A wannabe bike thief got his fingers quite literally burnt as he tries to use a lighter to melt away a lock while he is being filmed by a passer-by in Stratford, east London
Man burns his fingers using lighter to melt bicycle lock
A foolish man burnt his fingers after trying to use a cigarette lighter to melt a lock while he allegedly tried to steal a bike. Mobile phone footage shows the young man, wearing joggers and a winter coat, fiddling with the chain as onlookers watched on. He seems not to be put off by people recording his actions.
He can be seen twisting at the lock, but is unable to free the bicycle from the post it has been attached to. An eyewitness, who appears to be the one filming, can be heard saying: “That is someone’s bike. Someone’s bike.”
But the wannabe thief can be heard insisting, it was his bike and muttered: “Nah mine.” In a desperate attempt to get the bike away, he can be seen reaching for a lighter, which he then attempts to use to burn the casing away from the chain.
He ends up singeing his fingers, jumping away in agony. While another man can be seen approaching the bike and shouting: “What the f**k you doing man?” The 49-second video filmed on a mobile phone by an onlooker then came to an end.
It was filmed in Stratford, east London on Friday. The Met Police has been approached for comment.
Last year the Mirror reported that a tour group in Edinburgh was left gobsmacked as they witnessed a brazen thief using pliers to steal a bike in broad daylight.
City tour guide, Almut Echtler, was leading her group when the shocking incident unfolded before their eyes. She expressed their collective disbelief at the thief’s boldness.
Almut said: “I witnessed a bicycle theft at 12.45pm, and just wanted to put it out there in case anyone has seen the guy, or sees the bike for sale online, or is the owner of the stolen bike.
“I am a tour guide and was taking my group through Hunter Square when I noticed someone going at a bicycle lock with a massive pair of pliers. I asked them if it was theirs but they continued frantically and eventually got it cut and went off.
“Members of the tour group took photos and a video. I was baffled at the audacity of stealing a bike in broad daylight in front of lots of people and in hindsight wish I had just grabbed onto the bike.”
Police Scotland failed to solve nine out of 10 bike thefts in the last three years. Despite a whopping 14,000 cases being reported during this period, the detection rates remain shockingly low, as revealed in a freedom of information request.
