STOLEN in London: LK06 FNE Ducati Monster 695

[Paivi]

My beloved Duchess was stolen today.

LK06 FNE
Ducati Anniversary red
Bikini fairing with www.ducatisti.co.uk stickers (I'm old skool)
Cracked clocks
Cradle for Garmin
Ducati Corse clear tank protector
Gel seat
695 decal missing from one side
Standard cans
Large Ventura rack

St James's Square, Mayfair, London
Some time between 13.15 and 23.15 on Tuesday, 10 June

I can't get the photo small enough to fit UKMOC, so could somebody please do the favour from Al's FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=466781633340731&set=pb.216911714994392.-2207520000.1402451387.&type=3&theater

[slob]

http://www.thelasturl.net/img/paivi.jpg

[Paivi]

Thank you kind Sir.

[Albie]

Oh christ no. Gutted for you once again.

[jonzi]

St James Sq has to be covered in CCTV right?

Can the police look at that?

I am sorry for your loss. I hope you get it back

[Black Bob]

St James Sq has to be covered in CCTV right?

Can the police look at that?

Can they be arsed, really? in my experience, no.

So sorry to hear this, Paivi. Hope you weren't too emotionally attached. Death's too good for the bastards, etc, etc....

[Diego]

Sry to hear that Paivi. First your lovely scooter...now this beauty...grrrrr!!!!

[MerlinPV12]

That's 100% bad news - gutted for you, hope the insurance covers another bike

[Gilps]

Aww, bad news Paivi. Sorry to hear it.

[Paivi]

Thanks all. Am absolutely gutted, as I love that bike! I'd be willing to pay practically any money to get her back, no questions asked. I just want the Duchess back.

Loads of CCTV, but as I learnt when my scoot was nicked, the police will only look at the footage if they've got a theft window of 20 minutes. These 'people' had ten hours, so no chance.

The problem is that I'm out of work now, so was hoping to pocked the scooter compensation (still outstanding) and use the Duchess for whatever I need/want to do. Now I don't have either bike, so I have to use it to buy a bike, but obviously I'll never buy a new bike again, just not worth it. Also, with two claims in four months, I'll never be able to afford insurance again. :(

[J.P]

Oh I'm really sorry to hear about your bike, I know you loved it.

[Dukedesmo]

Loads of CCTV, but as I learnt when my scoot was nicked, the police will only look at the footage if they've got a theft window of 20 minutes.

This is an outrage! If you stray into a bus lane or park somewhere you shouldn't for a few seconds they'll have you.

I believe the UK has the most CCTV cameras in the world but they only use them for extracting money from it's own citizens - f***ing disgraceful...

Sorry to hear about your bike, I hope you get it back/get some justice against the scrotes that took it but somehow I doubt it, it seems law enforcement UK style is all about the compliance offence nowadays... :mad:

[Darren69]

Sorry for your loss. That's 2 bikes taken recently, probably the same scumbags!

[Yorkie]

Really sorry for the loss of your Monster, there seems to be a little too much of this going on.

Yorkie

[MerlinPV12]

I know that in America they chain bike chain to bike chain if there isn't a solid object to chain to, I've not seen that done around London - anybody know why its not common place? I'd do it if its acceptable?

[jonzi]

Around Westminster council areas they have put in ground anchors at a lot of the bike spaces.

But lugging a chain in is a ball ache. And it's not really feasible, or fair, to leave a chain in the ground anchor.

so a good idea but unless you have a topbox to keep a chain in, it's not one that I see used much.

[Dirty]

Horrible news. I was round there today for the protest and I'm surprised they took it from there. Bstds must rely on the fact the police don't prioritise. You do have the option of a freedom of information request of course. Plus a friendly letter to any of the clubs and businesses that have cameras might not be a bad idea.

[Akita Boy]

Really sorry to read about this, **** news.

[Paivi]

Update: lifted into an official looking trailer/van (with straps, so prob trailer) at 3.30pm. Three blokes, preceded by five spotters in hoodies and on pushbikes. Three bikes stolen y'day with this method, vehicle spotted several times over the last couple of days.

If challenged, like y'day, they claim to be taking the bike for not paying 'road tax'. Sounds legit, so people let them steal the bikes.

Two witnesses, loads of CCTV that the companies have promised to review overnight/first thing in the morning and let me know if they can help. I can then tell the police to go and view the footage and start looking for these people. I won't give them an option, I'll tell them to bloody do it or I'll take it to the top, I spent hours today flyposting all the bikes in the square and visiting all offices/clubs twice, first to alert them to my bike having been stolen and then to tell them they need to look at 3.30pm and an official looking vehicle.

[Paivi]

Horrible news. I was round there today for the protest and I'm surprised they took it from there. Bstds must rely on the fact the police don't prioritise. You do have the option of a freedom of information request of course. Plus a friendly letter to any of the clubs and businesses that have cameras might not be a bad idea.
I'm a member of one of the clubs and, therefore, have some clout with the other two... ;) Went to see all of the clubs & businesses today, all were very sympathetic and promised to help, and they'd clearly passed the word.

[Dandanfings]

Update: lifted into an official looking trailer/van (with straps, so prob trailer) at 3.30pm. Three blokes, preceded by five spotters in hoodies and on pushbikes. Three bikes stolen y'day with this method, vehicle spotted several times over the last couple of days.

If challenged, like y'day, they claim to be taking the bike for not paying 'road tax'. Sounds legit, so people let them steal the bikes.

Two witnesses, loads of CCTV that the companies have promised to review overnight/first thing in the morning and let me know if they can help. I can then tell the police to go and view the footage and start looking for these people. I won't give them an option, I'll tell them to bloody do it or I'll take it to the top, I spent hours today flyposting all the bikes in the square and visiting all offices/clubs twice, first to alert them to my bike having been stolen and then to tell them they need to look at 3.30pm and an official looking vehicle.

find them and make the ****ers pay.
Maybe its the same bunch who stole mine.

[Dirty]

I'm a member of one of the clubs and, therefore, have some clout with the other two... ;) Went to see all of the clubs & businesses today, all were very sympathetic and promised to help, and they'd clearly passed the word.

Excellent news. It's clearly in their interests to help.

Let me guess. It's Gaslights of St James you are a member of :mand: :spin:

[Albie]

Im glad you have something to go on now. Fingers crossed something is done or found.

[Paivi]

Excellent news. It's clearly in their interests to help.

Let me guess. It's Gaslights of St James you are a member of :mand: :spin:
I wouldn't be a member of any club that would have me as a member, and the Gaslights would obviously have me...

Let's just say that if I were ever asked 'you and whose army', I'd be able to say 'mine, and I'd bring in the Navy and the RAF, too'... ;)

Just got a call from the Met, he sounded shocked and surprised that I'd done their job for them. I told him to impress on the local boys of the time constraint (I reckon tomorrow's the last day of the thieves waiting for the Tracker to be found by the coppers) and then they'll start breaking it into parts. I hope they won't, as she's too pretty and in too good a nick to break, she needs to come home to me, and my trusted mechanic, Alec.

[Dirty]

I wouldn't be a member of any club that would have me as a member, and the Gaslights would obviously have me...

Let's just say that if I were ever asked 'you and whose army', I'd be able to say 'mine, and I'd bring in the Navy and the RAF, too'... ;)

Just got a call from the Met, he sounded shocked and surprised that I'd done their job for them. I told him to impress on the local boys of the time constraint (I reckon tomorrow's the last day of the thieves waiting for the Tracker to be found by the coppers) and then they'll start breaking it into parts. I hope they won't, as she's too pretty and in too good a nick to break, she needs to come home to me, and my trusted mechanic, Alec.

I presumed you weren't 'in and out' :)

I wonder if it was gypsies. The Travellers club is just round the corner :)

Sadly these days the police often need a bit of prodding to get them to do their job. When ever I reported a fare dodger I would be told it was a 'civil offence' and I'd have to quote the theft act at them to prove it wasn't and to get them to do anything. Hope you get a result and fast.

[Saint aka ML]

I know that in America they chain bike chain to bike chain if there isn't a solid object to chain to, I've not seen that done around London - anybody know why its not common place? I'd do it if its acceptable?

I did that few years back. 3 of us were biking to work, one was doing 12h shift starting same time as we did but we did 10h shifts so chain to his we all happy bunnies.

I presumed you weren't 'in and out' :)

I wonder if it was gypsies. The Travellers club is just round the corner :)

Sadly these days the police often need a bit of prodding to get them to do their job. When ever I reported a fare dodger I would be told it was a 'civil offence' and I'd have to quote the theft act at them to prove it wasn't and to get them to do anything. Hope you get a result and fast.

These days.

4y ago I got rear-ended. Lady gave me her contact details. When I called next day bloke picked up and said no such person here (I did actually take photo of her and plate on car but she did not know).

Told that to police but 5 days later got they are unable to trace who was driving the vehicle and owner says it was not me. I point out I have a photo and plate and that I managed to get CCTV footage as there are 4 cameras pointing right at the junction due to number of accidents. They went uh oh but how and why I got it. WTF Why?!

Sent it over to them and 4 days later they told me she now admitted being there and doing that.

Funny thing is they never done her or her husband for perverting course of justice or insurance fraud as they lied to police and insurance company......

[Paivi]

I presumed you weren't 'in and out' :)
Oh, I'm very much 'in and out'... :p

[Paivi]

Update: four witnesses now, with good ID coming out of it, including mobile phone pictures.

The vehicle used was a fake Met Police trailer, one of those things that you can lift a car onto.

Six bikes stolen from that bay in two days by this gang.

[Paivi]

I wonder if it was gypsies. The Travellers club is just round the corner :)
:biggrin::biggrin:

[slob]

That should focus their minds on the 20 minute window thing somewhat. Impersonating a Police officer is quite a serious offence, that plod takes more seriously than everyone else. Hope you get a result. There are few things in life as unpleasant as the screaming void where your pride and joy used to be.

[Paivi]

Impersonating a Police officer is quite a serious offence, that plod takes more seriously than everyone else.
Oh, indeed. The copper's whole demeanour changed when I mentioned that. One could hear him sit up and take notice.

[Dirty]

If we have to do all the work to get them interested it makes you wonder where all the money we pay in fines and parking tickets goes!

[gary tompkins]

I've had 3 attempted break ins on my garage and bike shed in the past. Fortunately little was stolen probably because my bikes were properly chained and secured. The level of apathy on the part of Kent police to all three crimes was frankly shocking, and made me question why I even bothered reporting it to the the useless twats. Each time I had to repair doors and replace locks at considerable expense. My garage now resembles Fort Knox but I hope it'll keep the scumbags out.

Hope you manage to get Duchess back

[Mikejw]

Sorry to read about this-yet another Monster stolen. With the further developments, I hope the police take it a bit more seriously.

[wezrvf]

Great work getting the evidence together. I would happily give up a few days to get a step closer to getting my pride and joy back. It makes me completely livid that these d*ck heads just think it is perfectly acceptable to steal other peoples property. There was a video doing the rounds of a slum somewhere and an unfortunate chap had his fingers cut off with a blunt axe after trying to steal someone's bike, barbaric and probably not for the modern world but can't help but think it is the answer.

Honestly......if the next ten people to get caught stealing had their fingers cut off I guarantee all kinds of robbery crimes would drop and we would have ten useless c*nts wondering around with five less fingers.

Rant over.

Keep it up !!!

[bex]

I hate reading this. I know the feeling and I hope you get her back. Well done on doing the coppers job for them.

[Dukedesmo]

The level of apathy on the part of Kent police to all three crimes was frankly shocking, and made me question why I even bothered reporting it to the the useless twats.

Fully agree. I had my car broken into some years ago, Leics. Police really couldn't have been less helpful.

The only useful purpose reporting served was for the insurance but even that was a waste of time as, although the insurance paid for the repair (less excess) by the time I'd paid the increased premiums (on 3 policies) for the next few years, it would have been cheaper to not report it and fix it myself.

My Son had his car broken into earlier this year, we didn't even bother reporting/claiming as we already knew the outcome.

However last week he drove in a bus lane and within 48 hours had a letter with 3 colour photos and a £60 fine, so at least we can all sleep easy in our beds at night knowing that law enforcement is still alive in this country... :rolleyes:

[Liz]

Sitting at the window in the office 2 days ago ringing round for new insurance quotes during my lunch break and the police are based in the same building - first one reverses their police car into a lamp post right outside the window, 2 minutes later another turns up and gets out carrying a MacDonalds :rolleyes:

Paivi, so sorry to hear about your bike being taken, I really hope they catch the bas***ds.

[Dirty]

Honestly......if the next ten people to get caught stealing had their fingers cut off I guarantee all kinds of robbery crimes would drop and we would have ten useless c*nts wondering around with five less fingers.

Rant over.

Keep it up !!!

Personally I think shooting is too good for them but that's how they do in Brazil

http://youtu.be/sACerTULaHA

[He11cat]

I was stunned by this ...
FFs and impersonating a police officer !!!!
I bet if you turned up dressed as one to report your bike stolen they would have field day !
It's mental .. It's a gang of them as well :( I bet they know the cops are not bothered let's take what we want :(
I hope you get her back you don't deserve all this

[Dirty]

I was stunned by this ...
FFs and impersonating a police officer !!!!


To be fair if they were really impersonating a police officer they would turned up 4 hours later and done nothing :p

[Mr Gazza]

Really sorry to hear about this Paivi, makes my blood boil every time.
Well done for getting the feds motivated.

Honestly......if the next ten people to get caught stealing had their fingers cut off I guarantee all kinds of robbery crimes would drop and we would have ten useless c*nts wondering around with five less fingers.


How barbaric!...I wouldn't hear of it..
I'ld cut thier eyelids off, so the squalid little ticks never got another wink of sleep in their lives....:chuckle:

[Paivi]

Update:

I'm cursing DVLA to the deepest, darkest circle of Hell. They've had the Duchess all along, but didn't bother calling it in until almost exactly, to the minute, a week afterwards! I SORNed it (took it off the road) last summer, after my ankle operation, instead of insuring it, thinking I'd not ride it, and of course, forgot I'd SORNed it (first time I'd ever done that).

So, bloody DVLA came and impounded it, but didn't tell anyone. I called Trace, as did the Police, no record of it, therefore, it's been treated as a stolen vehicle. I should bloody sue them for the emotional distress they've put me through, as well as wasting my time and that of the Police, incl an Assistant Commissioner.

Now, I need to somehow get myself to Rainham in Essex to pick the Duchess up. There bloody better not be a hair out of place.

Furious, but also relieved.

[Mr Gazza]

I can imagine your somewhat mixed emotions...

Main thing is she is still yours :thumbsup:

Get her home then give them HELL...:Furious:

[Paivi]

I can imagine your somewhat mixed emotions...

Main thing is she is still yours :thumbsup:

Get her home then give them HELL...:Furious:
Oh, I will. Tbh, I think the least they could do is to return the bike to my home address or where they took her in the first place...

[Dirty]

Good news in all though.

So they took her by mistake then? I always thought you automatically unsorned a vehicle when you taxed it. Is that not the case anymore?

[Black Bob]

Oh, I will. Tbh, I think the least they could do is to return the bike to my home address or where they took her in the first place...

Dream on! Just be grateful they haven't put it in the crusher yet and that you have a happy ending.

Impounding for that kind of oversight is just legalised theft, in my opinion, so I share your anger with the bastards. But we all know the rules and it isn't a hard one to abide by, is it?

Happy for you though. :)

[J.P]

Derrrrr.............

[Dirty]

But we all know the rules and it isn't a hard one to abide by, is it?



Actually I think the rules regarding sorn since CI was included are not that clear. There is no requirement to surrender the tax disc nor is it clear that it becomes invalid. Until we know more details this could very well be a mistake by the council due to crap legislation.

[steeevvvooo]

Update: lifted into an official looking trailer/van (with straps, so prob trailer) at 3.30pm.


The vehicle used was a fake Met Police trailer, one of those things that you can lift a car onto.

Six bikes stolen from that bay in two days by this gang.

So glad you are getting the bike back. With hindsight... this was the key clue :mand:

Wonder if there are 5 other threads somewhere with people missing their pride and joys? It seems really poor that they can lift a bike and the owner is worried out of their mind without realising it is "safe"

[utopia]

I wonder, if it was a car being pulled for no tax, would they tow it away immediately or clamp it first, with an explanatory note on the windscreen, giving the owner opportunity to sort it out and avoid towing/storage charges ?
If so, that would seem to be discrimination under the law, against motorcyclists.

Just as well we don't chop peoples hands off and ask questions later in these cases though, eh ?

Glad to hear you'll be getting it back though.

[Dirty]

I wonder, if it was a car being pulled for no tax, would they tow it away immediately or clamp it first, with an explanatory note on the windscreen, giving the owner opportunity to sort it out and avoid towing/storage charges ?
If so, that would seem to be discrimination under the law, against motorcyclists.


We don't know that it wasn't taxed, just sorned. I believe they do just lift cars, as well as clamping them. In fact I rarely see clamps for anything at all nowadays. I think they've realised how much more profitable seizure is.

With the current CI regs what can, and does, happen is the insurance runs out and a vehicle is sorned but still taxed. When the owner re insures the vehicle there is no way (that I can see) to unsorn so even though it is taxed/insured/MOT'd it comes up on some computers as sorned and therefore illegally on the road.

[Paivi]

I sorned it last summer, as I had an ankle operation so knew I'd not be able to ride it for best part of a year and was not going to be able to get it to be MOTd, so I couldn't have had it taxed. In January, my ankle got well enough for me to start riding again, so I had it MOTd, but forgot to change the SORN to tax, as I'd never sorned it before, so misremembered, thinking it was taxed.

The worrying thing is that for about four months, I've been riding it without tax in the most heavily policed part of the country and have not been stopped, nor have I received a letter from anybody telling me to tax it, as it'd been caught on camera. Nothing. Nada.

Even now, when I picked it up, I was infront of several police cars in traffic lights and slow moving traffic, as well as passed millions of cameras, and nobody stopped me for riding a 'stolen bike'. So much for ANPR...

DVLA are claiming they only took my bike from that bay, so it looks like the other five may, indeed, have been nicked. Two scooters have now been recovered, though, in Islington. Guess the timing was just very coincidental!

On another positive note, the insurance company came back to me today on the scooter theft, and revised the amount they estimate the bike had lost in the three weeks I had had her from £500 to zero, so I'm getting a full settlement on that. Yay!

[steeevvvooo]

Even now, when I picked it up, I was infront of several police cars in traffic lights and slow moving traffic, as well as passed millions of cameras, and nobody stopped me for riding a 'stolen bike'. So much for ANPR...

That's definitely good news as you might have been pulled all the time if it was on their databases. You hear of stories all the time where a reg number has previous bad history for something or other and the poor driver/owner getting hassle from the police :thumbsup:

[Dirty]

Bloody tax dodger :)

[Paivi]

That's definitely good news as you might have been pulled all the time if it was on their databases. You hear of stories all the time where a reg number has previous bad history for something or other and the poor driver/owner getting hassle from the police :thumbsup:
Well, no, not really. I'd much rather have been stopped on day 1, so I could have taxed it the same day, rather than go through this. I just don't understand how I got away with it for so long, and now, apparently on a 'stolen' bike, too. The latter part worries me, unless the ANPR system saw that Trace had my bike as having been impounded, as Redcorn put it through yesterday. If it's not linked to that, but to their own register, it's defo bad news for anybody whose bike/car's been nicked, as they're not popping up as stolen.

[steeevvvooo]

Well, no, not really. I'd much rather have been stopped on day 1, so I could have taxed it the same day, rather than go through this. I just don't understand how I got away with it for so long, and now, apparently on a 'stolen' bike, too. The latter part worries me, unless the ANPR system saw that Trace had my bike as having been impounded, as Redcorn put it through yesterday. If it's not linked to that, but to their own register, it's defo bad news for anybody whose bike/car's been nicked, as they're not popping up as stolen.

I also would have though, especially in London, that it would have flagged up sooner. I guess it goes to show that those who choose not to have insurance and tax (rather than an an honest mistake from a law abiding citizen) do so because they can get away with it. :banghead:

Glad you have it back and hopefully it's not been damaged

[Saint aka ML]

CCTV cameras in London are not linked to ANPR. Last month letters were sent out to people who live (guess lived) in central London informing about idea to link congestion charge and some CCTV cameras to ANPR.

Police cars not all have ANPR it has to have a sign saying fitted with one to have one.

As result you might have not been flagged by any vehicle behind you. Fact is they knew where you parked and that one was not by coincidence so I guess some stationary cameras that are already in ANPR picked up where you park, probably those in car park itself. Or a passing by police car/dvla car spotted it.

Also I am not certain ANPR flags up no road tax, correct me here if I am wrong? No insurance is one thing no road tax another.

[Mr Gazza]

So help me out a bit here please.

I understand that you you made a SORN declaration because the insurance ran out, and I am assuming that at that point you had a valid tax disc, but did not surrender it?

So when you get a fresh MOT and Insurance, there is still a tax disc on the bike within it's expiry date..No?.. ( For which you have paid and not recieved any refund.?)

If this is so then the system sucks and I would say you are in the clear..
That said I would definatly have cashed the tax in. The SORN declaration is on the disc surrender form.

In any case they have been heavy handed and ignorant and should be called to account for it.
Next hurdle is to convince your insurance company that there is no claim to make and preserve your NCD.

[Paivi]

MOT and tax ran out, and as I couldn't get it to be MOTd and didn't think I'd use it, I SORNed it instead. It's always been insured, though.

So, yes, 'my bad', as the yoof would say, as I did have it on the road without tax. I just think they could have just left a note to say I've been caught and to expect a fine/NIP or whatever, not to have the bike taken away. And, certainly, if they were to remove my bike, I'd expect them to notify Trace, which they should have done, not just sit on it for a week, leaving both the Police and me, thinking it's obviously been stolen, as there's no mention of it having been impounded by anyone.

[Dirty]

Also I am not certain ANPR flags up no road tax, correct me here if I am wrong? No insurance is one thing no road tax another.

I thought they did, and MOTs.

[smiffyraf1]

surely they are going to charge you storage fee as well now. i would be kicking off hugely about this. Am sure they have to give you notice. i had a porsche 944 that had been sorned for ages and moved it off my drive and onto the pavement one evening ready for it to be collected by a buyer with a flatbed the next day. cut to the chase either it was some bastard neighbour grassing me up or just poor timing but it got clamped by dvla and ended up costing around 600 quid after all the hidden charges. absolute robbing bastards. but they clamped it first with a note explaining it would be towed later.

[Paivi]

Nope, no storage fees, as they acknowledged they 'had messed me about enough already'... Already, as it is, they've got no idea how much **** they've landed themselves in, as I'm seeing a lawyer next week.

[nuttynick]

Most ANPR cameras are forward facing to try to get the driver, so bikes are at an advantage/disadvantage whichever side you're on.

From what I've read, your bike was illegally on the road and so was lifted away. The only issue is they didn't tell anyone they'd done it. Wrong yes, but it wouldn't have happened if you'd paid your tax ;-) I'm guessing you'll have a fine, towing fee, and the back tax to pay, count yourself lucky there's no storage costs!