larger towns up and down the country. - there has to be a solution but gawd knows what it can be?.

