Photo: David Robinson
It's been more than once that we reported on the various methods used by thieves to con motorcycle owners and take off with their bikes without paying. Here's another incident that happened in Ormesby, in northern England, on the outskirts of Middlesbrough.
Ormesby-based David Robinson, 43, wanted to sell his KTM 690 SMC bike. He had only ridden the bike once in the two months of ownership, and being recently admitted to a local hospital with septic arthritis, he thought that selling it was a good idea.
The price he asked for the SMC was £1,700, which is around €2,250 or $2,450, very decent money for the two-wheeler. Robinson was contacted by phone and the buyer showed up at his home in an Alfa Romeo.
The would-be buyer inspected the bike and said that he needed to take it for a short ride before deciding whether to get it. As such test rides are only natural when it comes to buying a used motorbike, Robinson gave the buyer the ignition key. He also added that the bike had only little gas in the tank so the rider had better not venture too far.
The bike took off, and Robinson soon realized it is going out of earshot, so he walked away from the garage to the street, trying to see where it went. At that moment, he heard the car engine starting and the Alfa Romeo sped past him with tires screeching.
Both vehicles gone, Mr. Robinson went to the police and filed a complaint, only to learn that the Alfa Romeo had also been stolen, from Stockton, a city some 10 miles (16 km) from Ormesby, on the night before.
A passer-by declared that he saw a guy hiding behind a wall in the vicinity of Robinson's garage. Now the police are hunting for both the KTM and the thieves.
The price he asked for the SMC was £1,700, which is around €2,250 or $2,450, very decent money for the two-wheeler. Robinson was contacted by phone and the buyer showed up at his home in an Alfa Romeo.
The would-be buyer inspected the bike and said that he needed to take it for a short ride before deciding whether to get it. As such test rides are only natural when it comes to buying a used motorbike, Robinson gave the buyer the ignition key. He also added that the bike had only little gas in the tank so the rider had better not venture too far.
An Alfa Romeo left as insurance, but with the keys in the ignition proved to be no insurance at all
The would-be buyer says he would leave his car as insurance. Mr. Robinson thought that the price of the car was anyway much higher than what he asked for the bike, so the "insurance" felt just okay. However, he did not mind leaving the car with the keys in the ignition.The bike took off, and Robinson soon realized it is going out of earshot, so he walked away from the garage to the street, trying to see where it went. At that moment, he heard the car engine starting and the Alfa Romeo sped past him with tires screeching.
Both vehicles gone, Mr. Robinson went to the police and filed a complaint, only to learn that the Alfa Romeo had also been stolen, from Stockton, a city some 10 miles (16 km) from Ormesby, on the night before.
A passer-by declared that he saw a guy hiding behind a wall in the vicinity of Robinson's garage. Now the police are hunting for both the KTM and the thieves.
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