Stolen Motorcycle Found

[parallaxtech]

When one of my motorcycles was stolen last week I was reluctant to go to the police to report it because I felt it was a waste of time. Yesterday while driving near the police station not far from Tesco I saw the bike in a repair shop, stripped to the bone, but I still knew it was my bike. I went to the police and told them the bike was stolen and was now just 100m away. To my surprise they jumped up and went with me directly to the shop. The owner claimed it was a client's bike but I found my license plate over in the trash plus the numbers matched with mine in the green book. He then said I had given him the bike for repair but of course I denied it. All the bikes in the shop were stripped down so this was obviously some operation going on right under the noses of the police. They arrested the guy and today I have to go to the Bophut police station to make a statement. I am usually the first one to bash the police but in this case I was very appreciative and impressed.

Some questions:

1. Did I do the right thing or should I have just let the bike and thieves go as he could possibly retaliate once he gets out of jail? I have a wife and three dogs to consider.

2. Should I ask to be reimbursed (bike is 8 yrs old)? My wife said to refuse the money.

[motocrosser]

You done the right thing,get the scum off the streets,i had a new bike nicked and never found it,let them do a bit of time.

[ShopBoy]

too late you reported him and he been caught and will be trotting with a uzi looking for you once he is bail

on a serious note take a fair reimbursement and if not press on with the charges

[necronx99]

did you have them make him put the bike back together first?

[PoorSucker]

Well done.

[wasas]

was your bike a new one.

I had my bike stolen outside my house last month, and it was an old one.{ i didnt think they would bother with old ones}

[4evermaat]

i am interested to know how this ends.

what methods are people using to safeguard their bikes? a few of my neighbors with smaller rooms actually put the motorbike inside the room at night. we are elevated without a ramp, and so i leave it locked outside, but closer to the rear where it can be watched closely. should i buy a tie down chain and chain the wheels?

"2nd best time to plant a tree is today." Sent from TV android app.

[Rooo]

was your bike a new one.

I had my bike stolen outside my house last month, and it was an old one.{ i didnt think they would bother with old ones}

Bike was 8 years old.

[parallaxtech]

Update: He is nicked in the Bophut jail awaiting trial -- saw him there this morning. The police have offered to repair the bike to working order, which I have accepted. A friend of mine from Greece comes over 3 months per year and I let him use it so it's more for him than for me.

As for safeguarding the bike, my bike was with three other new bikes and they only took mine. Somebody told me that older bikes were more in demand because the parts were hard to find. I think you can only lock your bike and insure it if it's still fairly new. They can always come by with a pickup and haul it away. They got it past my three dogs who woke me up barking and then past the two security guards at the main gate. At first I suspected the security guards so now I am relieved that they weren't part of it.

The one good thing I got out of this is that I am very proud of the policeman who handled it and will write a commendation letter to the chief regarding his quick action. Samui, with all the warts and broken bones, is still my home and I am happy to see that the Thai police will actually come to the aid of a farang without asking for a handout. Simply amazing and wonderful!

Edited April 2, 2012 by parallaxtech

[wasas]

where is this shop, maybe i will look for mine

[jamesbrock]

Great story parallaxtech, good to hear these types of things, as they seem very rare.

I think you definitely did the right thing.

I purchased a bike this week, and one of the first things I bought was one of these... 1500 baht, free delivery from Bangkok to Samui.

[parallaxtech]

If you are leaving Tesco headed for Lamai go through the first light and about 50m down on the right is the small shop (Thai name). Directly across the street is a huge empty lot where they are getting ready to build something. If you go too far you will see the police station also on the right so backtrack about 100m. If you can't find it go to the police station there and ask for "Bon" as I believe he confiscated all the bikes.

[wdr]

Had a similar story.

Several years ago fom my farm a GenSet (weight aro 300 kg) has been stolen. Filed at the local police office without any reaction from the BIB.

One year lkater a lady stand in front of my door and asking stupid question about a Genset they bought. I told her I have to see the GenSet to answer her questions. So she lead me to the workshop who's selling the GenSet. I immediately recognized it's my GenSet but told them I'll be back later and help them to get it operational.

I immediately wend to the BIB station and reported them I found my GenSet, filed 1 year ago as stolen.

They promise to investigate. After 3 days nothing happen I visited them again to get a status on their investigatio. The result - no Genset at the workshop. I told them this is not possible and they shall follow me, what the done. When we arrived at the workshop, the owner got very nervous and the BIB told me the GenSet never been in this workshop. What they doesn't now or not remember I took a picture at the workshop which show very clear the owner and my GenSet.

Now the negotiation started. BIB asked for a fee! OK no problem as I can add to the total sum.

Finally the workshop owner agreed to pay 40.000. My BIB fee has been 10.000. The GenSet cost me originally 28.000.

Reducing all my cost, I still make a small profit of 2.000 THB after using the GenSet for about 2 years.

Hope you can make also some profit selling the motorbike with a BIB sales boy. Ask for the new price for a motorbike. Quite sure you'll get a new motorbike. No need to accept a reassembled motorbike !!

[Tropicalevo]

Hope you can make also some profit selling the motorbike with a BIB sales boy. Ask for the new price for a motorbike. Quite sure you'll get a new motorbike. No need to accept a reassembled motorbike !!

Firstly - well done parallextech. You did the right thing. The only thing missing was that it would have been good if you had a 'stolen' report, but in the end you did not need it.

I disageree with the above statement by wdr. As long as you get your goods back in good working order (and not damaged) why should you look to make a profit. Surely that makes you as bad as the thief! The BIB's are giving him due process already.

I (and some of my customers) have had a few things stolen over the years, and in MOST cases the BIB's have got the stuff back. I always give a small reward AFTER I have the goods back and I never press charges. (This avoids the 'seeking retribution'.)

The BIB's sometimes have a strange logic, but on the whole, I find them decent folk.

A good story with a 'happy ending'. Thanks for sharing it.

[evadgib]

Great story parallaxtech, good to hear these types of things, as they seem very rare.

I think you definitely did the right thing.

I purchased a bike this week, and one of the first things I bought was one of these... 1500 baht, free delivery from Bangkok to Samui.

What's needed (particularly outside the home/overnight stops) is 3m of suitably gauged chain & a heavy padlock through the wheel & around a concrete pillar. Supot sells the chain by the kilo IIRC.

[jamesbrock]

Great story parallaxtech, good to hear these types of things, as they seem very rare.

I think you definitely did the right thing.

I purchased a bike this week, and one of the first things I bought was one of these... 1500 baht, free delivery from Bangkok to Samui.

What's needed (particularly outside the home/overnight stops) is 3m of suitably gauged chain & a heavy padlock through the wheel & around a concrete pillar. Supot sells the chain by the kilo IIRC.

That'd work too!

[PoorSucker]

Went by that shop today and it was closed.

[angryfarang]

You did the right thing. Well done. My scum off the streets.

[samuijimmy]

Well done! .... guess that 1000 baht you coughed up last week paid off!

[parallaxtech]

I drove by the shop last night at 9pm and it was full of bikes and also full of mechanics putting them back together. I don't know if the police found a whole stash of parts in another warehouse or what. I was a little off on the directions posted yesterday: Leave Tesco heading towards Lamai, go through the first traffic light and you will see a Family Mart on the right, and it is just 30m past that on the right.

Yes, Jimmy, got my 1KB back but will probably donate at least 1KB to the police in the end when they finish with my bike.

[PattayaPhom]

Disc lock is the best prevention

[Carib]

Well done, you did the right thing

[angryfarang]

Disc lock is the best prevention

Not really. The alarm can be silenced by wet tissue inserted in the hole and the it doesn't prevent 2 people lifting the bike in to the back of a pickup. If they really want it, they'll take it.

[steelerian]

I'm more concerned about the future of your dogs than anything else. Oh the poor dogs!

[jamesbrock]

Disc lock is the best prevention

Not really. The alarm can be silenced by wet tissue inserted in the hole and the it doesn't prevent 2 people lifting the bike in to the back of a pickup. If they really want it, they'll take it.

I agree that it's not the 'best' protection, but it's a pretty dam_n good one. It will stop a lot of opportunistic thieves from busting the steering lock and wheeling it away, especially with 120dB screaming at them!

As you say, though, if they want it, they'll take it!

[insertmembernamehere]

At first I suspected the security guards so now I am relieved that they weren't part of it.

I am not sure how you can know this with certainty. At the very least I would waterboard them to find out what they really know.

I am pretty sure you can get disc locks on Samui. Anyone know for sure?

I think you have to chain the bike to something more or less immovable to be perfectly safe. A tree, a telephone pole, the grandfather rock...something like that.

Question: Can bolt cutters obtainable on Samui cut any chain obtainable on Samui?

[parallaxtech]

Final Update: The police called us this morning and said that we needed to come get the motorcycle and the parts to it. They said that nobody was available to put it back together. My wife said we could argue with the police but she wouldn't recommend it. When we went to get the bike, who was there as proud as could be, the thief. So, now it is sitting in another shop where it is being assembled and I will of course get the bill.

So I take back my glowing respect for the Thai Police. Once again, amazing Thailand!

[insertmembernamehere]

This whole "commendation" thing was misplaced anyway. There was a chop shop 100 meters from the police station and they didn't know about it until you lead them by the nose there? They did a great job on a slam-dunk case? The thief is still there?

Oh yes, a glowing letter might be just the ticket......

[jamesbrock]

Final Update: The police called us this morning and said that we needed to come get the motorcycle and the parts to it. They said that nobody was available to put it back together. My wife said we could argue with the police but she wouldn't recommend it. When we went to get the bike, who was there as proud as could be, the thief. So, now it is sitting in another shop where it is being assembled and I will of course get the bill.

So I take back my glowing respect for the Thai Police. Once again, amazing Thailand!

Of course, he is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, he probably hired a good defence lawyer for his arraignment, at which he pleaded not guilty, and then was released after paying a hefty bail. Sorry, forgot where I was - I wonder how much tea money he paid them??

[4evermaat]

At first I suspected the security guards so now I am relieved that they weren't part of it.

I am not sure how you can know this with certainty. At the very least I would waterboard them to find out what they really know.

I am pretty sure you can get disc locks on Samui. Anyone know for sure?

I think you have to chain the bike to something more or less immovable to be perfectly safe. A tree, a telephone pole, the grandfather rock...something like that.

Question: Can bolt cutters obtainable on Samui cut any chain obtainable on Samui?

Buy a tie down chain or thick chain. The goal is to make it difficult for the theif to steal the bike.

Is it possible to roll the bike inside the house or a covered area? Many of my neighbors will place their motorbike inside their room. The way our room is designed, there are steps to the covered area. I've thought about making it a ramp, and then at night just rolling the bike inside.

Final Update: The police called us this morning and said that we needed to come get the motorcycle and the parts to it. They said that nobody was available to put it back together. My wife said we could argue with the police but she wouldn't recommend it. When we went to get the bike, who was there as proud as could be, the thief. So, now it is sitting in another shop where it is being assembled and I will of course get the bill.

So I take back my glowing respect for the Thai Police. Once again, amazing Thailand!