London’s Brick Lane A Stolen Bike Hub

John Moss
By John Moss
December 21, 2012

So whilst I’ve been looking for my own bike I kept coming across mentions on Brick Lane Market for bikes that were stolen in London. Surely the problem can’t be that bad I thought…

After getting a report of my bike being for sale in London, I finally had the opportunity to find out… and boy was I wrong.

I’ve found a video on YouTube that effectively demonstrates just how wrong I was, this was most likely shot at roughly the same time I was there as it’s the same people selling the bikes.

There are around 5 permanent stands for bike shops (selling both bike parts and used bikes), and then one major place where teenagers stand “their” bikes against the curb in order to flog them to passers by. Even walking through I was offered a laptop by someone that quickly scarpered when I politely declined.

The map below shows these locations..


View Stolen Bikes – Brick Lane Market in a larger map

Whilst I was there I unfortunately didn’t spot my bike, but had I done I’m not sure what I could of done about it… The teenagers (about 15 of them), appear to be smart enough to keep to one bike each meaning should the police come round the corner they can disappear with their stock in next to no time (this happened more than once that day).

In short if your bicycle is stolen in London get yourself down to Brick Lane the following weekend.

P.S One tactic the police are now using is to stop those that have bought the bikes, so don’t buy stolen bikes at Brick Lane Market.

  • jim jeffery

    I am looking for any photos of brick lane market showing stolen bikes during the period 2005 and 2006 on the corner of cynet street and sclater street. i have just lost a court case and need photographic evidence for my appeal.

    thanks jim

  • o.heron76@hotmail.com

    if you see a new carrera crossfire 1 hybrid bike in black and white, its mine.
    thanks

  • Niki Dowling

    Looking for a sky blue ‘look’ KG 166 with white font and sky blue bar tape, cinelli head stem and mavic wheels, STOLEN 21ST OCT, please reply, reward can be discussed.

  • Looking for a stolen Focus Cayo carbon fibre road bike (black with white handlebars and red branding) – stolen over xmas 2014 from Whitechapel/ Aldgate

  • Pingback: London Based? We need you!()

  • Snowmuncher

    This market looks like something out of the third world. It doesn’t look a safe place to hangout, especially sticking out like a sore thumb not wearing a hoodie, not having youth offender face fuzz, not talking like Ali G and walking around with a smart phone taking a video. What should you do if you find your bike? If you say to the seller “Look here young man, you seem to have my stolen bike in your possession”, I’d imagine you’d get a knife in the gut. The practical way would be to buy it at a stolen rate (half market value?), covertly video the transaction, and go to the police. Or is there another way?

  • trek owner

    bike trek fx 7.2 stolen 27/08/15-13/09/15 black colour frame size 17.5, had reflectors missing from pedals, had mudguards, lights front and back, bell

  • Mister Me
  • Jazzy boy

    Was there last week and helped recover stolen bikes. What is disappointing is the law. Everyone knows that an individual standing there selling a bike is selling a stolen bike. The Police cannot go into the yard and recover bikes or arrest anyone they can only do it in the street. To go in the yard they need a specific warrant. These areoles are getting away with it, but do you know who are the bigger areoles? The arseholes that buy these bikes. 500,000 bikes a year are stolen The average thief steals ten bikes a week that means there are 800 arsehole bike thief’s in the UK… but there are 500,000 arseholes who buy stolen bikes. Don’t be an arsehole… don’t buy a stolen bike.

  • Viktoria Farkas

    If you see a black and yellow Mango singlespeed, do not buy it. Already reported to police. Please let me know as well. Thanks

  • Rael

    Looking for a new Black & Green Ghost 2016 stolen this week from north London

  • Charlotte Cameron

    The map is outdated

  • Javier Rodriguez

    Is it both Saturdays and Sundays? from what time?