Stolen Bikes

Tom Crispin said:

As this is Bike Week I have been caefully monitoring the number of
children cyling to school each day.

On Tuesday there were 54 bikes in the bike sheds.

On Thursday two bikes were stolen.

Today there were 44 bikes in the bike sheds.

A drop of 2 bikes can be accounted for by their theft. Is the further
drop of 8 down to fear of theft?

I would hope so, if the school can't protect the bikes, I would hope
you don't expect children to take them to school - what does the CCTV
of the bike shed show?

Jim.

Tom Crispin <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

As this is Bike Week I have been caefully monitoring the number of
children cyling to school each day.

Quoted message said:

On Tuesday there were 54 bikes in the bike sheds.

Quoted message said:

On Thursday two bikes were stolen.

Quoted message said:

Today there were 44 bikes in the bike sheds.

Quoted message said:

A drop of 2 bikes can be accounted for by their theft. Is the further
drop of 8 down to fear of theft?

Could be any of:

Fear of theft.
Kid too tired to cycle
Easy availability of lift today
Fear of rain
Fear of getting cold
Deciding to walk
P*nct*re fairy visit
Anything

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.

(Jim Ley) said:

Tom Crispin said:

As this is Bike Week I have been caefully monitoring the number of
children cyling to school each day.

On Tuesday there were 54 bikes in the bike sheds.

On Thursday two bikes were stolen.

Today there were 44 bikes in the bike sheds.

A drop of 2 bikes can be accounted for by their theft. Is the further
drop of 8 down to fear of theft?

I would hope so, if the school can't protect the bikes, I would hope
you don't expect children to take them to school - what does the CCTV
of the bike shed show?

The bike sheds are opened at 8.45 for 9am, locked at 9.10, and after
that have internal access only through the main gate. They are
unlocked again at 3.10 for 3.20, and locked at 3.45. The
headteacher's office overlooks the Year 5 and 6 bike shed. The Year 1
- 4 bike shed is quite secluded. Neither shed has CCTV.

Soon after 3.10 on Thursday a teenager, maybe 15 years old, was seen
by a parent walking into the Year 5 & 6 bike shed, pick up an unlocked
BMX type bike with stunt pegs, and walk away with it. We are not sure
about the theft of the other bike from the Year 1 - 4 bike shed, but
it was also unlocked.

As an immediate measure I went to Makro and bought 12 bike locks for
loan to children who don't have their own lock. The locks are of poor
quality but should prevent an opportunist.

I found 15 unlocked bikes in the sheds today and locked them all up -
it was mayhem at 3.20 trying to unlock 15 bikes at once.

Tom Crispin said:

The bike sheds are opened at 8.45 for 9am, locked at 9.10, and after
that have internal access only through the main gate. They are
unlocked again at 3.10 for 3.20, and locked at 3.45. The
headteacher's office overlooks the Year 5 and 6 bike shed. The Year 1
- 4 bike shed is quite secluded. Neither shed has CCTV.

I would suggest that should be the priority, get CCTV coverage of the
entrances to the bike-sheds, especially the secluded ones, locks are
not ultimately effective if the area is secluded, and kids generally
don't like the hassle. Could you not organise the bike-shed entrance
so that access had to go past an area that has CCTV coverage even if
it makes a longer journey for access? (I assume the school in general
does have some coverage, I've not seen one recently that doesn't)

Jim.

Quoted message said:

As an immediate measure I went to Makro and bought 12 bike locks for
loan to children who don't have their own lock. The locks are of poor
quality but should prevent an opportunist.

Nice one. Might be worth selling locks on to the sprogs at cost price, as
well as having ones for loan. Maybe lights in the winter too.

On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 18:42:37 GMT, Mark Thompson

pleasegivegenerously@warmmail*_turn_up_the_heat_to_reply*.com said:

Quoted message said:

As an immediate measure I went to Makro and bought 12 bike locks for
loan to children who don't have their own lock. The locks are of poor
quality but should prevent an opportunist.

Nice one. Might be worth selling locks on to the sprogs at cost price, as
well as having ones for loan. Maybe lights in the winter too.

I would and have given them away if asked. They only cost £3.50.

(Jim Ley) said:

Tom Crispin said:

The bike sheds are opened at 8.45 for 9am, locked at 9.10, and after
that have internal access only through the main gate. They are
unlocked again at 3.10 for 3.20, and locked at 3.45. The
headteacher's office overlooks the Year 5 and 6 bike shed. The Year 1
- 4 bike shed is quite secluded. Neither shed has CCTV.

I would suggest that should be the priority, get CCTV coverage of the
entrances to the bike-sheds, especially the secluded ones, locks are
not ultimately effective if the area is secluded, and kids generally
don't like the hassle. Could you not organise the bike-shed entrance
so that access had to go past an area that has CCTV coverage even if
it makes a longer journey for access? (I assume the school in general
does have some coverage, I've not seen one recently that doesn't)

The school has minimal CCTV. Cover for the Year 5 and 6 shed outside
the HT's office is easy and a priority. The more secluded one is a
problem and would need a complete system. Access other than through
the shed gate is awkward and requires a carry up several steps, too
much for most 5 - 9 year olds.

On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 18:42:37 GMT, Mark Thompson

pleasegivegenerously@warmmail*_turn_up_the_heat_to_reply*.com said:

Maybe lights in the winter too.

I already loan lights - indeed, many a time have I seen a child about
to ride off in the dark and insisted they borrow lights.

I also loan complete bikes, with lights, locks and all.

Tom Crispin said:

The school has minimal CCTV. Cover for the Year 5 and 6 shed outside
the HT's office is easy and a priority. The more secluded one is a
problem and would need a complete system. Access other than through
the shed gate is awkward and requires a carry up several steps, too
much for most 5 - 9 year olds.

Annoying, are they too far apart that everyone could use the 5/6 shed
- or do you want to keep them seperate for other reasons?

Jim.

Tom Crispin wrote on 23/06/2006 19:58 +0100:

Quoted message said:

The school has minimal CCTV. Cover for the Year 5 and 6 shed outside
the HT's office is easy and a priority. The more secluded one is a
problem and would need a complete system. Access other than through
the shed gate is awkward and requires a carry up several steps, too
much for most 5 - 9 year olds.

Maybe a good use for a recent windfall of £2k

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

(Jim Ley) said:

Tom Crispin said:

The school has minimal CCTV. Cover for the Year 5 and 6 shed outside
the HT's office is easy and a priority. The more secluded one is a
problem and would need a complete system. Access other than through
the shed gate is awkward and requires a carry up several steps, too
much for most 5 - 9 year olds.

Annoying, are they too far apart that everyone could use the 5/6 shed
- or do you want to keep them seperate for other reasons?

Space problems - this is Inner London. 50 children trying to access
their bikes between 3.20 and 3.30 is difficult.

Construction of the Year 5/6 bike shed is already over £2,000 for 30
places, with another £2,000 to be spent on further security. It has
substantially eased the pressure on the Year 1 - 4 bike shed, which on
17th December 2005 looked like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=139808142&size=l

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=120403782&size=l

And the week before Bike Week was mayhem.

On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 20:53:07 +0100, Tony Raven <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Tom Crispin wrote on 23/06/2006 19:58 +0100:

Quoted message said:

The school has minimal CCTV. Cover for the Year 5 and 6 shed outside
the HT's office is easy and a priority. The more secluded one is a
problem and would need a complete system. Access other than through
the shed gate is awkward and requires a carry up several steps, too
much for most 5 - 9 year olds.

Maybe a good use for a recent windfall of £2k

I have about £4,500 in total to spend on the shed and the path over
the grass leading to it.

Tom Crispin said:

Year 1 - 4 bike shed, which on
17th December 2005 looked like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=139808142&size=l

That is absolutely great! When I was at gramur^W grandma^W gramer
skule in the 1960s the bike shed was packed, probably 120-150 bikes for
about 400 pupils. In 2003 there was only 1 bike -- and that was mine on
a nostalgia trip around the town.

Mike

Tom Crispin said:

As this is Bike Week I have been caefully monitoring the number of
children cyling to school each day.

On Tuesday there were 54 bikes in the bike sheds.

On Thursday two bikes were stolen.

Today there were 44 bikes in the bike sheds.

A drop of 2 bikes can be accounted for by their theft. Is the further
drop of 8 down to fear of theft?

Kid: "[censored] mum, two bikes got nicked from school today!"

Mum: "Knights of Columbus! And your bike cost a fecking fortune!
That's it, I'm driving you in tomorrow..."

Tom Crispin said:

As this is Bike Week I have been caefully monitoring the number of
children cyling to school each day.

I would suggest a visit to the "Reinventing the Bike Shed" exhibition.

In guess in an ideal world you would have solidly build bike stand with
built-in high quality locks.
Hmmmm.... could you get a set of Abus or Magnum type chains? Get a local
welder to weld them to the bike stands. Children choose a stand, and take
the key to class for the day. Keys are connected to tennis balls, and are
kept by the class teacher?
You keep the duplicate keys of course for the inevitable lost keys.

On Sat, 24 Jun 2006 07:31:03 +0100, Tim Binns <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Tom Crispin said:

As this is Bike Week I have been caefully monitoring the number of
children cyling to school each day.

On Tuesday there were 54 bikes in the bike sheds.

On Thursday two bikes were stolen.

Today there were 44 bikes in the bike sheds.

A drop of 2 bikes can be accounted for by their theft. Is the further
drop of 8 down to fear of theft?

Kid: "[censored] mum, two bikes got nicked from school today!"

Mum: "Knights of Columbus! And your bike cost a fecking fortune!
That's it, I'm driving you in tomorrow..."

That's what I fear.

I'd prefer:

Kid: "Gadzooks mum, two unlocked bikes got nicked from school today!"

Mum: "Knights of Columbus! And your bike cost an absolute fortune!
That's it, I'm getting you a good lock for tomorrow..."

Tom Crispin said:

A drop of 2 bikes can be accounted for by their theft.

A more effective tactic may be to take out a contract with Mr. Chapman.
His rates are very reasonable, and the school can be assured that the
evidence will be removed afterwards.
There is a classic three-step programme for theft prevention.

The trauma inflicted on the tiny tots by seeing such activities on the
school playgrounds is of course regrettable, but "pour encourager les
autres" it may be a necessary evil to prevent another generation of bike
thieves.

On Sat, 24 Jun 2006 07:58:21 +0100, John Hearns <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Tom Crispin said:

As this is Bike Week I have been caefully monitoring the number of
children cyling to school each day.

I would suggest a visit to the "Reinventing the Bike Shed" exhibition.

In guess in an ideal world you would have solidly build bike stand with
built-in high quality locks.
Hmmmm.... could you get a set of Abus or Magnum type chains? Get a local
welder to weld them to the bike stands. Children choose a stand, and take
the key to class for the day. Keys are connected to tennis balls, and are
kept by the class teacher?
You keep the duplicate keys of course for the inevitable lost keys.

John, you're not far away from Blackheath. Would you be able to spare
an hour or two to advise. I still have a reasonable budget to spend
on security, and the foundations and hoops of the new bike shed is
only just complete, with more work to be done.

Tom Crispin said:

John, you're not far away from Blackheath. Would you be able to spare an
hour or two to advise. I still have a reasonable budget to spend on
security, and the foundations and hoops of the new bike shed is only just
complete, with more work to be done.

Much more usefully, why not contact Barry Mason?
He helped get new cages put in for a primary school near here,
and he put together the "Reinventing the Bike Shed".