I Found An Expensive Mountain Bike…

[Gromit]

So I have attempted to report it to the Police.

1. Dialled 101. No reply. After 20 minutes gave up.
2. Dialled my local Police station, answering machine says they do not monitor it at weekends.
3. Dialled station this morning. A polite lady says their system won’t let them check if any bicycles have been stolen. They didn’t want my name and contact details or make and model of bike or where I had found it. Told me to use the Live Chat facility on GM Police website.
4. They said I should post it on Facebook. When I said I am not on Facebook, they said it is easy to join. I ignored that and asked if any bicycles had been reported stolen in my area? Apparently it is impossible to check, and said again to use social media.
5. Walked into town and nobbled a PCSO and told them. They took no notes and told me to ring 101.
6. Rang 101. No reply.

So someone somewhere has had their £500 bike nicked and the Police aren’t at all interested in solving the crime.

[bhg481]

Why not pop a letter off to your local MP?

[ladybirder]

Gromit have you read my suggestion at the bottom of the first page?

[gulliver1]

12.11 Spot on Canary , The Tories have slashed Police Funding beyond recognition. They obviously need all the taxpayers cash they can get their mucky little paws on to finance their Con Crony Club.

[youngmafbog]

My only surprise Gromit is that you are suprised by the reaction of the Police Farce.

[elliemay1]

Just wondering where you found it. Maybe the cyclist just parked it there and was going to return for it later on

[ummmm]

People don't leave expensive bikes unlocked.

[jno]

elliemay, if it wasn't locked up in any way it's at least a reasonable guess that it's no longer with its owner

[Gromit]

It wasn’t ‘parked’ it was sprawled across a path blocking it. I found it at 5am taking a pooch for a walk to cool off. No house for about 200 metres.

Decided I had wasted too much time on this problem and dumped it across the doorway of the hut the PCSOs go and hide it.

Ymb, Yes an eye opener for me. Didn’t realise the police have totally given up some crimes. Advertise on FaceBook For Funks Sake.

[ummmm]

What is the point of getting those invisible pens then?

[bednobs]

damn those invisible pens ... i keep putting mine down and loosing it :)

[jno]

perhaps it was just on the wrong side of the road

https://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/news/police-admit-that-they-only-visited-houses-with-even-numbers-when-it-came-to-attempted-burglaries-1-6887454/

[Jackdaw33]

There is an offence under the Theft Act of stealing by finding. If the police will not accept the property then how can it still be an offence? All reasonable steps should be taken to find the owner. I consider being told to advertise on social media is unreasonable.

[douglas9401]

I'm sure I've lived through this saga already.

[Gromit]

Bad news.
I dropped the bike off at the PCSO cabin 8 hours ago.
It is still there. Probably get vandalised and thrown in a skip.
Beginning to think local plod and PCSOs aren’t up to the job.