Theft Description

After much procrastination, I ordered these two bikes from Halfords for my daughter and I. I sold my car back in January and decided that the lifestyle change was needed! I’ve wanted a bike again for YEARS. Halfords messed up the order and only provided one bike lock, plus some part of it needed to be fitted when I got home and this really frazzled my brain and made me angry - I paid for their servicing package for both bikes, which means that they should have done this and maybe shown me how it works? Not to put the blame on them, I should have been more assertive. Ultimately, despite being clear that I wanted two of everything, they only put one lock on the order. I ordered this via Klarna and needed everything to be on the order, as I didn’t have the cash money. Boris bikes were costing an arm and a leg…they also did not include lights, so I had to put them on my credit card so that we could cycle home safely, collection was around 7pm. I had the bikes in my flat for a bit. I kept bringing mine up at first. My daughter didn’t really use hers and it was more me. I got an £80 chain type lock which had a fabric covering. I was using this to lock mine outside until I heard back from Halfords about the other lock. I live in an estate which has no cycle storage (applied for some years ago). But I nervously locked my bike on a parking pole opposite my kitchen window, and would be able to go and glance at it for reassurance. This happened for about 1 week maybe. My daughter and I went for our first bike ride with family members on Boris bikes. It was really good. When we got back I stupidly decided to lock both bikes up, as I was tired and didn’t want to lug them upstairs. We are in the process of moving and also needed the extra space inside to play Tetris with boxes and furniture. So I found the only pole which could accommodate both bikes, one either side. I put the lock through both frames and wheels, it was a bit of a squeeze but it locked properly. We went to view our new place on the night of Wednesday 20th and my brother commented that the bikes should be moved because there was nothing at the top of the pole, people could just lift them off the top. I agreed and asked him if he would fit the other D lock with wire and show me how to use it. I know it’s probably really basic but sometimes I get a mental block about these things, until I’m shown. The next morning I went to have a peep at the bikes before I got ready to leave and gasped. They were gone. I was CRUSHED. The thieves removed the whole pole from the ground in order to take the bikes. I assume that they will have got some sort of machinery to cut the lock off by now. I’ll be paying for these bikes over the course of the next 3 years on finance. So stupid that I didn’t do the free 14 day Halfords insurance or sort the long term one out yet. It’s my fault and really stupid of me, just had so many things to organise with the move that it kept ebbing down the priority list. Now I just feel angry every time I walk anywhere and too aggrieved to rent bikes, I honestly can’t afford to do anything other than be pissed. I doubt these can be found by now, I did contact the police and I was obsessively looking online for a while, but it’s kind of heartbreaking so I had to stop. I know it seems so self pitying, but they really stole a whole lifestyle and not just an object. Anyway if you got this far then I thank you for your time and interest.