What even happens to stolen bikes/scooters in NZ? (+stolen scooter story)

[cortosis_weave]

I had a brand-new scoot stolen from me about 1.5 years ago.
I had gotten over it, until recently when I came across some circumstances where having my scoot would have been really useful.. It brought back the feelings of frustration and extreme disappointment I went through. And it got me thinking..


What the hell happens to stolen motorbikes and scooters in NZ anyway?


When my scooter got stolen, I did some investigation (because the police did fuck all) and immediately found many other people who had had their scooters stolen in the previous few weeks/months (even from the same spot mine was stolen from - apparently it was a common occurrence). I am sure many, many others have been stolen since.

Where do these machines end up? What do the thieves do with them? Is there a black market in NZ for parts and vehicles, large enough such that stealing them here is actually lucrative?
I've known of this forum for years, and figure you'd be the guys to ask..


If you're curious as to the story with my scoot, read on in the attached pic..

My scooter was a 2016 PGO PMX Naked 50 Carbon. It was stolen on January 15 2017, from the bike-park in the Harvey Norman carpark on Tory Street, in Wellington.
The plate number was B1FWU; the engine number was P2H47013; the VIN was RFVPMMS21G1204770.

337896

[HEsch]

There's no spoiler in the spoiler tags.

Disappointing.

[pete376403]

Nothing at all to do with scooters, but in my case, my wallet was stolen one evening. ANZ contacted me within about 10-15 minutes of the theft, because of suspicious transaction at a nearby Z gas station and immediately stopped the card. Next day, after getting a printout from the bank showing the time and amounts etc. I went to the Z gas station, the manager there was able to correlate the timing with the images captured by their security cams. They would not however show me the footage as "only the police are allowed to see, privacy issues, yadda, yadda"
The theft was reported to Lower Hutt police station, including the info that security cam footage of the perps was available at the Z station. I was told that , if an arrest was made, they would contact me.

And after that a big fat nothing happened. To repeat your statement "If I, a civilian, got so close to obtaining hard evidence so easily, what the fuck was the police doing all that time? The answer is probably: nothing; nothing at all."

[Swoop]

... what the fuck was the police doing all that time?
Donuts do not eat themselves.

[sidecar bob]

It's only a scooter, but I'm a student and I had saved up a long time to be able to buy it; it meant a lot to me. Even though it's not glamorous like a proper bike, I think the experience of losing it will be the same - especially when it represented a sizable amount of your own hard labour.[/spoiler]

Your post was a bit long & my attention wayned until i got to this bit.
A scooter is a proper bike, no apology required. On top of that, you worked hard for it, thats why it hurts. If your parents paid for it you would likely long forgotten the expierence by now
If it helps, remember that the thief is a worthless piece of shit, you know that, they know that. Would you ever swap lives with them if it meant having your scooter back?
Move on, study hard, work hard & leave the losers to their miserable lives & the need to constantly have to look over their shoulder every time they see a police car.

[FlangMasterJ]

Found mine nine year later on Trade Me. The OG thread --> https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/11243-My-first-post-STOLEN-KTM!

Funnily enough it's back on Trade Me right now. "Been in storage for ten years" :msn-wink:

[cortosis_weave]

There's no spoiler in the spoiler tags.

Disappointing.

Not sure if you mean conceptually or technically, lol. The idea was to just compartmentalize the post, because it was a bit long, and the story wasn't too relevant to main point - which is: what actually happens to these bikes and scoots when they're stolen. I can understand places like Australia, the US and Europe where the places are so big that you'd have economies of scale to make a niche market such as specific parts for specific bikes viable. But in New Zealand? How many people are on the lookout for parts for a PGO PMX of all things, at any given time?




The theft was reported to Lower Hutt police station, including the info that security cam footage of the perps was available at the Z station. I was told that , if an arrest was made, they would contact me.

And after that a big fat nothing happened. To repeat your statement "If I, a civilian, got so close to obtaining hard evidence so easily, what the fuck was the police doing all that time? The answer is probably: nothing; nothing at all."
I always figured that the police don't care about bikes because everyone has insurance, and if the machines are stolen, most people get compensated sufficiently. But a wallet with finance and identity info? I would have thought something like that would be a priority...!


Your post was a bit long
Yeah I tried to separate out the long bit from the main post, but accidentally clicked 'submit' instead of 'preview'; so I didn't get to see if the spoiler tags worked or not.


A scooter is a proper bike, no apology required. On top of that, you worked hard for it, thats why it hurts. If your parents paid for it you would likely long forgotten the expierence by now
If it helps, remember that the thief is a worthless piece of shit, you know that, they know that. Would you ever swap lives with them if it meant having your scooter back?
Move on, study hard, work hard & leave the losers to their miserable lives & the need to constantly have to look over their shoulder every time they see a police car.
Cheers; you're right about that. I've started working towards a new one, perhaps an SR 50 R this time.

[sidecar bob]

Not sure if you mean conceptually or technically, lol. The idea was to just compartmentalize the post, because it was a bit long, and the story wasn't too relevant to main point - which is: what actually happens to these bikes and scoots when they're stolen. I can understand places like Australia, the US and Europe where the places are so big that you'd have economies of scale to make a niche market such as specific parts for specific bikes viable. But in New Zealand? How many people are on the lookout for parts for a PGO PMX of all things, at any given time?



I always figured that the police don't care about bikes because everyone has insurance, and if the machines are stolen, most people get compensated sufficiently. But a wallet with finance and identity info? I would have thought something like that would be a priority...!


Yeah I tried to separate out the long bit from the main post, but accidentally clicked 'submit' instead of 'preview'; so I didn't get to see if the spoiler tags worked or not.


Cheers; you're right about that. I've started working towards a new one, perhaps an SR 50 R this time.
What licence are you on?
You can have a huge amount of fun on a cheap used 250 maxiscooter. Dont ask how i know:niceone:

[russd7]

scooters are under rated as fun toys, i now ride a lil yammy jog 50 to work, its only 500m but i need transport to get to the firestation when the noisy bit gets loud and i don't run very far these days, i have discovered that the underbelly scrapes quite easy, i have learnt that even at 50km/hr saving the front on a wet tar snake is quite exhilarating, so yeah they are real motorbikes in the sense that one can still have fun on two wheels.
as for scoots being stolen, there is quite a market for cheap parts and if someone has a legal plate for a similar model then its not hard to put it on a another scoot. remember under 50cc don't have to have a WOF so the only time anyone is going to pick it up is if they actually check the engine or chassis number, when ya think about it like that then it is very easy coin for someone.
i have questioned the odd person on TM about what appeared dodgy sales, the model didn't match with the plate on carjam kinda thing, i wouldn't mind betting that quite a few get sold through TM or FB that way.

easy money for scum in a city full of broke students wanting cheap transport.

[AllanB]

Stolen.

Thrashed for a laugh then ditched?

Sold to school kids?

Used as a hack on the farm or lifestyle block?

Engines pulled and used in some demented sex-toy?

I doubt there is a big black market for scooter parts.

[Fresh Oats]

My white ninja 250 was stolen several years back in Wellington.
Police called like a week later, they had found the tail end with number plate still attached. It was pretty beat up, number plate was bent and had scratches all over it.

Got pulled over after work yesterday by the Police. Apparently there had been a string of thefts and they were cheeking to see if mine was stolen. What idiot is riding around Hamilton at 6pm in peek traffic on a motorbike they stole last week?


My line of work revolves around shoplifters, so I deal with the Police a lot. We do literally all the work (shoplifting is far easier to catch because the products just go straight to facebook buy and sell pages), hand it off to the Police all they need to do is look at it, show up the address provided and arrest them. Even than it still takes them 2/3 months. And if we have nothing but a CTV photo, nothing. "we'll get back to you" is a polite way of saying "we wont catch whoever did this"


Don't get me wrong, I think the Police do great work just in general. But they certainly are understaffed when it comes to "petty crime" and just theft in general. And there's not really all that much they can do about it.
The statistic for unsolved theft must be close to 90%??

[granstar]

Don't get me wrong, I think the Police do great work just in general. But they certainly are understaffed when it comes to "petty crime" and just theft in general. And there's not really all that much they can do about it.
The statistic for unsolved theft must be close to 90%??

Yep, they just started their Winter driving campaign in Southland :weird:

[Laava]

Stolen.

Thrashed

Engines pulled and used in some demented sex-toy?.

This goes a long way towards explaining the current trend for brown leather seats and exhaust wrap then...

[Fresh Oats]

Yep, they just started their Winter driving campaign in Southland :weird:

I guess if they got an infringement ticket of $80 for every theft solved they'd dedicate more resources to theft than ticketing people for going 110kmph on an empty straight?
or is that too conspiracy theory to say?

[WALRUS]

Unfortunately this is what happens to stolen bikes 9/10 times where I am..

This is my mate's that was found yesterday. It was only pinched at the start of the week.

337916 337915

[FlangMasterJ]

Unfortunately this is what happens to stolen bikes 9/10 times where I am..

This is my mate's that was found yesterday. It was only pinched at the start of the week.

<a href="https://imgur.com/qdUyp2R"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qdUyp2R.gif" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Cunts.

[jasonu]

Unfortunately this is what happens to stolen bikes 9/10 times where I am..

This is my mate's that was found yesterday. It was only pinched at the start of the week.

337916 337915

Guarantee it was some light fingered boongas that dun did it.

[FlangMasterJ]

Guarantee it was some light fingered boongas that dun did it.

Nah dude. More than likely white folk or natives.

[cortosis_weave]

Found mine nine year later on Trade Me. The OG thread --> https://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php/11243-My-first-post-STOLEN-KTM!

Funnily enough it's back on Trade Me right now. "Been in storage for ten years" :msn-wink:
That's incredible!

Just a couple days ago I found a scooter with the same model and color (the color is slightly rare in Wellington) on TradeMe. It was sold before I could get a viewing. The year was different though (though it looks the same). I wonder, how hard is it to register a stolen bike, and label it as a different year to avoide suspicion..

What happened with the Engine and Vehicle Identification numbers on your recovered bike? Were they changed? Or left untouched?



What licence are you on?
You can have a huge amount of fun on a cheap used 250 maxiscooter. Dont ask how i know:niceone:
Just on the loser-license atm. I'll move up.. eventually :laugh:


WOF so the only time anyone is going to pick it up is if they actually check the engine or chassis number, when ya think about it like that then it is very easy coin for someone.

Surely they'll want to get a new set of plates for it? Getting fake ones could work.. but they'd be screwed anytime the police have a check for whatever reason


My white ninja 250 was stolen several years back in Wellington.
Police called like a week later, they had found the tail end with number plate still attached. It was pretty beat up, number plate was bent and had scratches all over it.

Got pulled over after work yesterday by the Police. Apparently there had been a string of thefts and they were cheeking to see if mine was stolen. What idiot is riding around Hamilton at 6pm in peek traffic on a motorbike they stole last week?

Damn, that's depressing. So the only thing you got back was just a piece of your bike?


Unfortunately this is what happens to stolen bikes 9/10 times where I am..

This is my mate's that was found yesterday. It was only pinched at the start of the week.

337916 337915
Jesus Christ!!


<a href="https://imgur.com/qdUyp2R"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qdUyp2R.gif" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Cunts.
My thoughts exactly

[WALRUS]

<a href="https://imgur.com/qdUyp2R"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/qdUyp2R.gif" title="source: imgur.com" /></a>

Cunts.
My thoughts exactly

You see, I'd call them cunts too but they lack the depth or the warmth.. Also, cunts are useful.. And actually quite nice to be around..

[WALRUS]

Also, it looks like the Brits are starting to use "Tactical Contact" to stop the bike and scooter thieves they've been blighted with!!

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2018/july/police-committing-more-pursuits/

[FlangMasterJ]

The engine and chassis number were untouched. I had a friend "enquire" as to whether the bike had been registered in order for the guy selling to give us the numbers.

They obviously matched mine that were on the sales agreement and registration.

All my details were still up on the police website which was great.

[tigertim20]

Unfortunately this is what happens to stolen bikes 9/10 times where I am..

This is my mate's that was found yesterday. It was only pinched at the start of the week.

337916 337915

I can understand the fucked logic of steal / strip / sell bits, or even steal / turn into / re-birth / make a racebike or something, but ill never understand the thought process of steal, joyride, torch. They could just joyride, dump, wipe prints.

I can only conclude that beyond a desire to try what they cant be fucked working for, they also want to rub it in the face of those that DO work for something, that theyll never see it again.

such cunts need a pick axe through the skull

[Hoonicorn]

At sports training in Macallister park in Wellington I found a burnt out scooter at the back of the field. 100% they stole it for a hoon. I read another case in Wellington of a dualsport getting stolen and it was dumped in a carpark. The theives just live in a grand theft auto video game.

If a male and female couple took your scoots, they sold it for quick cash like that couple from Masterton who stole the charity box from the zoo.

[Dogboy900]

A friend of mine had his scooter stolen years ago. 2 years after it went missing the police found it and returned it... It had been at the bottom of Frank Kitts lagoon the whole time. He ended up paying to dump it :(

[Fresh Oats]

Damn, that's depressing. So the only thing you got back was just a piece of your bike?

Yip. And the insurance money.

[R650R]

In several high profile case here in recent years this si what happens....

Feral loser steals for unknown reason, gives whole bike single colour spraycan paint job (this should be a major redflag to instantlky pullover any sportsbike with anything other than factory looking colours or high grade custom paint) then proceed to hoon around for few days until chased or crashed...

One morning while leaving my FWB place I saw a cleancut kid riding same mountainbike model that I'd had stolen. Initially I had thoughts of stopping him then flagged it when I realised how bad it could turn out/misinterpreted and the cops would prob not like joe blogs stopping random citizens and tipping their bikes upside down to check frame numbers in morning rush hour.... I'd prob be tasered before getting a chance to explain....

[WALRUS]

Which is why any house I buy always has a very secure and lockable garage and preferably a high fenced and lockable gated driveway too.. And anything not being used has a disc lock on it.. And each has a ground anchor... And I'll never turn into my driveway if there's a car behind me..

You may call is paranoia (and rightly so, I guess) but there have been so many bikes nicked here from driveways, carports, external AND internal garages that I won't take any chances.

A few years ago, back when I was a terrible person who owned a Hooflung GT650R, I parked in a signed spot for "Motorcycles" next to one of my local supermarkets, 'round the corner from my local Cop Shop. This is an open-air carpark, in the middle of a very busy day, people everywhere and cameras. I came back out to my bike to find the numberplate missing, disc lock mangled, steering lock tampered with, and a big fuck-off scratch on the tank. I called Johnny Law and explained that this must have happened in the 10 minutes that I was in the store, pointed out the cameras, etc etc.. All they did was tell me not to ride it home without a numberplate (because that's illegal) and fucked off...

I'm assuming some rando' member of the public must have called them out or spooked them or something?

If they want a bike, they'll take it. Locks will only slow them down so I prefer to not let them know where I keep the fuckers. I worked hard for my toys and I'm not going to let some scummy little pleb in a "Fox" hoodie take my shit!

[buggerit]

Are they containerised and shipped off shore? Ready made island rental fleet.

[cortosis_weave]

So an update: I found a sale listing for the same make, model, year, and color as my stolen scoot. I want to see the VIN and engine number on the thing.. but it's in Taranaki and I'm in Wellington.

Is there anyone in New Plymouth that'd be willing to help me out by having a look at the scooter?!
I'll chuck $50 your way for your time!

[Oakie]

Mrs Oakie's bike was found about two weeks later stripped to the frame in one of the two mongrel-thief's garages. He did time (including being remanded in custody over Christmas). Other guy made a deal to pay the $10,000 in fines he owed and kept his freedom.

One of them was ordered to make restitution of about $700 (allowing for insurance payout) and we probably saw about $300 of that over two years.