Modern Vespa

I owned a Beverly 350 and loved it.... until it was stolen.

Recently there have been a fair amount of stories about bike crime in London, most of them featuring the Beverly 350. Now I'm wondering - is it the perfect vehicle for crime in the city? Is that why it's a target for theft?

Anybody else own(ed) one of them?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38294358
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/six-people-injured-after-ferrari-mounts-pavement-and-crashes-in-battersea-a3418211.html
http://www.scooterlab.uk/scooter-rider-kneecapped-london-news/

If i were a thief and wanted to grab and run it would be my first choice ...
why ?
Powerful motor (Best Piaggio has to offer)
Nimble
Quick
good suspension
big rims

But i'm not a thief

all of the above but i bet its something more to do with that it can fit a certain size of bolt cutters under the seat as well as the ubiquitous battery angle grinder.

I wonder if they are as easy to replace the ignition as the GTS?

I'm guessing it is. A year before they got it, some guys came and tried to take it from our driveway. First thing they did was take out the ignition.... I saw them and they ran off!

The real problem is - how do you stop it?

All they need is a battery powered angle grinder and they can cut through anything!

http://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/angle-grinders/cat830694#category=cat830694&cordedorcordless=cordless

they do seem to be the perfect vehicle for crime, maybe a new film along the lines of the Italian job, using BV 350's instead of the Mini Cooper..

you're only supposed to chop the bloody chain off!

you can't stop it. Piaggio bikes are way too easy to steal and thieves know that. Many people have started moving away from the brand.

Is that a Beverly in the thread about scooter crime in London?

I haven't seen one with those wheels and in that colour before

I ride mine like I stole it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

John

That's a Beverly 300

Did you?

They probably steal the angle grinder as well!

I own one and now I am more worried than I was - have only ever seen one other one in the city of London or Canary Wharf - oops that makes me a likely suspect - lol

They'd be a decent choice, but lack the underwear storage for a big heist.

I guess you need lots of underwear for one of those..

Y'all should move to Vegas. A dude tried to steal my LXV the other day and ended up frustrated and ultimately in jail. He was on the it for a few minutes kicking the handlebars and what not. $250 repair including towing. I guess maybe the drug of choice makes them dumber over here? Tweakers I tell ya!

Also, when they broke into my house they took all the costume jewelry and left the decent stuff and they couldn't figure out how to get the TV off the bracket. (Pull the strings, dummies!) I think if we had left the laptop plugged in they would've left that, too...

Damn that autocomplete! "Underseat" was the intended word

Why are they any easier to steal than a Honda or Yamaha ?

Because, unlike the Japanese models, the factory fitted 'immobiliser' can be defeated in moments.