Abandoned Ducati - What would you do?

Off-topic
1

So last night I go out at 7.30pm to post a letter.

After I post it I notice a Ducati Hypermotard parked in a quite side street, never seen it there before so,being nosey, I have a quick look.

Funny… his lights are on (must have turned the ignition to park thinks I ) when I get closer I see his ignition lights are on too…wait a moment. The ignition is on and his keys are in the ignition.

I touch the engine - stone cold… It looks like whoever parked it was in a hurry not only not taking his keys but leaving the ignition on…there was a security chain still on the rear rack - unused.

Now I’m paranoid about having my bike nicked and here’s a 59 reg Hypermotard just waiting for a scrote to jump on and press Start.

I turn the ignition off - knock on a few doors near the bike - nobody knows anything about it. Theres a tennis club nearby…nope nobody knows of anyone coming by bike…

I get the though “Has it been stolen anyway and the scrotes are waiting to see if the Tracker kicks in???”

Feck it - it’s now 8pm - I can’t stand guard all night because someones been a twit …so I go home and do the next best thing - call the Old Bill.

They are fecking useless and think I am reporting an abandoned wreck because it’s cluttering up the street - woman asks me 3 times if it’s got a valid tax disc …“No you don’t understand - it’s a 2009 motorbike worth about £6000 or do”

Useless

I would have taken the keys out and left them with one of the people who live nearby but they were suspicious enough of me anyway…

So I gave up and went back to an evening in front of the telly.

What would you have done???

2

Called police, left keys at local station after locking said chain and bike to something and then leave note on bike.

3

Would probably have taken the keys and left a note with phone number.

Last time I phoned the police to report a stolen bike - which I was stood next too (with a local gang watching) - I knew it was stolen as it was mine and I’d reported it stolen an hour earlier - they refused to send anyone, the whole 1/2 mile from the local station.

4

Take the bike to yours! Call old bill and tell them you have it and will wait for owner to call them and collect. Also leave note near position of bike to call the police and when collecting bike, bring proof of ownership. I would possibly leave bike at police station.

5

Looking back I should have taken the keys and left a note/called the police.

I did think of wheeling it the 200m back to my place but…

…what if I’m doing that and the owner suddenly appears amd sees me wheeling his pride and joy away…and he’s a big angry fecker who punches first and asks questions later…then the Police happen by and see me, to all intents and purposes, nicking a Ducati??? :smiley:

6

I agree with you about wheeling it away on your own - maybe get a neighbour to help you - then it should be clear you were not knicking it.

I stopped at a mates house once - couldn’t get in (was p*ssed) so decided to climb up on a garage roof and climb through a window. Someone called the coppers who turned up. Told them it was ok as I was staying there. They asked me the address (which I didn’t know) - took about 15 minutes to convince them I wasn’t a burglar.

7

Call the popo first :smiley: won’t stop a black eye but will stop the arrest :stuck_out_tongue:
A note left at the bike location might stop the black eye :slight_smile:

8

I’d of started it up and rev’d the engine loads, should of brought the owner running.

9

That did cross my mind … but what if the owner came running…holding a baseball bat! :smiley:

Jaime I needed you there mate!:cool:

10

I had that happen once …I took they keys and left note saying to call me. A very thankful person turned up with a proof of ID.

11

I’d have probably called the fuzz and wheeled it home for safe keeping then gone back and left a bigish note. If it has a dealer name on the plate you can also call them to see if they know who owns it.

12

Take the keys leave a note on it and get them to bring all the relevant paper work to prove its theirs

13

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and leave a note with my phone number saying the keys
were in a safe, local, place for next 24 hrs.

Then if no one called I’d take the keys to the local cops and
report it.

I wouldn’t move the bike, or even start it, as that could look
like I was attempting to nick it.

14

is it still there???

take it home. call the cops and explain everything (again).

if it was stolen, you’ve recovered it, if it wasnt then the owner may have been take ill or other reasons.

in any case i think the owner should appreciate the effort, i know i would.

15

No it was gone by next morning,

Should be an insurance scheme where, if you rescue a bike like that, you can keep it legally for 48 hours - funded by the insurance companies and they provide fully comp cover too:)

Finders keepers! (well for 48hrs anyway) :cool:

16

Hop on and do one!

17

You didnt take the keys out?! If the keys to the lock had been on them, I’d have stuck that on too & then left a note.

18

Yep- should have done that with hindsight :crying:

19

Im assuming its unusual to actually steal a bike by having the keys, so hopefuly it was just a case of someone popping into a house & forgettting to take them out.
At least the old bill have details should it get reported as stolen, so not all bad.

20

Could the owner have left the keys in it in the hope that someone would nick it so he could claim the insurance? :ermm: