Bike rack stolen from vehicle

[Gibros]

Hi there, we have a T6 beach and have just had our bike rack stolen(parked right outside our house). It is the genuine £550 VW tailgate type one for 4 bikes. The 2 metal clips that wrap around each side of the boot were still in place and the boot was shut so we cant understand how they managed to steal it. I guess they had the hex key to undo the bolts but i though the idea was that you couldnt remove the rack unless you open the boot and slide it away from the clips???
I am also now wondering what the cheapest option is for replacement bearing in mind it could get stolen again(?) and we will probably sell the van next spring. If anyone has any ideas/thoughts on this i would be very grateful.

 

[Meoncoast]

is your spare wheel still there?

 

[Gibros]

is your spare wheel still there?

It was a few minutes ago! I have a stay sure lock on that.

 

[T6 CFO]

It was a few minutes ago! I have a stay sure lock on that.

If you’ve got a tow bar I’d get one for that. Thieves have a habit of returning.

Bad luck


Mike

 

[2into1]

Were the two metal clips (claws) still wedged between the tailgate and the rear lamps? What about the long bolts and the steel rollers, which the bolts pass through?
I'm clearly puzzled how it could have been removed and why they would have left parts behind.

If they approach most vw dealers trying to get the missing parts, they'll likely be told they have to buy a new rack! (although non lazy dealers can get them).

 

[westfalia]

Was that in broad daylight? jeez that is bad luck.
On the T5 it is possible to unscrew whilst the door is shut,
one way of making it a bit harder is to change the bolts and maybe to
have 2 different ones on.

 

[Gibros]

Yes they were still in there and the bolts and 2 x washers on each bolt are still in place too. Not sure whether that is what you mean by rollers. I can understand them being able to undo the bolts with a hex type key but dont know how they would then be able top get the rack out from under the clips unless they forced it (bodywork isnt damaged) or they opened the boot. My wife swears it was locked and to be fair the boot was shut when we found it and our Cadac safari BBG is still in the boot.

 

[Gibros]

Was that in broad daylight? jeez that is bad luck.
On the T5 it is possible to unscrew whilst the door is shut,
one way of making it a bit harder is to change the bolts and maybe to
have 2 different ones on. View attachment 61996

View attachment 61995

ours is the t6 one and yes i think it happened today, right outside our front door. see what you mean about putting different bolts on but i guess if i have a 'key' for a certain type of bolt then someone else will too.

 

[mike5im5]

That's terrible news.. I've been weighing up removing mine and storing it somewhere..

It's just a pain that people would steal as it's so convenient to leave on incase we need to chuck the bikes on.

 

[BenPcaliman]

i used 2 different style of anti theft bolts to fix my t5 one. so far so go

 

[SusiBus]

Sorry to hear this. We fitted security bolts, but it's still worrying. The point of thieves returnin is also a real worry. Post if you come up with a good fix.

 

[CamperFam]

Thats awful news.

It beggars belief where people get the gall to take others belongings. Watching this thread with interest given I was going to fit mine on a permanent basis.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Thats awful news.

It beggars belief where people get the gall to take others belongings. Watching this thread with interest given I was going to fit mine on a permanent basis.

This isn’t the first case of a stolen bike rack. It’s happened a few times now and another good reason to ditch the terrible Volkswagen rack.
Sorry to hear your mis-fortune @Gibros. Have a good look at the towbar racks. The Atera sliding racks are very good and you can store in the garage when not in use.
Also, if you sell the Cali. It can be used on another vehicle.

Fingers crossed they don’t return

 

[Gibros]

Thanks kallista. Dare i say it i feel better for knowing its not just me that has had one stolen - in the back of my mind i have been wondering if we did something stupid(ie not locked the van) but sure we didnt because they didn't take the clips which are vital and can only be removed if the boots open. I will have a look at the Atera rack and certainly wont be buying another VW one - won't sleep at night! Thanks again.

 

[Alan Andrews]

I heard that some thiefs are simply using an angle grinder to cut the rack from the van with bikes attached.

I have fitted a dash cam on the rear window, which will come on if there is any disturbance at the back, specifically for this reason.

 

[SusiBus]

I take the bike supports off when not using them, making theft of the bike rack less attractive because it is incomplete. They would have to buy new bike supports.

 

[LEE D-HODSON]

Scum, just absolute scum. Its a p*ss poor state of affairs when you cant just leave it bolted onto your vehicle.

 

[BeagleMum]

Hi there, we have a T6 beach and have just had our bike rack stolen(parked right outside our house). It is the genuine £550 VW tailgate type one for 4 bikes. The 2 metal clips that wrap around each side of the boot were still in place and the boot was shut so we cant understand how they managed to steal it. I guess they had the hex key to undo the bolts but i though the idea was that you couldnt remove the rack unless you open the boot and slide it away from the clips???
I am also now wondering what the cheapest option is for replacement bearing in mind it could get stolen again(?) and we will probably sell the van next spring. If anyone has any ideas/thoughts on this i would be very grateful.

Sorry to hear this, it despicable what some people will stoop to, no consolation to you but hope karma comes back to bite them.

 

[Big Ron]

Sorry to hear this, it despicable what some people will stoop to, no consolation to you but hope karma comes back to bite them.

Karma? There is a chance that this is a concept invented by people to make themselves feel better/reduce their bitterness or feeling of injustice?
And there’s nothing wrong with that if it is the case.... but personally....I’m afraid I’m with Lee on this one.

 

[LEE D-HODSON]

Don't know about Karma but i'd be more than happy for a couple of rabid staffy bulldogs to bite them. Thieving bstads deserve no sympathy!!

 

[GSX1300R]

I know this doesn’t help you at all and I really feel for you..We fitted a dash cam on the back that works off of movement so would have clearly shown the scumbag who nicked it..Yes they may have seen the camera but it wouldn’t have been until they had at least started to Nick it then it would be too late..The Back window if fairly dark and double glazed but gives an excellent view behind..

 

[T6 CFO]

I know this doesn’t help you at all and I really feel for you..We fitted a dash cam on the back that works off of movement so would have clearly shown the scumbag who nicked it..Yes they may have seen the camera but it wouldn’t have been until they had at least started to Nick it then it would be too late..The Back window if fairly dark and double glazed but gives an excellent view behind..

I hate to say it but the footage is unlikely to be of much use as property crime is about as low as it gets on the priority list .

I also have a rear camera but no bike rack and is more for accidents. If you have got one I would disable any lights on it which you can do with most.

If I was nicking a bike rack and spotted a camera my hammer would be going through the back window and the cameras front and rear would be coming with me when I legged it.

Most of these thefts are going to be organised, pattern I’ve seen in the past is that they will not be sold locally but taken elsewhere. More valuable and identifiable it is the further it will travel.

The real idiots may sell locally but even if you spot your stolen item and identified the culprit you will be struggling to get the police involved. Been there and done it.

Identifying stolen stuff on these sites is easy with a few questions so all we can do is to ask those questions and not buy anything suspicious.

These things go in cycles (pun intended). Take extra care if you can for a while and if not required I’d remove it until the craze passes. I would worry more about damage to the tailgate with fancy bolts but each to their own.


Mike

 

[GSX1300R]

I hate to say it but the footage is unlikely to be of much use as property crime is about as low as it gets on the priority list .

I also have a rear camera but no bike rack and is more for accidents. If you have got one I would disable any lights on it which you can do with most.

If I was nicking a bike rack and spotted a camera my hammer would be going through the back window and the cameras front and rear would be coming with me when I legged it.

Most of these thefts are going to be organised, pattern I’ve seen in the past is that they will not be sold locally but taken elsewhere. More valuable and identifiable it is the further it will travel.

The real idiots may sell locally but even if you spot your stolen item and identified the culprit you will be struggling to get the police involved. Been there and done it.

Identifying stolen stuff on these sites is easy with a few questions so all we can do is to ask those questions and not buy anything suspicious.

These things go in cycles (pun intended). Take extra care if you can for a while and if not required I’d remove it until the craze passes. I would worry more about damage to the tailgate with fancy bolts but each to their own.


Mike

So going from nicking someones bike rack to smashing both the front and rear screens don’t you think is taking it a bit far..To start with you would have to smash through the bars of the rack to get to the rear double glazed window to then Nick the dash cam..Then smash the front screen and Nick the front dash cam..All this when the Vehicle alarm is going and headlights are flashing on and off..Don’t think so somehow...lol.

 

[T6 CFO]

So going from nicking someones bike rack to smashing both the front and rear screens don’t you think is taking it a bit far..To start with you would have to smash through the bars of the rack to get to the rear double glazed window to then Nick the dash cam..Then smash the front screen and Nick the front dash cam..All this when the Vehicle alarm is going and headlights are flashing on and off..Don’t think so somehow...lol.

That’s a very dismissive post. Like I said each to their own. If you think I posted out of guesswork then your mistaken. I’m not about to try persuading you.


Mike

 

[Pete Roberts]

That’s a very dismissive post. Like I said each to their own. If you think I posted out of guesswork then your mistaken. I’m not about to try persuading you.


Mike

Why dismissive? You have just said if it was you that was nicking my bike rack and you saw my rear camera you would smash the rear screen and front screen and Nick the cameras instead..Maybe I don’t think the same way as you..But I wouldn’t be even thinking about nicking anyone’s bike rack or smashing their screens..It’s absolutely appalling. Or was this just hypothetical?....