$17k Ducati Stolen from Gumtree Seller

poboy on 09/09/2016 - 12:35
Last edited 09/09/2016 - 14:17 by 1 other user

This seller ignored all the warning signs and lost his $17k Ducati on a test drive. It's cringe upon cringe when reading the story.

If someone is taking my bike:

  1. I want to see a licence and another form of ID that I will keep while they test ride.

  2. I will take a photo of them beside the bike (helmet off)

  3. They need to drive to the place. I will take a photo of the car and its licence plate.

  4. I will call their phone and make sure it rings

If the rider is unable to satisfy all 4, then no test ride. I will take the photo first before asking for the licence - as the thief may be scoping out the bike for a future theft.

None of the above is fail safe, but thieves aren't usually the brightest sparks so it will likely trip them up.

Anyone had any issues in selling their bike?

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Comments

  • Diji1 on 09/09/2016 - 12:56

    So he gave the dude his bike :D

  • the-mal on 09/09/2016 - 12:59
    +4

    For me it was always:

    1) I hold onto your license
    2) I hold onto something of value (either the keys to your car or your credit/debit card)

    If you don't take at least those two steps you're asking for trouble.

    Then again when I sold my bike I already had my new bike so I went for the ride alongside them. New bike was much faster so there was no possibility of a getaway. :)

    • nomoneynoproblems on 09/09/2016 - 14:19
      +1

      Agree here. Although I personally don't let anyone test ride without the full asking amount. I sold my bike earlier this year and had cash in hand before i handed over the keys. I don't even ask for a license. :/

    • ProjectZero on 09/09/2016 - 14:34

      Then again when I sold my bike I already had my new bike so I went for the ride alongside them. New bike was much faster so there was no possibility of a getaway. :)

      I just imagined you chasing the guy down GTA style lol

      • Mumbles on 11/09/2016 - 11:59
        +1

        Hahahah. Ram the older bike off the road. Throw rider off the bike. Shoot them, ask questions later. Jump onto slower bike while abandoning new bike. Enjoy riding till police helicopter follows.

  • k-rokfm on 09/09/2016 - 13:05
    +2

    "an elaborate plot"

    Its hardly an elaborate plot lol, it happens all the time. And with the red flags that happened theres no way that i would let them take my bike out and its not even worth that much.

    • StewBalls on 09/09/2016 - 13:23
      +1

      Its hardly an elaborate plot

      Pretty sure the thief's faithful manservant said "I have a cunning plan, my lord" immediately prior to the heist…

      • scrimshaw on 09/09/2016 - 17:35
        +1

        and then cackling/laughing in a evil manner as he rode off into the sunset with the bike?

  • ProjectZero on 09/09/2016 - 14:37

    The guy was either too trusting, or wanted a quick sale since I wouldn't give anyone my car if they didnt even bring a license lol.

  • CyberMurning on 09/09/2016 - 14:55
    +1

    lets hope at least the seller receive a thank you letter in his mail box in the next few days.

  • chachi on 09/09/2016 - 15:19
    +2

    What a nuff nuff. I was given the full amount of cash when the guy went for a test ride. Obviously it depends on how much the bike is worth as to how much money you want to carry, still pretty careless.

    and errr what? "He thought at the time that Steve's motorbike leathers were a bit scruffy to be able to afford a luxury bike but put it down to his upgrading to a newer machine." …Should the buyer be wearing a Genovese leather jacket?

    Also the irony of selling a 17k bike on scumtree as oppose to bikesales which costs a measly $70 to post a $17k bike.

    • captobvious on 10/09/2016 - 01:37

      There are multimillion dollar houses for sale on scumtree.
      Regardless of scumtree fleabay or crapsales someone is going to get taken for a ride.

  • gomertose on 09/09/2016 - 15:26
    +10

    "The thief is described as 180 centimetres tall, of slender build and of Indian heritage."

    The biggest red flag was when he said his name was "Steve".

    • captobvious on 10/09/2016 - 01:38

      Ever called telstra or hp? All the indians have the name steve

      • gomertose on 10/09/2016 - 03:35

        Probably not their real name either.

        • [Deactivated] on 17/09/2016 - 23:52

          Random name generator always atops on steve.

  • gomertose on 10/09/2016 - 03:34

    delete (replied in wrong place)

  • Baysew on 11/09/2016 - 15:37

    So what happens next, to a stolen bike like that?

    Chopped up for parts or sold?

    • hellbound on 12/09/2016 - 11:00

      Depends on the thief. Usually either chopped up and shipped out of the country if it's an organised group, or it's ridden until he drops it too many times and gets dumped somewhere.

    • Mumbles on 13/09/2016 - 11:25

      My guess, used for joy riding till damaged beyond belief, then dumped in a ditch.

      The thief showed his face and doesn't mind being recognised so I don't count him as very professional. Its unlikely he will be parting out the bike.

      Most Ducati's are road registered vehicles. Registered bikes are the hardest to sell.

  • boomramada on 12/09/2016 - 12:34
    +1

    he didn't even write down the number plates of the car :/

  • Euphemistic on 13/09/2016 - 10:34

    In the last couple of weeks I bought a new car. Test drove two from private buyers who pretty much threw me the keys and said enjoy yourself. I was happy for them to check my licence, but they weren't really interested. One was from gumtree, the other from carsales. Both close to $20k. I did arrive in a car ($3-4k value) that was then left at their house for the test drive. Both were very trusting and had I been dodgy would have been easy to arrive in a stolen car, used a dodgy phone etc, and driven away having been given a set of keys and they would have had no insurance coverage.

  • dannyhc on 14/09/2016 - 11:07

    Well when you need your curry in a hurry..

    • [Deactivated] on 17/09/2016 - 23:54

      Too cold send it back.

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