{"id":92165,"date":"2025-02-07T15:26:50","date_gmt":"2025-02-07T15:26:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=92165"},"modified":"2025-02-25T16:52:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-25T16:52:26","slug":"i-locked-my-bike-and-it-was-stolen-within-24-hours-but-i-had-a-tracker-on-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2025\/02\/07\/i-locked-my-bike-and-it-was-stolen-within-24-hours-but-i-had-a-tracker-on-it\/","title":{"rendered":"I locked my bike and it was stolen within 24 hours &#8211; but I had a tracker on it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Cardiff is one of the UK\u2019s worst cities for cycle theft, but where do they all go?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CARDIFF has a bike theft problem. There were 1,074 bike thefts reported to South Wales Police in 2024 alone, with 421 of these in the city centre.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This makes it the third worst city in England and Wales. South Glamorgan is the single worst region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where I live, in Butetown, South Wales Police issued a warning in January that bike theft was higher than usual. The morning after, I walked out of my house to see a bike with the wheels taken off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-2048x1153.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-293x165.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-1400x788.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-2048x1153.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-293x165.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Adobe-Express-file-3-1400x788.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Bike thieves often take the wheels of bikes that have their frame secured<\/strong>. Credit: The Cardiffian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>I had the idea to track a stolen bike after my friends had their bikes stolen five times from Central Square over two months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:41px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>One of these was Eva Cahill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 24-year-old had locked her bike outside her university building in Central Square at 11am. She\u2019d had the bike since she was 15, but this was her first time using it in Cardiff. By 4pm, it was missing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt vanished. I thought I\u2019d forgotten where I\u2019d left it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt wasn\u2019t an expensive bike but it had a lot of sentimental value.&nbsp; It\u2019s really annoying to think it\u2019s still out there but someone else is using it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The police were helpful in logging the crime, but they couldn\u2019t do anything, especially as she didn\u2019t know her bike\u2019s serial number.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92202\" style=\"width:323px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-770x1027.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-293x391.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva.jpg 1110w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92202\" style=\"width:323px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-770x1027.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva-293x391.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/eva.jpg 1110w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Eva Cahill started her master&#8217;s in magazine journalism last September<\/strong>. Credit: The Cardiffian<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>She now uses her mum\u2019s old bike, double locks it and leaves it under CCTV cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Eva and I wondered what happened to her bike once it was stolen. To find out, I bought a GPS tracker and put it on a second-hand bike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At 4pm, I cable-locked the bike with the tracker fitted underneath the saddle near where Eva had hers taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At 3pm the next day, I got a notification that my bike had moved.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910-646x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910-646x1024.png 646w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910-189x300.png 189w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910-293x464.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 646px) 100vw, 646px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"646\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910-646x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92195\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910-646x1024.png 646w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910-189x300.png 189w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910-293x464.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250122-165910.png 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 646px) 100vw, 646px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Credit: TruTrak<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:42px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This map showed it travelling around the city centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coincidentally, about an hour before I got the notification I saw two other bikes being carried away from broken locks and abandoned wheels. I followed the people who took them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They, too, went all around the city centre, in almost exactly the same path. They gave the wheels to someone and received something small in return. I then saw them go into a car park and put something up their noses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:42px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-293x165.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-1400x788.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys.jpg 2040w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-293x165.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys-1400x788.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/guys.jpg 2040w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>They carried the bike after giving its wheels away<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Dave Hann, the owner of Motorlegs Cycle Workshop, said it\u2019s \u201cstandard\u201d for bikes to be traded for drugs.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMost bike thieves are driven by a need to get a fix,\u201d Dave said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMost stolen bikes end up injected in someone\u2019s arm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Born in Cardiff, Dave doesn\u2019t look down on the people whose hard lives have led them into bike theft.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-770x577.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-1400x1050.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working.jpg 1974w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-770x577.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working-1400x1050.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-working.jpg 1974w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Dave Hann was replacing the tubing on two wheels when we met<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been offered stolen bikes before but you can usually tell. A guy will come to sell his bike and it\u2019s a woman\u2019s bike about half his size, or else they have two tell-tale dents in the frame where the D-lock has been levered off,\u201d the 56-year-old said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He\u2019s seen it first hand many times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOne time I was serving a woman and her two children, buying a bike for her son. She turned around to pay for literally two seconds and the bike was gone. Only the children saw it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He gave her son a spare bike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn central Cardiff, I\u2019ve even seen gangs of people with angle grinders, or people with bolt cutters wearing high-vis to pose as council staff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"639\" height=\"1024\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4-639x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92192\" style=\"width:304px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4-639x1024.png 639w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4-187x300.png 187w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4-293x470.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4.png 720w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"639\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4-639x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92192\" style=\"width:304px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4-639x1024.png 639w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4-187x300.png 187w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4-293x470.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/Screenshot_20250123-160249-4.png 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Credit: TruTrak<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>My bike didn\u2019t stay in the city centre for long. Within an hour of it being taken, it travelled across Sanatorium Park and to an address in Fairwater.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It didn\u2019t move for a couple of days so I went there to check it out.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I could hear drill music coming from the house, and though I never saw a face, a tattooed hand holding a long cigarette was visible in the doorway. A dog was barking inside.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I sent a letter with a contact number explaining the tracker and that I wanted an anonymous conversation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In the meantime, I went to another bike shop nearby in Fairwater.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The owner of Outdoor Cycles, Michael Winter, had stolen bikes sold to him a couple of times, and only realised when the police came round to find them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-770x577.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-1400x1050.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle.jpg 1974w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-770x577.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle-1400x1050.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/micycle-bicycle.jpg 1974w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Michael Winter worked at Halfords before starting his own Fairwater store.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s common for stolen bikes to be sold on online marketplaces or to second-hand bike shops. The bikes will be traded by the people who steal them to professionals who move them and sell them on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michael now sends the police the serial number of every bike he gets. They think he\u2019s just getting them to do his admin, but he says he\u2019s protecting himself in case he inadvertently buys a stolen bike.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe police come here instead of going out there to find them. It\u2019s much easier for them because they\u2019re so hard to find,\u201d the 71-year-old said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The vast majority of reported cases result in the investigation being closed with no suspect identified.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"451\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--1024x451.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--1024x451.png 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--770x339.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--293x129.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp-.png 1240w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"451\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--1024x451.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92409\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--1024x451.png 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--770x339.png 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp--293x129.png 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/y4B90-outcomes-of-cardiff-bicycle-thefts-nbsp-.png 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>With police unable to do much about bike theft, there are ways the owner can minimise the chances of their bike being stolen.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dave Hann doesn&#8217;t recommend expensive locks or leaving it near CCTV cameras \u2013 instead he says not to leave it outside at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cKnow where you&#8217;re going and where you can leave your bike inside.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-770x577.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-1400x1050.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside.jpg 1974w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-92179\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-770x577.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-293x220.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside-1400x1050.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/02\/bike-dave-outside.jpg 1974w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Dave Hann outside the doors of his Tudor Lane workshop, which were painted by his daugh<\/strong>ter.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>He says there&#8217;s cafes in Cardiff that will take a bike, and if a cyclist is coming in for the day they&#8217;re even welcome to leave it in the backyard of his workshop.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s all about customer service.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I haven\u2019t yet had a reply to the letter. The tracker is offline despite being fully charged, so it\u2019s likely that someone has found and disabled it. What happens to Cardiff&#8217;s stolen bikes remains a mystery.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cardiff is one of the UK\u2019s worst cities for cycle theft, but where do they all go?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1207,"featured_media":92177,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[92,2,3],"tags":[3708,6971,557,16,7406,8596],"coauthors":[8787],"class_list":["post-92165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-city","category-featured","category-news","tag-bicycle","tag-bike-theft","tag-cardiff-city-centre","tag-crime","tag-investigation","tag-longer-read"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - 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