Alas

Anglia TV weren't able to come so no TV exposure re bike crime but this may still happen.

Hopefully the article in the Chronicle will be productive as they have said they will include the URL of this blog.

Great service

As suggested by Essex Police I ordered an ultra violet marking pen yesterday and it was delivered a few hours ago - very efficient.

Should you wish to get one I'd recommend the following people - very impressive (ONE Railway take note).


http://www.office365.co.uk/

Anglia TV

Now we can add Anglia TV to the conversation. I am expecting to be interviewed tomorrow by Wendy Pike.

Clearly this seems to be a story that's of interest - I am hoping that ONE do comment as I can only see that they would want to improve security and as mentioned before its really about a lack of communication with cyclists and a failure to live up to their offer of providing a locked facility that is actually locked.

I'm starting to wonder just how many other bikes have been stolen that no one else has reported. Maybe this will bring out a lot more similar stories.

Essex Chronicle

Well good on the Chronicle - it seems my email was in the ether somewhere and they only recieved it today. A journalist was on the phone right away (power of the local press!) and has put a call into ONE. So I should apologise to ONE for previous posts regarding lack of feedback but I'll keep you updated on how they respond now - that's fair I feel.

Hopefully this will acheive all I set out to do which was to raise awareness of bike theft at the station and perhaps a few less people will have their bikes stolen as a result.

Hoorah for the Chronicle.

Essex Police feedback

Credit to Essex Police - they may not still offer a frame stamping service but at least they respond!

Public Relations wrote:
Classification: NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKEDMr WilsonWe no longer provide a bike marking service as some frames did notwithstand the pressure of the engraving. I would advise that if you wishto mark your bike that UV markers work very well. I hope this is ofsome use.RegardsClaire

Essex Police warning

Looks like this prompted the Chronicle piece re bike theft. If its true and people aren't looking their bikes then more fool them.

However if bikes are being locked and still stolen I would have expected the police to offer to code stamp frames etc to help track down the thieves. But then I'm not in charge, I just pay my council tax.

Here's the link to the article http://www.essex.police.uk/news/n_cont.php?articleId=2434

Essex Chronicle

Well it looks like the Chronicle may have paid some notice to my emails as there is a small story in last weeks edition about the number of bike thefts. As I recall it mentions some 20/30 bikes stolen in the last few months.

Without access to any stats its not easy to see if this is average or if the town really is being targeted.

Here's a link to the Chronicle's online offering: http://www.thisisessex.co.uk/index.php

ONE Managing Director

Well not that you can find it on the official ONE web site but I've found the MD's details of ONE on the Strategic Rail Authority site and here you are:

London Eastern Railway Ltd
Managing Director:
Tim Clarke
35 Artillery Lane
LONDON
E1 7LP

Let's see if we get any joy.

Abus d-lock

Have not got the Abus x-plus 54 D lock and this seems to be as solid as they come. It's a good fit around the frame or the wheels to a bike post and looks pretty difficult to get hold of.

It's not light (it does come with a holder) but then again I look at some of the cheaper models (the 54 was £65) and they don't look like they would stand up to much.

I'm due to take some pics of various items and I'll post them up.

I also use a squire padlock and a squire chain http://www.squirelocks.co.uk/html/strongchains.htm which are previously used on my motorbike. Together with the Abus they make the bike a real pain in the butt to take but even I know its not impossible.

So I am considering either alphadot http://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/motorcycle_parts/content_prod/67/2294
or Datatag http://www.datatag.co.uk/ as a marking system.

I may even call Essex Police and see if they will stamp the frame with my postcode. http://www.essex.police.uk/ I can't see anything on their site but that doesn't mean its not there.

British transport Police

So having had to report my own crime to the BTP they have since proved excellent in their follow up (virtually no chance of seeing the old bike though). I've had a letter and a phone call.

At least the crime has been registered and there's a slim chance that someone will start looking into the increasing number of cycle's from Chelmsford station.

I'm off to track down ONE's MD and post him the email I sent to his PR people. I'm also going to email the Head Office with the original email address just to see if I can get a response. info@onerailway.com

New Google group

For your info I've set up a Google group http://groups.google.co.uk/group/bikesofchelmsford to see if we can start conversations on the same subject as this blog.

Good resource

Wish I had known about this site earlier:http://www.mondodesigno.com/stolenbike/index.html

I hadn't had my bike long enough to note down frame number, datatag it or have the frame stamped by the police but you can bet that the second bike is having all of the above sorted.

Go to the above site of you havea bike stolen and register it.

One fail to respond

I don't suppose I am surprised but my email to ONE has been completely ignored. http://www.onerailway.com/

I had written to the PR department, not asking for compensation I might add, but wanting to hear how they would address the failure of their staff to carry out their duties.

Once again a large company, happy to take over £300 a month from me, cannot even be bothered to respond to a communication from one of its customers. Not unexpected I suppose, poor customer service exists everywhere: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_service

I'll post up a copy of my email shortly which I intend to print out and post to the MD.

Security @ the station

Waiting to pick up the new bike, Giant XTC SX, I went via the station at around 4pm yesterday.

The two 'secure' bike, cycle, push bike zones which are locked from 9am - 4.30pm were both wide open. I spoke to station staff who confirmed 'yep they are meant to be locked and its our responsibility' - why this had not been done was not confirmed.

So when you've had a bike stolen from a secure zone and you find out the gates are not locked what are you to do?

My solution take pictures of the unlocked gates (time stamped) , write an email to the company running the station, ONE, cc in the local press, radio, TV and MP and send them the pics and ask them to respond.

Let's see what ONE's PR machine comes up with - I hope they demonstrate their commitment to customer service through their actions.

Sunday 9th Chelmsford station

After dropping off my wife at the station I noticed a blond teenage boy parked on his bike in amongst bikes on the racks facing the Plough Pub. I stopped, got out of the car and challnaged him - it was obvious he was trying to steal the padded seat from one of the bikes.

Needless to say he rode off having been caught in the act. The staff at the station didn't seem that bothered.

Still not news from the British Transport Police - what a fine organisation they are. I'll email them directly but its more a point of principal than the expectation of a response.

http://www.btp.police.uk/

Essex Chronicle

I've emailed the Essex Chronicle www.thisisessex.co.uk highlighting the unreported thefts and, you guessed it, zero feedback.

As, hopefully, people find this blog we can start raising the issue with the media.

Good news

My local bike shop has matched the online price for a new Giant XtC SX (better than the SE that was stolen) so I'm back on the road this weekend.

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/uk/030.000.000/030.010.000.asp?range=249

The Cycle & Toy Centre (not sure why that last bit is on there) in Chelmsford is recommended - speak to Mike on 01245 283929. Maybe one day they will get a web site but for the time being they only exist in the real world.

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&search_result
=&db=pc〈=&keepicon=true&pc=CM11PP&advanced=&client=public&addr2=
&quicksearch=CM1%201PP&addr3=&addr1=

Any comments or advice on D-locks much appreciated but so far the Abus X-plus 54 seems the front runner:

http://www.cyclingplus.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=99270

Taxi driver inside info

Sorry forgot to mention this.

Last night, speaking to a taxi driver taking me home I found out:

1. The taxi drivers know who the theives at the station are.
2. Groups of kids/teenagers hang around the station on bikes all 'hooded' up
3. When the taxi drivers have notified the police they don't turn up/turn up too late
4. These people are carrying bolt cutters - hardly a small piece of kit

Stations fall under the British Transport Police and Essex Police don't seem too concerned so once again it looks like it falls to us to look out for each other.

PS I will be buying another bike and I will be back to the station. This time with hoofing great locks and chains that will need power tools to get through.

Why the blog?

Like a few people I have had the mis-fortune to have my bike stolen. Having spoken to the station staff at Chelmsford station (nice guy) it seems this is all too common and yet no real warnings are posted at the station apart from the usual 'get out of jail free/cover our backs' sign which reads 'bikes are left at your own risk.

So I printed out notes and tapped them up at the station and not one person was aware that there was a theft problem - if you don't know there's an issue you can't be as well prepared.

This blog isn't just about theft from stations but bike theft in general.

Post your comments and let's see what we can do about reducing theft as no one else seems that bothered.