Ebike muggings

[Bullet]

Alas on the Wirral where I live there had been a number of robberies and assaults on ebike riders lately by gangs of youths all dressed in black and wearing full face balaclavas. A few days ago in Leasowe a man and his son were attacked and stabbed for their ebikes. This has happened a few times now and I have actually got video footage of a sixty years old man being mugged for his bike recently. This crime seems to be becoming very popular amongst teenage thugs on bikes. The penny has dropped with them how expensive ebikes are. Unfortunately the police being overstretched, undermanned and underfunded die to government cuts cannot do much about it
Unfortunately this trend could spread around the country so take extra care and be wary of gangs of youths riding with balaclavas concealing their faces

 

[Wayners]

It's something I thought about. I know someone that was robbed/mugged for mountain bike some years ago. I've though about locks to defend myself, although that could backfire badly! Guess we all think about a baseball bat bike lock. I fear I love my bike enough to not want to hand it over and walk home

 

[guerney]

Guess we all think about a baseball bat bike lock.

Yep, thats my plan if cornered and out of options - a long Dahon seatpost with heavy saddle is quickly released, to mete out Judge Dredd style justice.

My converted and quite weird and silly looking bike and me got chased by goons on foot, as I passed a pub after closing time late one night a few weeks ago, and their mates followed me for a time in a car... before deciding my bike wasn't worth the effort (I guess they know their brands, and the risk/reward ratio didn't compute sufficiently in their favour), and I clearly wasn't proceeding uphill at a speed which would impress anybody, so they shouted "SHALL WE GRAB YA?!!!? SHALL WE GRAB YA???" then "HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!", as they sped off elsewhere. Still, I'd rather be seen than be an invisible cyclist again. Cue video and audio of the event (turn up volume):

 

[sjpt]

A friend was on his bike on a canal in London when attacked. Not only bike stolen, but he ended up in the canal with laptop in a backpack, ruined.

He was on the phone to my son at the time (shouldn't have been); my son couldn't at all work out what was happening.

 

[guerney]

Canals are perfect isolated and quiet mugging spots bereft of witnesses and cameras, I've stopped using them completely. At night in particular, they're infested with lurking goons.

 

[guerney]

It's best to speed past crazies before they can formulate a plan. An example from tonight, just a few minutes ago: All one of these dudes had time for was "What's that bike bro?" and a loud "Whooooweee!" The "bro" and the rest is missing from the audio - front facing mic pickup pattern. This sounded relatively friendly, it's usually "WHAT YOU DOING WITH MY BIKE BLOOD?"

 

[thelarkbox]

An apple airtag with its speaker removed is a good way to track a bike if it gets swiped by a mugger or thief, you can then think about it make phone calls and turn up mob handed to get your bike back, even call plod..
Aliexpress sent me a bike bell with an apple airtag sized hidden compartment..

And if in a locatity where theft or even a mugging is likely get insurance.. Your home contents policy is a good place to start for the best vfm, but check its also covered away from the home, some budget insurers started limiting cycle cover to home only a few years back.. not all tho.

If mugged DONT argue just hand it over and do all you can to end the situation as quickly and further hassle free as possible.

I spent many years carrying huge sums of cash when working as an insurance agent weekly collections/doorstep service etc... (10k wasnt unusual by 9pm friday night. )
We had regular 1/2 day seminars with a 5* overnight stay about NOT BEING A HERO, The vhs vids of cautionary tales had everyone's eyes rolling back to start with but all the first timers would walk out with white faces.. and this was the 80's..

Yeah Dont be a hero..