The recent GLERA newsletter invited residents to report any crimes/ASB to GLERA and the estate office, so I emailed them this sad tale. Go easy on my naive assumption about leaving something unsecured and unattended-- and definitely don't do the same!

Subject: ASB/theft report
To: <glecommunications@gmail.com>, <michelle.warman@cityoflondon.gov.uk>, Dowsett, Ian <Ian.Dowsett@cityoflondon.gov.uk>

Dear GLE Estate Office and GLERA,

In accordance with the request in the recent GLERA newsletter, I’d like to report an instance of theft/anti-social behaviour that took place on GLE.

On 6 September at 2.20pm, I left a Santander Cycle in a spot outside the central entrance to Crescent House that I believed to be unseen from the street, in order to run up to collect something from my flat in the building. When I returned 3-4 minutes later, the bike was gone.

I fully recognize that I did something quite negligent in this instance; leaving the bike unattended was simply stupid. However, I did not expect that it would taken from an obscured place on an estate I had thought to be generally safe, in broad daylight on a weekday.

As of now, almost a week later, the bike has not been re-docked by whoever took it. I assume it has been kept for personal use, or is at the bottom of Regent’s Canal. The result is that I am liable for the £300 value of the bicycle.

I called City police, but they were uninterested in investigating, or even recording the theft. I urged them to at least note the incident for statistical reasons; I live and work in the City and would prefer that the full extent of criminal behaviour be known. They again declined and said that this is a civil matter between me and Santander Cycles. Santander Cycles told me that they do not report such incidents to the police; they opt simply to charge the subscriber. While I completely own up to my liability, I feel this approach does little service to public safety and the rule of law.

Hopefully this information will at least help improve the quality of life for those living at GLE.

Sincerely,

Lee Bailey