Vigilante Groups appear on social media touting for information and funding like Pigeons outside a Greggs on a lunchtime. But what purpose do they serve? Is it positive or not on Motorcycle Theft?
The answer is – it’s complicated, and this might be a long read – but worth your time! There are some groups that are there, claiming to ‘raise awareness’ or to ‘get your bike back’ by recovering it…..free of charge! How lovely. We won’t focus on the legalities – just the affect it has on theft as an issue and the interference into live investigations.
UK Bike Theft Awareness have been working directly with Police for the best part of a decade, and have learned many. many things – and we have learned the hard way in some cases ourselves. We have witnessed many well intentioned groups befall the traps that lay ahead on the very thin line we tread between a community group and vigilantism. It is a VERY difficult balancing act – but fall off at your peril!
We are happy to share that knowledge if people wish to know, it will save them trouble, gain credibility and assist in reducing theft – and not ending up being a subject of Police investigation or worse, a prosecution themselves. It is a shame, as these groups are rarely formed from ideas of criminality, even if that is the direction that they end up in. Some do, some are out for financial gain, or to give the thieves a hiding. That causes more problems than it solves.
RECOVERY GROUPS
The groups fall into Two Categories – Firstly, we will deal with Recovery Groups. These are well intentioned groups focused on returning your bike to you, often or initially at least for no cost. These fall at the same hurdle every time and the consequences are dire! To recover bikes, costs money. Many of these groups bypass insurances and rarely know what they are doing, but we are not discussing legalities here. The part many fall at – including our own, which we had to remove them from the group entirely. Is MONEY. They need funding to work and start off by self-funding. Then a grateful owner says ‘It would have cost me £260 to release the bike from the compound, so hey, You have it for fuel’
Before you know it – these recovery groups are taking home 4 bikes a night, and at least half those are offering donations to the drivers. That is fine, but this needs to be declared and at £500 or more a night, 7 days a week. the £5K/year barrier is easily met. Now when this news gets around the community, everyone is having a go – its a tax-free cash-cow.
If I had a penny for every recovery group that has had issues with volunteers stealing, and the accusations and fall-out that that come from that – I would be a lucky man. Those doing it right, and some formed a short time after ourselves have been forced to tighten the security to protect the integrity of their groups.
That isn’t serving the motorcycle community, nor assisting in the reduction of Bike Theft. It’s a get rich quick scheme that has been formed to exploit the theft situation to their benefit. This does not mean that there are not genuine ones out there – there are many, and these are often more prevalent as they work alongside other groups, big or small to help the cause. Those that resist and protective of their group, are often those that are there to profit from your misery – and are no better than the tracking scammers!
VIGILANTE GROUPS
The Second type are the Vigilante Groups – these again, start with the best intentions and are less likely to be financially that profitable as the recovery groups (which can also have a vigilante element for ‘dealing with thieves’ or ‘community justice’)
These are intended to show and gather intelligence from the community under the banner of ‘Raising Awareness’ They will post this information be it stolen bikes, thieves and information about the thieves and their families on their social media groups. The intention is borne from frustration with what they perceive as Police inaction or disinterest in the theft issue. That is completely understandable, and is the basis on which almost all community groups, be them Awareness Groups, Vigilante or Recovery focused are formed. It is what they do with that information that matters.
There are Laws regarding information and GDPR for all entities. These mean that the group leaders, founders and admin are legally responsible for that information and what happens with it, and in response to it – even by an unknown third party. The issue here with Vigilante groups is that they will post this information in the Public Domain on Social media, where it is shared around other groups and communities. What happens to that information is very important, as those groups whom posted it are legally liable, and responsible for what happens. Be sure that you fully understand these obligations, as many end up the wrong side of prison bars.
Here they try to push Police into action through shaming them, posting images to prove they know who the thieves are, so why can’t Police? The truth is, Police DO know, they just cannot advertise it. If you are having an investigation on a group of bike thieves, what idiot would post it on social media to alert them? So yes, they do often know and will be out physically searching – but they won’t be updating their socials to brag about it.
Police know, that if intelligence is IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, then it is inadmissible as evidence in court. You cannot prove that at some point, this evidence has not been manipulated, faked or falsified….even where it originated from. So that evidence being passed around, may be just what the Police needed to secure a conviction, or tie the offender to a crime. But now it is in the public domain – it is useless! It is this that a defense counsel worth their salt, will use to destabilise the case, make the conviction unsafe and their client walks free. Better luck next time.
Evidence needs to go to the right people, Police, Crimestoppers or UKBTA where it will be sent through the relevant intelligence service directly and allocated for action. That evidence will be dealt with properly, preserved and used to prosecute. You may hear back if you have requested to do so, you may not – but it will be used to do what you intended and the more Prime Intelligence they have, the harder it is for the Bike Thieves to operate. Both Crimestoppers and UK Bike Theft Awareness both operate on an anonymous basis, so any intelligence is confidential.
This is a long enough read as it is – and I will likely cover the other growing topic of Bait Bike groups in a separate post – but the ethics are the same. The group founders are liable for all that happens with, and as a result of their actions. Far too many frustrated riders have ended up with long convictions for doing ill conceived things from that frustration. If you really want to do something about it in your region, be part of the cure, the solution to bike theft – then volunteer with us, or ask our advice if you are unsure of what you are getting into. Do it properly, do it right with a proven formula that reduces theft.
