The UK is increasingly being recognized in motorcycle culture for all the wrong reasons. There’s a rabbit hole you can go down on YouTube—if you really want to let your rage out—where it shows thieves on mopeds either stealing bikes while riders are in traffic or when parked—you might be prone to a violent outburst afterward, and you have been warned.
People are starting to fight back against the thieves, and I say people because it seems like the Police can’t or won’t do anything to help the situation. But unfortunately, no one was there to help a content-creating motorcyclist who was on a round-the-world trip when his bike was stolen recently.
The motorcyclist is Yogesh Alekari, who has traveled across more than 17 countries since beginning his round-the-world trip on May 1. The 33-year-old was 15,000 miles into this self-set challenge aboard his KTM 390 Adventure when the bike was stolen while parked at Wollaton Park in Nottingham at around 11:00 BST, last Thursday.
Anyone who’s had their bike stolen can imagine how Alekari felt when he walked out to the empty pavement where he left his motorcycle, but for Alekari, it had to have felt much worse. His bike was everything to him because he makes his money as a motorcycle content creator, and it’s where he keeps everything he owns, including the tent he often sleeps in.
“They stole my motorcycle but this wasn’t only a motorbike – it was my home, it was my dream, it was my everything as a traveller.”, said Alekari.
In one foul swoop, Alekari lost his bike, ability to make money, and essentially everything he owned, barring the clothes on his back. According to a social media post, Alekari said, “I locked the bike up and it was a busy area with children playing so I thought it seemed like a safe place. I crossed the road and went to have breakfast but within an hour, I came back and everything was just gone.” And the culprits are exactly as you imagine.
Video footage from a visitor at the park shows Alekari’s bike being ridden away, flanked by two mopeds. Between the bike and the panniers that contained his MacBook, spare phone, two cameras, cash, and his passport, among other things, Alekari estimates the value of his stolen belongings is around $20,082. If you think that a $20k heist would command a decent response from the local authorities, you’d be wrong.
Alekari called the police shortly after realizing that his bike had been stolen, but no one was able to attend to the park. Instead, the police gave Alekari a crime number and told him that they would call back, which they never did, leaving him waiting hopelessly in the park.
Since Alekari shared his experience with his large social media following about his experience dealing with Nottinghamshire Police, Sgt Daniel Sheasby, said, “We completely appreciate how much upset this will have caused to the bike owner but want to assure them the police are taking this seriously and are doing everything we can to try and return their property to them.” A very nice and reassuring statement, but it flies in complete contrast to what Alekari experienced when he first contacted the police.
At the moment, Nottinghamshire Police said teams are making “local inquiries”, but haven’t been able to locate the bike.
I can’t help but feel that this one story encapsulates the state of motorcycle theft in the UK, right now. Motorcycles are in danger, even when parked in public places in broad daylight, and not just in London. As for repercussions, it seems like the police don’t care to or simply can’t do anything about the situation due to the laws that govern them. If you have any information, please contact the Nottinghamshire Police or Alekari directly via his social media channels.
