AN OWNER of an e-bike stolen last year claims he has recently seen it listed on an consumer-to-consumer sales website.
Shinfield resident Sedat Ozalpdemir spoke to Reading Today in September 2022 after his bike was taken on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. It had been locked in a bike shed, which the thief had forced his way into before breaking the metal fixture his bike had been secured to.
In an attempt to purchase a suitable second hand replacement, he came across an advertisement on Facebook Marketplace.
Mr Ozalpdemir explained: “It is most likely that this is my bike. The selling account is newly opened and is fake. The bike has done 3,000km, mine was [on] around 2,700km when it was stolen.
“It is statistically very difficult for the same colour, same model of bicycle to have travelled the same distance.”
He added that an identifying feature of his two-wheeler was the cable connecting the rear wheel to the engine, which had been “pinched” with a plastic clamp. The advertised bike still has the clamp on.
Mr Ozalpdemir still has the key to the battery lock and, in the knowledge that a potential thief wouldn’t have it, reached out to the seller to ask about security measures for the bike’s battery. As he expected, he didn’t receive a response.
The bike, which has a recommended retail price of £1,595, has been listed at £750 by a London-based seller, who has had it serviced so that brake pads and cable have been changed.
When the bike had been stolen, Mr Ozalpdemir made it clear that losing the bike wasn’t his only concern. It had played an important role in spending time with his son, and he wasn’t convinced that the police were doing enough in the area to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
“It was very sad for me, not only because it was a very expensive item, but also because we were doing country trips with my son, so our social life was totally affected,” Mr Ozalpdemir explained.
“Another issue that upset me was the indifference of the police, they didn’t even come and ask [for information]. When police are so indifferent, such things will only increase. The thieves broke into my neighbour’s house in the building I live in.
“I’ve only been living in England for a year now, the theft has really bothered me. I have small children and I don’t really feel safe anymore. Thieves break into my house in my dreams.”
A spokesperson for Thames Valley Police said: “If your bike has been stolen and is now being sold online, please call 101 or go to our website to report a crime or update a crime report, quoting your crime reference number.
“For more information on keeping your bike safe, please see our website.”
To report a crime, visit: www.thamesvalley.police.uk
