Bike theft - What to do?

after just 2 weeks of cycling fun my beloved Fahrrad has been stolen...I've only been in Munich a few weeks and not sure where to go from here...is it worth reporting it to the police? any advice from any one unfortunate enough to be in the know would be appreciated...

Did you get it registered? i definitely would go the police, it doesn't harm, especially if it is a new one!

What are the circumstances? Maybe it hasn't even been stolen. Pelskimamma thought his bike had been stolen when he went away for a week, then just before purchasing a new one, found out that the hausmeister of his building had moved it into the bike parking.

that reminds me...isn't there a collection point for bikes that are removed - for whatever reason - by the police?

If its insured and you are going to claim on the insurance - then you have to report it to the police.

But that will all depend on how much the thing cost you in the first place.

If it only cost you fifty euros second-hand... just go out an replace it with something similar ... even if it was insured the insurance will probably make you pay the first 100 towards the new bike anyway and its not worth drawing the insurance company's attention to the fact that you've been 'careless' with it (even if you did have the thing locked up in the courtyard of your block of flats when it disappeared - the insurance company will still mark you down as having been careless).

Good luck, keep your eyes open - take a good look round in the vicinty of the undergrounds in the area in which it disappeared... someone may have 'borrowed' it and deposited it at the underground station.

Where was it stolen from? What does it look like? Any distinguishing features, that some of us TT'ers may recognise of we are out and about(I know, unlikely).

But yes if its registered, go to the police.

Dang! That sucks.

I was advised by a bike store worker that I should avoid getting a "mike's bike style cruiser" because they get stolen like hotcakes. Was yours a nice bike? Where was it, at an U-bahn station? I hear that that might be the worst place for 'misplacing' your bike.

Give more details on what happened... come on...!!!

My work collegue just has his bike stolen, he had to report it to the police, a very detailed description having to name the make and colour of every component on his bike, go to a place to see if his bike had been collected, then pay 4€ or more costs to the guy at the door to get a bit of papper to say the police did not have his bike, he then contacted his insurance and they were prepared to what the bike was worth now, after 2 years that wasnt very much, he got marked as being careless, and he still hasnt got the money.

Advice, dont buy expensive bikes. Insurance in the country is a fucking joke.

damn shame...

Had several stolen during my years in Amsterdam... usually with the Junkies or tossed into the canals by lager louts... thought we were safe here...

Did you lock it up all nice and everything?

You know the real problem for bikes nowadays?

For 65$ you can get one of these things...
http://www.coastaltool.com/a/maki/ma4390d.htm

It's designed to cut scaffolding pipes I beleive, your bike chain has no chance.

.

Just find an unlocked bike and steal one back...

It was locked up at the S-Bahn in Solln. I'd left it there every night for 2 weeks, guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. Total pain cos where I work is really awkward to get to and don't have a car, that bike meant an extra 30 minutes in bed every morning!
It was a Mike's Bikes one, old, but I liked it. Really cool kinda Harley Davidson handlebars! It's red and gold, and has a Mike's bike's sticker on to prove that it was purchased and not stolen (oh the irony!) apart from that not really anything distinguising...not even had the chance to fall off and dent it!
anyone got a bike for sale??? (Glutton for punishment I know, but that extra 30 minutes sleep is a lifesaver!)

Aaaah. S-bahn stations are notorious for bike thefts. They go with a big truck, snap all the ones they want in the middle of the night and drive off with them. Very few people about to notice. Sorry to hear about that. If you want to leave a bike at the S-bahn, make sure it's a real clunker and use a good lock.

Thanks for the advice guys, also thanks for not sounding like my dad and saying "told you so, what did you leave it there for?!"
Funny image was me this morning at Solln soaking wet in the pissing rain stood like a lemming in the middle of the street not knowing what to do! practically tripping over my bottom lip I was!

Had you checked on the bike every night?

I have been told that there are guys that go round and slap stickers on those bikes they think have been left behind, if the bike is still there when they come back the day after then it is taken away?

taken away where? first time I'd left it more than one night...

Bike Heavan I think?

Ok if it was only one night then it was some gypsy thieving git.

I think when they are taken away 'Officially' they are sold off at auctions.

cheeky bastards!
didn't realise there was a time limit on parking your bike!
is Bike Heaven in Harras then...this lost n found place?

I doubt that's what happened to yours Nilpferd. They wouldn't snatch it after one day. But the place near Harras is the Munich lost and found offices.

if they're taken away officially, because they're locked to something they shouldn't be or blocking the way etcetc, then they're taken to somewhere and left there for a few weeks. if no one claims, then they're sold off. but where is this bike haven?

oh, it wasn't parked illegally (but then in this country you never know when you're breaking the law!!) so probably has been nicked...glimmer of hope for a flleting moment...
found the Fundbüro and it's on Oetztaler Str in Harras. Might have a mosey along, if I don't find mine I might find someone else's!!

Even if you have insurance then it's probably not covered. In typical German style bikes are usually not covered, even if locked, from 22:00 to 06:00, unless they are in a locked, secure building... Most German insurance policies exclude the most likely claim circumstances... heaven forbid they would have to make a payment on a claim...

LeftWing

Here's my 2 cents:

Had my $1800 road bike stolen from in front of my building(2 stories) in broad daylight. I could see the freaking thing from my window. It was, of course, locked. Had to report it to the police, only identify the color, the make etc. Had to check the 'bike depository' to make sure it didn't turn up(it didn't - I'm sure it's in Poland somewhere). Reported it to the insurance company and was reimbursed for 1800€ which was more than twice what I paid for it.

More of the story - buy a used bike(even a top-end bike). Spend the extra 5€ to insure it for it's replacement value.

Less than an hour after I discovered it was stolen, I was walking down the street singing to myself 'I'm gettin' a new biiikkkke, I'm gettin' a new biiikkkeee!'. I was so happy!!!

Who did you insure with kitkat? I picked up a flyer for Aral bike insurance when I bought my bike and it was fairly hefty. Something like 10% of the bike price per year.

I would like to know about this bike insurance too.

And the expensive crowd I was talking about are ARAG not ARAL. See:
http://www.arag.de/de/produkte/fahrrad/index.html

Unlucky, I've not got around to getting a new lock for my bike since the winter when I broke the key and had to hacksaw my way through a cm of steel rope. I leave it unlocked outside bars, shops, whatever (except the bahnhof) and nobody has nicked it. In fact this is a bit of a pisser, I bought it brand new just a year ago and have had no end of trouble, probably ten punctures (great when you're in a hurry to get to work), brakes failing, wobbly bearings.

I wish I still had my Kona...

Tell me which bar and when!. I'll be happy to nick it for you!!

Bit delayed, but profundo is that your bike in that pic? ha ha I have fond memories of riding on the back of that thing and snapping off the reflector!! ahhah!!!

ive become a bit of a bike freak myself and i have heard allot of stories about bikes going missing- reality is there aint much you can do about it. Mine is chained day and night...even ifim buying flowers and can see it - i still chain it up... secondly... if its brand brand new be very very carefull!

That ARAG insurance is good - but it does cost almost 13% of the bike value per year and you still have to pay the first €50 of any claim, so on a €500 Euro bike you still wold have paid 23% of the bike value if you lose it in the first year, increasing by 13% each year. What is unusual about this insurance unlike most household bike policies is that the bike is covered in the open at night but only IF it's chained to an immobile object like a lamppost...

LeftWing

We are covered by Huk Coburg. Normally, bikes are covered up to like 250€ or something. But, because we have 6 bikes between the two of us(2 old mtnbikes for hacking around town, 2 nice mtn bikes for off road, and 2 nice road bikes) and 4 of them are worth 1500€+ each, we decided to insure them for a little bit more. I don't know the exact numbers but it's not a huge difference - I can find out the details if any one is really interested.

I'm actually thinking about leaving my nice off-road mtn bike somewhere hoping it will get 'nicked'.

In fact, I'm thinking also about doing that with my car - no one wants it, including me!!!

Ah, I presume you are talking about bike insurance as part of house insurance (Hausratversicherung).

let me know where you leave your car and i'll consider nicking it for you kitkat- this walking to work malarky is nooooo fun!

Nilpferd,

Do you think you can handle it? It's a 240hp, 3.0L BMW Z4 - black...it's sweet...and fast...but today the oil sensor light is stuck on!! Again. Second time to fix this stupid oil sensor light!

Ohhhh! Get you! I can handle it though, and being from a certain part of England I grew up stealing BMWs (rubber mallet hard on the centre of the bumper and the airbags fire but the doors also unlock and the alarm is disabled - tho I believe that's only the older ones...), so please leave it, with the top down, outside Regina's Lounge on Blütenstr this lunch time. It'll be gone by 5pm.

have you checked the oil?
bit drastic that: oil runs out, get new car.

what do you do when your man's got a headache

my bike was stolen just two days ago, from outside my apartment. it was locked in the "bike-parking -area" along with another 25 bikes, and only mine was gone... oh, i was soooo guttted. it wasnt brand new since i had had it for 4 years, but it was a good one.

i got a new bike now, and my brazilian paranoia is getting the most of me...i bought two lockers (my mom, who lives in brazil, thinks i should get a third one...thats just brazilian exaggeration) and i am bringing the bike up into the apartment every night.

think i am going crazy...it is Toytown, innit?!?!?

Yeah, yeah, about the oil. I wasn't having a freakin' cow the first time it happened - 3 months ago. The light was orange(not red, thankfully). The oil was low but, once it was filled again, the light stayed on. Brought it to the dealership - faulty sensor. It came on again Tuesday night and again the oil is fine - it's the freaking car - it's a magnet for problems.

Also, I had a small(4000€) accident last summer(when it was just 1 month old) - and the airbags did not deploy(thankfully,again). I hit the other car pretty hard so, I think hitting the bumper with a rubber malllet probably won't deploy the airbags these days.

i've bought cars for that price!!!
do want to take me out for dinner