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A friend had her bike stolen and it's turned up on facebook market place.
Police notified, but they don't seem that bothered unless we can find a location for them.
The fb profile seems locked down - no photos etc visible
Any suggestions of how we can find them?
arrange to buy it?
That is is ridiculous Police response but not surprise. I recently suffered a £10k theft from home, person was witnessed by two people coming into our house whilst we were on holiday. We are one of 7 victims (that we know of) and police did next to nothing. It took about 8 weeks before carrying out a warrant, 12 weeks to question her, 6 months to get fingerprints back then let he off with no charges. A complete waste of time.
Sorry to have to say this but I wouldn't waste time with police, try to buy the bike and deal with it directly.
Exactly. Phone police hen you have confirmed it's yours.
Arrange to buy it, then...
Agree to buy it. turn up with mates and take it back. Or push the police. Local forces seem to have very different attitudes. In Edinburgh bike theft is a priority and so local cops will make an effort.
It's a pretty distinctive bike so not many around so we know it's hers. Now to find some large friends....
Arrange to buy, find some big mates and then get your female friend to phone the police when you're on your way over to say she is going to pick it up. Should jolt the police into action. If not, you still have your big mates and some bombers.
We did this for my female friend's bike and the Kent police finally came out to help because it was easier for them to deal with than the aftermath of a woman getting beaten up by a bike thief because of their inactivity...
As above. Mate did the same. Call the police when you’re at end of road. Turn up now please or were kicking his door in then kicking him in.
Go with your friend to view the bike but wait round the corner, with your friend going to check it's definitely hers/check the serial number.
Get her to ask for a quick spin on the bike and do a couple of loops out the front of the guys house, then ride round the corner to where you're waiting. Put the bike in the car/van etc and drive off. If she has proof of purchase then it may help if confronted by the thief.
Alternatively do as Marin suggested and call the police threatening violence against the thief, that's supposed to get them moving but I'm not sure about possible negative outcomes.
Be careful of leaving any personal details such as phone numbers, face book account as you want to minimise comeback. I'd also be careful if you contact the police how you word your intentions. I wouldn't go threatening violence against the thief but claim more that you want to prevent a breach of the peace.
Set up a false fb profile and use that to message them. Go and identify the bike re serial no then inform the police force where the bike is. I got a frame returned that way.
plod have been round to the house and neither lad or bike is there. he wasn't responding on fb so maybe he'd already moved it on. grr
At least you now know where he lives. Dish served cold.
neither lad or bike is there.
Doesn't that just mean that at that particular moment, he was riding around the estate on it wearing grey trackies and pulling exceptional wheelies?