Recovery Description

SHORT > Found a listing on Gumtree with significant similarities, Informed Police Scotland, posed as a buyer and verified it was in fact my bike in person. Called Police Scotland who came to verify the frame number to the crime number and handed the bike to me once it checked out. LONG > After keeping daily tabs online, I eventually came across a listing on Gumtree not far from my city. Upon further inspection of the images, I was able to identify that it was in fact my bike based on unique characteristics that were identical, some parts of the bike had been changed. I called Police Scotland with information about the ad the following afternoon and contacted the seller and posed as a buyer from elsewhere. As the week was progressing, I was getting anxious as I was not getting any information from Police as to whether they were investigating the ad or not, so I called back and was informed that the officer on my case was off at the time. I then decided to confirm arrangements to view the bike at the weekend with the seller. This conversation got me the address which was in fact not in the area that was on the listing but was quite close to my home address. Once we arrived at the seller's address, I immediately started to look over the bike, looking for characteristics that I was familiar with before flipping it over to read the frame number. During which we were making casual conversation such as how long he had the bike, he lied. I knew the bike was mine before doing so but Police were only interested in the number regarding coming to the address. A few phone calls later we were greeted by a few officers who verified with the crime number details that the bike was a match and handed the bike to me. Due to a lack of evidence, the seller basically got a slap on the wrist. But I’m grateful that I got the bike back in one piece and hope my experience is able to help someone else.