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Mother whose son's BMX was stolen tricks thief who tried to sell it on Facebook into bringing it to her house

"I really couldn't believe my eyes when this man turned up at my house wheeling my son's bicycle,” said Jemma Shaw...

A woman from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire whose son’s BMX bike was stolen spotted it for sale online in a local Facebook group – and posed as a potential buyer to lure the thief to her house with it.

ITV News reports that the bike was stolen from Jemma Shaw’s 12-year-old son by two men after they had spent an hour chatting with him.

She subsequently saw the bike for sale on the Grimsby Swaps and Sales group on Facebook and offered the poster £100 for it.

When the man arrived at hour house, she filmed their encounter, and asked him how long he had owned the bike, to which he replied, “for ages.”

But the would-be vendor was more cagey when quizzed about how he had come by it.

When she told him that she knew it was her son’s bike which had been stolen the previous day, he said, “okay” and fled – leaving the bike behind.

"I really couldn't believe my eyes when this man turned up at my house wheeling my son's bicycle,” she said.

"I understand that what I did could have been dangerous, but I have a big dog in the house that keeps me safe, and I just wanted to show my son that you don't have to be scared of these people and that you can stand up to them without being violent.

"It is disgusting that these people would go up to a young child playing in the park with the sole intention of stealing their bicycle. It is beginning to get so horrible around here, it is full of plastic gangsters.

"I needed to show my son that you can be strong in these situations, but also peaceful, because violence is never the answer,” she continued.

"I hope that this thief has now learned his lesson, and won't go around picking on other young children.”

She discovered a bit of a bonus, too, saying that the thief “At least did one good thing and fixed the brakes for us before trying to sell me it."

Humberside Police said that rather than people taking matters into their own hands, "We always encourage anyone who has had any property stolen to call us in the first instance and report it.”

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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16 comments

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Fifth Gear | 5 years ago
2 likes

Not only do the police have the Facebook account of the thief but he was caught on video inside the house when he returned the bike. Obviously these thieves don't  steal just one bike but many others and then go on to other crime but it's not a priority for the police so this criminality will escalate.

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ClubSmed | 5 years ago
0 likes

I am not so enamoured with this story, I do not think that the mother comes off well in my eyes.

First off she admits to letting her child cycle around on a bike with faulty brakes. Then when the bike is stolen, instead of getting the police involved and potentially get the thief arrested (and stop future children having to suffer the same loss) she decides to play a little prank on the thief and teaches him the lesson not to sell through social media.

Avatar
vonhelmet replied to ClubSmed | 5 years ago
3 likes

ClubSmed wrote:

I am not so enamoured with this story, I do not think that the mother comes off well in my eyes.

First off she admits to letting her child cycle around on a bike with faulty brakes. Then when the bike is stolen, instead of getting the police involved and potentially get the thief arrested (and stop future children having to suffer the same loss) she decides to play a little prank on the thief and teaches him the lesson not to sell through social media.

The police would not have arrested him. Give over. Even now that she’s ID’d him they’ll do nothing.

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ClubSmed replied to vonhelmet | 5 years ago
0 likes

vonhelmet wrote:

ClubSmed wrote:

I am not so enamoured with this story, I do not think that the mother comes off well in my eyes.

First off she admits to letting her child cycle around on a bike with faulty brakes. Then when the bike is stolen, instead of getting the police involved and potentially get the thief arrested (and stop future children having to suffer the same loss) she decides to play a little prank on the thief and teaches him the lesson not to sell through social media.

The police would not have arrested him. Give over. Even now that she’s ID’d him they’ll do nothing.

If I had identified a criminal and decided to publicly shame him I would not want to give my address in the process, especially if I had vunerable children in the house.

I think this is increadibly irresponsable, but what do you expect from a parent who knowingly lets their children go out on bikes with faulty brakes?

There are several other stories around the internet with people doing similar but they meet in a neutral place and inform the police of what is happening so that something can be done.

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RMurphy195 | 5 years ago
2 likes

I can understand the lady's attitude on this.

When my son was about 9 years old I was walking with him in a subway near where I work in Birmingham. We were accosted on the steps out of the subway by 3 youths, asking the time. Sensing the worst I gently guided my son away from them as one the of youths said "get his wallet".

My thoughts were "not in front of my son you don't"

No fracas, just lots of shouting from me to attract attention - though as one reached for my wallet I leant towards him and he slipped down the steps. They fled, it was the shouting ("I know your face" "Police" "Thieves" etc.) that did the trick. All I wanted to do was create an escape rout, they had me surrounded.

Stupid of me really, but there you are. Parental protectiveness and all that.

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jlebrech | 5 years ago
0 likes

bike thieves need to be erradicated

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Richard D | 5 years ago
6 likes

"Humberside Police said that rather than people taking matters into their own hands, "We always encourage anyone who has had any property stolen to call us in the first instance and report it.”"

"Because after a week we'll issue you with a crime number that you can give to your insurers.  But if you think that we'll do anything else at all to investigate the crime, apprehend the suspect or prosecute him, you're delusional.  We barely bother dealing with the big stuff like burglaries and assaults; bike theft is way too much trouble for us."

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bsknight replied to Richard D | 5 years ago
0 likes

Richard D wrote:

"Humberside Police said that rather than people taking matters into their own hands, "We always encourage anyone who has had any property stolen to call us in the first instance and report it.”"

"Because after a week we'll issue you with a crime number that you can give to your insurers.  But if you think that we'll do anything else at all to investigate the crime, apprehend the suspect or prosecute him, you're delusional.  We barely bother dealing with the big stuff like burglaries and assaults; bike theft is way too much trouble for us."

 

I was going to post something similar, but you said it better. So, one wonders, what they have done now that the intrepid woman has provided a link via a facebook account to the thief? I think I can guess the answer.

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Woldsman | 5 years ago
6 likes

On the subject of bikes and biking, Humberside police seemed concerned only that you should be wearing a helmet when out and about - and not riding on the A63.  How much worse would things be if the chief constable wasn't quite a bit of a MAMIL?

Good for Jemma, although I think I would be fearful of reprisals in her position. 

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brooksby replied to Woldsman | 5 years ago
0 likes

Woldsman wrote:

... although I think I would be fearful of reprisals in her position. 

This.  There seems to nothing that criminals take more personally than someone catching them out (no burglar ever was totally understanding when it was their house that got burgled, I suspect...).

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BehindTheBikesheds | 5 years ago
2 likes

I'm still on the lookout everytime I go back up to maters after her bike (a present from me 3 xmas's ago) was stolen from outside the care home she volunteers at.  Humberside police are useless in my experience.

Glad this person got her sons bike back but it's so infrequent hence why it makes it newsworthy.

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maviczap | 5 years ago
1 like

H'mmmm what would Humberside Police have done if you had reported it?

Like all our under resourced and overworked forces, nothing, no one was hurt and property value was low.

Good on her

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Gus T | 5 years ago
3 likes

Humberside Police, the crime number kings of the UK, it's pure luck if they ever recover a stolen item.

 

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DoctorFish | 5 years ago
2 likes

I wonnder if the thief has closed their facebook account, or it would be very easy for the police to track them down.  

Well done Jemma.

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burtthebike | 5 years ago
4 likes

Well done!  Has she supplied the video to the police to stop other people having their bikes nicked?

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don simon fbpe | 5 years ago
2 likes

Good on her.

 

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