Bike thief cuts through lock of £3k electric bike at shopping centre
The thief was seen using the battery-powered tool on the bike outside Surrey Quays shopping centre in Rotherhithe, south east London, at around 1.30pm on Saturday.
Scum filmed by onlookers as they steal E-Bike in broad daylight with angle-grinder........
- Thread starter Nicho
- Start date
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Cowards. How could you let that happen and not at least call the cops and follow them, if not kicking their scumbag asses?
Banktramp
Well-known member
yeah I’m sure you would do that pal, he had a angle grinder which he most likely would have used on who ever challenged him. We are in the UK not the US of A so couldn’t put a cap in his ass.
On a serious note, it’s London. You could be getting stabbed or kicked to death and people would carry on as normal.
RickBullotta
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
I'd sure as hell call the cops and follow them if I could. BTW, not everyone here carries a gun. Shocking, I know.
We had a similar but even worse incident recently where a woman was raped on a train and no one intervened - and apparently a couple people actually filmed it with their phones. Just horrifying.
Banktramp
Well-known member
call the police in London for somebody stealing a bike you would get a response in about a week. Try to follow them on a bike and electric scooters on foot you have no chance.
Honestly feel for the person who’s lost the bike, but it’s to be expected. Bit like going for a late night walk in the park showing your Rolex off, going to end the same.
Beekeeper
🍯Honey Monster🍯
Can’t quite work out what lock it is. Would that handheld thing get through an ABUS Granit?
Heard plenty about that incident. Rules on the street have been changing. Hear all kinds of stories. Darwin's theory holds true. No matter where ya live.
So someone filmed that because they thought that was doing the civilized thing. It's how they've been brought up. GET THE VIDEO!
DtEW
Active member
I have a corded angle grinder (i.e. something much stronger than any battery-powered unit) that I got to refinish my cement basement floor so I could add some flooring to it. It is not a real threat unless you are inanimate. A power drill is more threatening. A hammer or a chisel is much more threatening.
Only in Texas could you use a weapon to defend your property, and even that isn't absolute.
The problem anywhere is that a smart thief would just ignore you if you tried to stop him. If you resort to physical force, you can be provoked into a situation where they can accuse you of assault and battery, which to a by-the-letter cop is considered a more serious offense than the accused vandalism/theft. In any case, the cop would have to put the accusation on his report, which can be a basis for a civil suit if the "accused" thief can find another professional scumbag to attest to his lasting physical harm and mental anguish.
So, the only way to deal with the situation is to dispose of the bike thief discreetly and completely.
(I'm obviously not being serious on that last part.
)Yes.
Only something like this is resistant to an angle grinder.
Watch Us Cut This “Angle Grinder-Proof” Bike Lock
The Altor SAF Lock eventually succumbed to the grinder, but it took more than hour of cutting.
www.bicycling.com
Last edited:
harrysmalls
Member
There is still Citizen's ArrestI have a corded angle grinder (i.e. something much stronger than any battery-powered unit) that I got to refinish my cement basement floor so I could add some flooring to it. It is not a real threat unless you are inanimate. A power drill is more threatening. A hammer or a chisel is much more threatening.
Only in Texas could you use a weapon to defend your property, and even that isn't absolute.
The problem anywhere is that a smart thief would just ignore you if you tried to stop him. If you resort to physical force, you can be provoked into a situation where they can accuse you of assault and battery, which to a by-the-letter cop is considered a more serious offense than the accused vandalism/theft. In any case, the cop would have to put the accusation on his report, which can be a basis for a civil suit if the "accused" thief can find another professional scumbag to attest to his lasting physical harm and mental anguish.
So, the only way to deal with the situation is to dispose of the bike thief discreetly and completely.
(I'm obviously not being serious on that last part.
Yes.
Only something like this is resistant to an angle grinder.
Watch Us Cut This “Angle Grinder-Proof” Bike Lock
The Altor SAF Lock eventually succumbed to the grinder, but it took more than hour of cutting.
But I would rather bike thieves be treated like horse thieves back in the day.
Pdoz
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
You've obviously never seen what an angle grinder does to flesh. As well as efficiently removing flesh, it burns and leaves behind fragments of grinding disc. Removing those fragments from burnt flesh is NOT fun.
DtEW
Active member
Have you used an angle grinder???
An angle grinder is only going to do that to flesh if the flesh is sitting still and not trying to avoid it. Again, inanimate. Or if the wielder uses his one free hand to hold you to the grinder. A grinder is not a chainsaw (or even a circular saw) and does not have a self-feeding action. If swung dynamically, it is no worse than a knife, and one that can't stab at that. Wielded with one hand, it is basically a club. Yes, you might suffer a first wound. But it's a pretty shitty weapon that can neither incapacitate, nor will likely get a second wound. At that point it'll be ground-fighting.
Pdoz
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
I strongly suggest you never test those theories.
DtEW
Active member
Again, have you actually used an angle grinder?
It does not do as much as you think without continuous application of force against the thing it is working on. I only wished it did; it would have saved us a hell of a lot of work.
Pdoz
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
I live and work in a rural area, so yes I have used an angle grinder. Oh, and you can get discs suitable for dealing with concrete - diamond encrusted cutting blades etc.
Have you ever had the joy of dealing with angle grinder injuries?
2WheelsNot4
E*POWAH Master
I use an angle grinder a fair bit and it is one of the most dangerous hand held power tools in my extensive arsenal
Heres an injury from a forum buddy on another bike forum. Result of the grinder jumping and briefly coming into contact with his hand. I know he wont mind me reposting it, he feels its a bit of a battle scar
This is obviously just impacting bare skin, but were the tool to get get caught up in a jumper or sleeve it would very very quickly wrap itself up and bury in deep. Doesnt actually bear thinking about. But pretty much one of the reasons when using machinery or power tools like this you wear your sleeves above the elbow.
Pdoz
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Shall we compare chainsaw bars next ?
For what it's worth, I'll take " just nicked myself with the chainsaw " to " the grinding disc exploded " at the end of a long day , although both can be nasty. The chainsaw also burns as it cuts, leaves behind fragments of burnt bar oil as well as whatever you are cutting. But the fragments of grinding disc left behind tend to continye burning as they cool off - very nasty.
Charliektm400exc
Member
Have a look at this video from the LockPickingLawer who identifies what he does or work against angle grinders and shows the lock he uses on his second bike. He does say that he never trusts his good bike to a lock ever.
2WheelsNot4
E*POWAH Master
There is this.
you're an idiot and should shut up now.
you obviously haven't seen what an angle grinder can do to flesh in the blink of an eye. I use a grinder pretty much every day and its a tool you have to have a lot of respect for. every single tradesman I know has an 'angle grinder' story/injury/bad experience.
my old boss had a 9" one kick back into his neck while cutting out a cast iron soil stack, he was lucky to survive that.
bloody idiot
is this taken from your extensive experiences of grinder kata's?
FFS just shut up you idiotic troll
SquireRides
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Sh*t happens. We don't live in a utopia. Or a police state. So buy good locks. Get insurance. Try to be zen about these things.
I would gladly spit in the face of any bike thief. But they're not worth all this raised blood pressure.
I would gladly spit in the face of any bike thief. But they're not worth all this raised blood pressure.
SquireRides
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
That's why i put the d-lock around the battery-containing down tube. Would love to watch them cut through a li-ion cell
DtEW
Active member
I use an angle grinder a fair bit and it is one of the most dangerous hand held power tools in my extensive arsenal
Heres an injury from a forum buddy on another bike forum. Result of the grinder jumping and briefly coming into contact with his hand. I know he wont mind me reposting it, he feels its a bit of a battle scar
View attachment 75691
This is obviously just impacting bare skin, but were the tool to get get caught up in a jumper or sleeve it would very very quickly wrap itself up and bury in deep. Doesnt actually bear thinking about. But pretty much one of the reasons when using machinery or power tools like this you wear your sleeves above the elbow.
I’ll admit to being corrected. I’ve only used small angle grinders, and although aware of the dangers of shattering the grinding disc, I didn’t (and still don’t) find the dangers of that relevant in the original context of getting into a scuffle against a bike thief equipped with a battery-operated angle grinder (which typically have 4.5” discs). But I guess the lack of tight phrasing has brought out the angle grinder hardmen.
On a separate note, I do find it interesting the how of making a point when people are given the opportunity to do so. If not revealing of character, it certainly is so of attitudes.
Uber is the best option if one needs to go to a shopping center and had to sell the car to buy a bike.
Many years ago I parked my 1.100 cc honda and hang my Arai helmet to the seat lock. While walking around the shops I figured a few guys carrying their helmets at hand… ran back to parking just in time: two guys on a scooter had stoped by the side of my bike and escaped when they saw me, leaving the helmet on the ground.
Many years ago I parked my 1.100 cc honda and hang my Arai helmet to the seat lock. While walking around the shops I figured a few guys carrying their helmets at hand… ran back to parking just in time: two guys on a scooter had stoped by the side of my bike and escaped when they saw me, leaving the helmet on the ground.
SquireRides
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
It's a toxic mix. First we're all angry about bikes being stolen. Then it heats as the 'smart' people and the 'tough' guys disagree over response. Then people call out other people's experience of power tools. If this was 12.30am down the kebab house it would've been a brawl.
It's obvious to me that none of you can parallel park or smoke a cigar properly either.
It's obvious to me that none of you can parallel park or smoke a cigar properly either.
2WheelsNot4
E*POWAH Master
Well done the voice of reason
I hope you know that it is sometimes the peacemaker that gets the punch in the face I'm being put on a spot though, so sorry I feel compelled to defend my position. A little sarcastic dig from EtEW.
Really ? you pressed the point that angle grinders are not dangerous. I amongst others disagreed profoundly with that somewhat misleading point of view as it would suggest to others not familiar with such tools that they shouldn't be handled with the upmost of care. It is clear your lack of understanding of their dangers rest wholly on your lack of experience of them and while you have not been severely rebuked, I felt a picture of an actual injury would suffice to show these inexperienced users that even a simple impact of one can lead to quite bad injuries.
In the interests of forum peace If i have offended then I apologize
Last edited:
