Ever bought a stolen bike?
Discussion
I bought a cheap project just at the end of last year, an Aprilia Habana 125.
The guy selling it hadn't owned it long, he claimed to have bought it from an old guy who had left it sitting in his garage for 20 years without using it; the condition would certainly back that story up (less than 2000 miles, original tyres, a few minor scrapes and only very mild corrosion).
He was a bit rough and ready but didn't come across as being a serial killer (yeah, I know, they never do...), he was in a poorer part of town but not quite Beirut (yeah, I know, I'm a snob...), and his reason for selling was that he already had a 50 and the 125 was too powerful for him (yeah, I know, a bit lame...)
Full V5 present with frame and engine numbers correct, no mot (never even been mot'd apparently), no other documents.
The deal was done, it came home with me and I have played about with it here and there, servicing it, cleaning it up etc.
Fast forward a couple of months and I get a card through the door while I am out asking me to contact PC Plod at Plodville station.
I do, and he then explains that despite DVLA issuing a new V5 for the bike, it is actually on their records as having been reported stolen and never recovered 20 years ago.
I'm not unduly worried; I know it wasn't me that nicked it (or reported it nicked) 20 years ago, it was cheap enough that if I lose it completely to an insurance company I won't be financially ruined but how the heck does something like this actually happen in the first place?
Ok, I can understand a trendy scooter having been nicked 20 years ago, but why did the nicker stick it away for 20 years?
Or was it never nicked and actually a fraudulent insurance claim 20 years ago?
In which case why did the owner not just torch it or chuck it in a canal?
And now it has ended up in daylight again, why did DVLA issue a new V5 if the registration has a stolen marker against it?
I had the scooter for a couple of months before plod got involved so could have already sold it on or parted it out on ebay leaving an even more confusing mess for someone to sort!
Anyone else ever had this happen?
The guy selling it hadn't owned it long, he claimed to have bought it from an old guy who had left it sitting in his garage for 20 years without using it; the condition would certainly back that story up (less than 2000 miles, original tyres, a few minor scrapes and only very mild corrosion).
He was a bit rough and ready but didn't come across as being a serial killer (yeah, I know, they never do...), he was in a poorer part of town but not quite Beirut (yeah, I know, I'm a snob...), and his reason for selling was that he already had a 50 and the 125 was too powerful for him (yeah, I know, a bit lame...)
Full V5 present with frame and engine numbers correct, no mot (never even been mot'd apparently), no other documents.
The deal was done, it came home with me and I have played about with it here and there, servicing it, cleaning it up etc.
Fast forward a couple of months and I get a card through the door while I am out asking me to contact PC Plod at Plodville station.
I do, and he then explains that despite DVLA issuing a new V5 for the bike, it is actually on their records as having been reported stolen and never recovered 20 years ago.
I'm not unduly worried; I know it wasn't me that nicked it (or reported it nicked) 20 years ago, it was cheap enough that if I lose it completely to an insurance company I won't be financially ruined but how the heck does something like this actually happen in the first place?
Ok, I can understand a trendy scooter having been nicked 20 years ago, but why did the nicker stick it away for 20 years?
Or was it never nicked and actually a fraudulent insurance claim 20 years ago?
In which case why did the owner not just torch it or chuck it in a canal?
And now it has ended up in daylight again, why did DVLA issue a new V5 if the registration has a stolen marker against it?
I had the scooter for a couple of months before plod got involved so could have already sold it on or parted it out on ebay leaving an even more confusing mess for someone to sort!
Anyone else ever had this happen?
Rubin215 said:
moto_traxport said:
It’s mad that he had a V5 in his name & address and then the DVLA issued a new one in your name.
Have you tried subsequently doing an HPI check on it?
Not much point now, I already know it's been nicked at least once!Have you tried subsequently doing an HPI check on it?
Over 20 years ago I was on the other foot and sold a super moto that turned out to be stolen without having a clue
Only say this now all this time on as every so often it still bothers me as I'm not that kinda guy
Friend and me bought it as a trail bike and put SM Pro rims, bigger disc etc and I think he did a couple of events. Eventually came to sell and we said split whatever we get 50/50
We bought it at the time from a T&Mx newspaper. Guy we sold to was real nice via eBay too but about a month or so later he had tried to do paperwork to road register and got a call from police stating it was previously stolen
He called me saying not best pleased and did I know which I really didn't. Never heard anymore about it from anyone but as said I do still on the odd occasion like this thread think about it
Only say this now all this time on as every so often it still bothers me as I'm not that kinda guy
Friend and me bought it as a trail bike and put SM Pro rims, bigger disc etc and I think he did a couple of events. Eventually came to sell and we said split whatever we get 50/50
We bought it at the time from a T&Mx newspaper. Guy we sold to was real nice via eBay too but about a month or so later he had tried to do paperwork to road register and got a call from police stating it was previously stolen
He called me saying not best pleased and did I know which I really didn't. Never heard anymore about it from anyone but as said I do still on the odd occasion like this thread think about it
moto_traxport said:
The insurance marker maybe up to 20 years old and therefore not show up on an HPI check (not an exact science). If it goes through clear you might be up for their guarantee against buying a stolen vehicle. For a tenner I’d just do it out of interest.
I can't see HPI covering this. It deceitful trying to claim compensation for a bike you know is stolen. You rely on the information HPI give you before buying. You can't do it afterwards and try and blame them for misleading information.
Dad deals in classic cars and similar things have happened over the years - typically old worthless car gets dragged from a barn and after it's been fixed and V5 in new name a stolen marker pops up
IIRC the old owner (or insurer) rightfully own the vehicle but you can claim for any betterment you have made - obviously this is hard to prove if it's mostly your time
Most insurers won't be interested in a cheap bike 20 yrs ago - with the cost of recovery / sale so I expect they will either tell you to keep it or ask for a small fee
Let us know how you get on
IIRC the old owner (or insurer) rightfully own the vehicle but you can claim for any betterment you have made - obviously this is hard to prove if it's mostly your time
Most insurers won't be interested in a cheap bike 20 yrs ago - with the cost of recovery / sale so I expect they will either tell you to keep it or ask for a small fee
Let us know how you get on
A wee update to this.
I spoke to the PC who is dealing with this today and there isn't much progress.
They don't know who actually reported the scooter stolen 20 years ago and what (if anything) the police did about it.
They don't know what insurance company was involved 20 years ago.
They can't trace the owner of the scooter from 20 years ago.
They can't contact the guy I bought it from despite me giving them his name, address and mobile number...
I spoke to the PC who is dealing with this today and there isn't much progress.
They don't know who actually reported the scooter stolen 20 years ago and what (if anything) the police did about it.
They don't know what insurance company was involved 20 years ago.
They can't trace the owner of the scooter from 20 years ago.
They can't contact the guy I bought it from despite me giving them his name, address and mobile number...
1987: Bought an RD350LC off a guy, who had a receipt from a salvage yard for a stolen recovered bike, without engine number.
Before buying it I went.to.the local.police station and asked at the desk, and they were fairly non committal. I was 19. Decided the price was right.
So 2 weeks later the engine seized at speed, locking the back wheel until i remembered the clutch lever.
Turned out the oil pump was disconnected and he'd been.running it on pre-mix.
On disassembly i found one head bolt was glued in.
One conrod was very bent. And the gouges down.the cylinder walls were massive.
I sent off the crank to.be rebuilt with a new rod. Bought 3mm oversize pistons, had it offset bored and rebuilt it. It was then 375cc
Before Putting It back, I borrowed the.stamps from work, and stamped the engine number off the v5 onto the engine. Kept it a year.
I recently looked on line and the last time it was taxed was 1989.
Before buying it I went.to.the local.police station and asked at the desk, and they were fairly non committal. I was 19. Decided the price was right.
So 2 weeks later the engine seized at speed, locking the back wheel until i remembered the clutch lever.
Turned out the oil pump was disconnected and he'd been.running it on pre-mix.
On disassembly i found one head bolt was glued in.
One conrod was very bent. And the gouges down.the cylinder walls were massive.
I sent off the crank to.be rebuilt with a new rod. Bought 3mm oversize pistons, had it offset bored and rebuilt it. It was then 375cc
Before Putting It back, I borrowed the.stamps from work, and stamped the engine number off the v5 onto the engine. Kept it a year.
I recently looked on line and the last time it was taxed was 1989.
I've never bought a stolen bike (as far as I know) but I've had plod help me "steal" back a bike that I'd had stolen.
In the 90s I had a bike stolen, some weeks later a friend saw it parked at the roadside. He called me, I called plod, we all turned up and I waited in the police car while they confirmed it was my bike. They loaded it into a van and took it to the station - I think the police were a bit better staffed in those days. I was able to buy the bike back off the insurance company for buttons.
The only downside in the whole story is that the bike was a 250 Superdream.
In the 90s I had a bike stolen, some weeks later a friend saw it parked at the roadside. He called me, I called plod, we all turned up and I waited in the police car while they confirmed it was my bike. They loaded it into a van and took it to the station - I think the police were a bit better staffed in those days. I was able to buy the bike back off the insurance company for buttons.
The only downside in the whole story is that the bike was a 250 Superdream.
Rubin215 said:
Tribal Chestnut said:
Daft f
kers. Have they actually got any real evidence that it was stolen then, or they’re just bored so making up more fairy stories??
It was DVLA who informed plod that a scooter that was reported stolen 20 years ago had recently been re-registered/V5 requested.kers. Have they actually got any real evidence that it was stolen then, or they’re just bored so making up more fairy stories??Rubin215 said:
A wee update to this.
I spoke to the PC who is dealing with this today and there isn't much progress.
They don't know who actually reported the scooter stolen 20 years ago and what (if anything) the police did about it.
They don't know what insurance company was involved 20 years ago.
They can't trace the owner of the scooter from 20 years ago.
They can't contact the guy I bought it from despite me giving them his name, address and mobile number...
In fairness , who the F cares about a 20 year old scooter ? Waste of time and effort. I spoke to the PC who is dealing with this today and there isn't much progress.
They don't know who actually reported the scooter stolen 20 years ago and what (if anything) the police did about it.
They don't know what insurance company was involved 20 years ago.
They can't trace the owner of the scooter from 20 years ago.
They can't contact the guy I bought it from despite me giving them his name, address and mobile number...
Not bought a stolen bike but reminded me of when I was younger. Guy from Scotland drove all the way to buy my classic Vespa. Paid in Scottish notes which I accepted stupidly. Paid in at bank and got told to go into back room and found out all fake but the bank said extremely good quality forgeries.
Police went to the man and asked about the money he just said someone bought a computer off him gave him the cash which he used to buy my bike.
He refused to give any further info so police said tough st case closed.
Police went to the man and asked about the money he just said someone bought a computer off him gave him the cash which he used to buy my bike.
He refused to give any further info so police said tough s
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