Yvelines: thief sold stolen bikes on leboncoin
This summer, the bicycle has become the essential means of transport for getting around town during the COVID-19 health crisis, to avoid being squeezed together on public transport such as the tram, metro and bus. It's a real pleasure to move around freely and more quickly with this trendy accessory. As a result, bicycle sales have risen sharply. Unfortunately, this has also led to an increase in the scourge we all too often have to contend with: bicycle theft.
An active bike thief
In the Yvelines department, a man took advantage of the fine weather following the deconfinement to roam the streets of Versailles with the aim of stealing bicycles and selling them on the Internet. The criminal wasted no time, posting a total of sixteen ads on Leboncoin for the bikes he stole. All in the space of four months.
The case was uncovered thanks to a local resident, who went to the police station on 12 August after seeing an advert on the Leboncoin website in which he thought he recognised the folding bike that had been stolen from him a short time earlier. Despite the information provided by the victim to find the ad, it had been deleted. It was a blessing in disguise, however, as the police discovered three other adverts for the sale of bicycles, all from the same person. A clue that didn't escape them.
A new victim
On closer inspection of the photos, police officers recognised the area in the background where the thief had been. Further investigation of the seller's telephone details revealed that he had posted a total of twenty-six adverts, sixteen of which were for the sale of bicycles, since the deconfinement in May.
The case took a turn for the worse on 24 August, when a new victim turned up at the police station after having had two bicycles stolen. The police went to the area shown in the photos of the seller's advertisements, where they found the victim's two bicycles hidden at the back of a building and tied to a fence. They waited discreetly, watching the area, until the thief appeared to recover the bikes.
The man was then taken into custody and confessed during questioning. He explained that he stole bicycles to sell them on the internet simply to make money. A pair of bishop's pliers, which he used for each of his thefts to cut the locks on the bikes, was found at his home. The offender was eventually released with two summonses to appear in court.
Secure your purchases with Obvy
To avoid this type of scam between private individuals, which is very common on the Internet, we recommend that you read our previous article, listing all the tips and advice on how to avoid buying a stolen bike on classified ad sites.
The best way to ensure the security of all your transactions on person-to-person classified ad sites is to use Obvy, the payment method specially designed for this purpose. It ensures a simple and 100% secure transaction, and in the event of a problem you will have all the information you need about the seller and the transaction. It's a great way to establish a relationship of trust with the seller. The personalised delivery method also allows you to talk to the seller about the carrier of your choice, and you can have the bike delivered straight to your door!