Trackers

[Waspy]

Hijacking ebikers and taking the bikes by armed yobs is a growth industry in my town.

What are these trackers and where can I get one?

Where would you fit one? Under the saddle seems too obvious, inside a frame tube sounds better.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23665798.knifeman-caught-electronic-bike-stole-tracker/

 

[guerney]

"An electric bike was taken from a member of the public at around 11pm "

Dark. I'm quite amazed the police took action TBH. That almost happened to my bike at about 12.32am (I think, will check timestamp of camera video). My bike may have been too daft looking and slow to be of sufficient interest, for the car to be utilised instead:

https://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/bike-chased-late-friday-night-by-loons.45686/

I use this GPS tracker light. It's currently situated on my seatpost, but because I need my long seatpost to thump attackers defend myself with, I'm in the process of attaching it to the pannier rack:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tracker-Anti-Robo-Waterproof-Warning-Trackers/dp/B07XLHWDJF/

Giffgaff PAYG SIM, and no data used in my case - I communicate with this GPS tracker by SMS rather than app. Consequently operating cost is between £10 and £20 a year, plus electricity for recharging. My GPS tracker is more visible than most, might be recognised immediately, on the other hand it could provide useful information for the police.

 

[AndyBike]

Smart water would also be an idea.

If the cops see such a sticker on a bike in the hands of a scroat they're more likely to check up on it.
Basically 99% of the work is done for them.

 

[guerney]

Smart water would also be an idea.

If the cops see such a sticker on a bike in the hands of a scroat they're more likely to check up on it.
Basically 99% of the work is done for them.

Surely it'd be easier for cops to check an online database? What advantage does Smart Water have over registering the bike's frame number on Bikeregister etc?

 

[guerney]

Hijacking ebikers and taking the bikes by armed yobs is a growth industry in my town.

Is the cost of living crisis driving a national trend?

 

[StuartsProjects]

Inside a frame tube sounds better.

Most frame tubes are metal are they not.

A tracker in a metal boxes does not work very well.

 

[guerney]

Most frame tubes are metal are they not.

A tracker in a metal boxes does not work very well.

Good point. Maybe a small hole, for a "miniature" antenna to be positioned on the outside? This one doesn't seem all that small - the GPS CF module with phased array antenna on my Dell Axim Windows CE PDA (remember those? Brilliant little device for the time, even had a CF phone module) is smaller, works brilliantly in very remote areas, with no A-GPS needed. The GPS antenna in my 8" Sony VAIO P laptop is even smaller than that.

MINIATURE GPS ANTENNA

Compact GPS Antenna UFL ConnectorA compact GPS Antenna for embedded positioning applications where high performance is required.

www.rfsolutions.co.uk

https://www.rfsolutions.co.uk/downloads/628e59467023c889ANT-GPS-P20-3.pdf

 

[StuartsProjects]

Maybe a small hole, for a "miniature" antenna to be positioned on the outside?

If you can get a wire outside the tube, then a simple bit of wire is good enough for a GPS, see these comparisons of simple wires versus the common ceramic patch antennas;

https://stuartsprojects.github.io/2020/09/10/GPS-antennas-effectiveness-and-weight.html

 

[guerney]

If you can get a wire outside the tube, then a simple bit of wire is good enough for a GPS, see these comparisons of simple wires versus the common ceramic patch antennas;

https://stuartsprojects.github.io/2020/09/10/GPS-antennas-effectiveness-and-weight.html

Very interesting - maybe I can stuff the circuitboard of my GPS tracker light into the handlebar after all? Could be small enough. I could route wires in for charging, because I wouldn't want it continuously draining the ebike battery. I don't actually need a rear red light, I fear there's far too much already from the monstrous 1800LM flasher.

 

[Nealh]

Stolen bikes one supsects like a lot of crime is very low on plods agenda.

 

[guerney]

Stolen bikes one supsects like a lot of crime is very low on plods agenda.

Quite amazed Swindon plod did anything other than tick a box somewhere. After establishing my stolen bike's location, I suspect I'd have to burst in and go beserk with a baseball bat resort to distributing leaftets to encourage vigilantes, and writing to my MP.

 

[guerney]

Teenager in court over alleged electric bike robbery-murder

Yusuf Kallon, 19, was arrested on July 6 and charged with Mr Trotman’s murder, two counts of robbery, possession of a blade and cannabis.

www.independent.co.uk

" A teenager accused of killing a man for the sake of his electric bicycle has appeared at the Old Bailey.

Police were called at 9.20pm on Sunday, June 25 "