Attempted theft of BMW F800S in Beijing, now need a repair (pics)

[cpfeiffer]

Hello,

I have a BMW F800S, over the weekend someone tried to hotwire the bike. They were not successful, but now I need to get the wiring harness fixed (or spend a boatload to replace it). Other than the BMW reseller, are there any good electrical repair guys that anyone would recommend in Beijing? The bike is in DongCheng district.

IMG_1181.jpgIMG_1184.jpgIMG_1131.jpg

--Chris

[slabo]

Best news ever is when you first wake you see your bike is still where you left it the night/morning before.. rubber side down

[Fred]

Whoah Chris, you're lucky the bike was still there, and it's a very nice bike for sure !

As I'm in Shanghai, I cannot help you with your questions, but if I may ask you where the bike was parked (inside or outside (pictures show outside but did you move the bike ?), in a compound, with guards, CCTV, etc.), it can help others on this forum to be better prepared.
Thanks, and pleased for you it was not worse...

[Lao Jia Hou]

So sad to hear of your misfortune, but at least the bastards were unable to take the whole bike.

I've heard from BMW friends that there is an excellent BMW mechanic on the East side, now working with the Yamaha dealership. Try:

Li Yan Hong 133-9178-9000

You might also want to PM chinabiker, as he was the resident "oil head" ... if anyone knows, I'd guess it would be him.

[cpfeiffer]

Hi,

The bike was inside my apartment complex in the CBD of Beijing. It is an international apartment complex. We have a total of 2 entrances, both entrances have "security guards", cameras, extra lighting, and a gate. I have a wheel lock but didn't use it inside of the apartment complex because I mistakenly believed the bike was safe - it seemed impossible that a thief would/could push a heavy yellow BMW 30 meters to the security station and then push it right past the guards, lights, and cameras. The guards know it is my bike as our complex is 99% bicycles and scooters.

Fortunately, the police recovered the bike within 30 minutes of me starting the police report - we were still filling out the paperwork. The bike was found about 1 km away and it was parked on the side of the road. Looks like the guy(s) unsuccessfully attempted to hot wire it, which means they very likely pushed it all the way there... Don't under-estimate thieves willingness to go the extra mile. It is a chore to push the bike with one big/strong person. It was likely a few people. I assume they didn't load it on a truck as it probably wouldn't have ever been found. The police are going to check the security cameras in and around my apartment complex to figure out how the thieves got it out of the complex in the first place.

So lessons learned:

1. Assume your 'security guards' will take a bribe or are completely worthless (police said they will check into bao-an involvement)
2. Always use a wheel lock even at "super safe" places
3. Always lock the steering column
4. I will be switching to our underground parking area as there is less people-traffic there

[Lao Jia Hou]

CBD? Yikes - my neighborhood.

That settles it - i am sleeping with my bikes.

[desmodaddy]

Hey I think I might have seen your bike standing on the road nearby Dongzhimen subway station exit C? Was this you? I found it weird leaving it overthere...did you find it htere or was it someone else's bike? Good luck anyway! I'm still looking for license plates and a proper bike. Any tips?

[euphonius]

Find these muthafluckers and boil them in tallow.

Very nice to know the Beijing police actually accomplished something. That's gotta be a first for a motorcycle theft.

You are extremely fortunate to get the bike back after it was already outside the compound. Big mafan to rewire, but sure beats the alternative!

cheers

[GJN]

Any updates on the baoan involvement?

[braillce]

2 years ago my illegal dirt bike 100cc was stolen in my apt complex.

It was down my building, with a disk lock on the rear.

I found a trace of tire going from where I parked it which I followed till the adjacent building.

Took the elevator and stopped at every floor, but the cleaning ladies had passed already, no way to know behind which door it was.

The bike was inexpensive, still...

One year later I'm at work, my roommate calls me cause he's found my bike, with a Chinese guy on top of it and his friends around, down the suspected adjacent building...

He calls the guards, one comes here to hold the thief while my roommate went to the entrance to put his girl into a cab.

When he arrived back to the scene 2mn later, no guard, no thief, no bike...


A friend of mine found his wires cut 2 times on his scooter, parked under ground next of the guards box.


Sad when people trusted to protect u actually enjoy that position to f*** u better.

Even more sad from us to be stupid enough to trust those people to care for our valuables when they're paid 800RMB a month.


Glad to hear u found ur bike.

Those situations seem to happen chiefly in big compounds.


If u own an expensive bike I'd recommend that u find a flat with a small underground parking, with a single entrance, that u be overly sympathetic to every single guard (gifts, smiles, ni hao ma, etc...) , and that u lock ur bike just like if u were gonna let it for two weeks in a dark and desert street.

Using all locks all the time is a good habit to have, even if at times u may feel stupid & paranoid doing it.

My friend had his disk lock on each time they cut his wires... This sure is why he still has the thing.