When a scooter is stolen you either expect to find it burnt out or never see it again. Not in this case though, Manchester scooter lad, Jonah had his distinctive Vespa GTS stolen three weeks ago and saw it up close and personal today, when he rammed the rider off the road.
The number plate on the GTS is registered to a black Vespa
The GTS was stolen almost three weeks ago from an apartment in a suburb of Manchester, it had a disc lock and handlebar lock fitted but was lifted into a van. Jonah didn’t really expect to see it again but yesterday it was spotted by two friends in the Gorton area of Manchester.
The custom sprayed orange Vespa is pretty unique so wasn’t hard for friends to spot. Jonah had a bit of time to kill today so decided to visit the area where it had been spotted and wait around. After just 40 minutes he was amazed to hear his own scooter riding towards his car. There was no traffic behind it so he pulled out and started the pursuit.
After a couple of miles the rider started to pay attention to the silver jeep in his rear view mirrors and before long decided to make a quick U-Turn and head back the way he’d come. That’s when Jonah decided on a potentially life changing split second decision and rammed the scooter off the road.
The rider flew off the scooter, quickly followed by his crash helmet. Sadly he was able to get to his feet and limp away. Our have a go hero called the police and put his scooter back on its stand to survey the damage. The number plate had been swapped over (cloned from another GTS), the grab rail had been removed and the back light changed from a black to a clear one but other than that the scooter was pretty much as it was, other than some fresh crash damage from the impact.
Could you make that decision?
Armed and dangerous
Another car driver wintessed the incident and had some of it on dash cam but as he was about to swap details an agressive lad turned up saying the scooter had been bought by his friend from Gumtree. Before Jonah knew what was happening two car loads of youths arrived, brandishing knifes and baseball bats. The occupants were wearing ski masks and threatened Jonah, landing a few kicks and punches on him before leaving the scene, punching his jeep and trying to smash the side window before they left.
Just when he thought it was all over the lads returned, so Jonah decided enough was enough and got in his car. Two lads rode the GTS away from the scene whilst Jonah realised the seriousness of the situation and made his escape, whilst speaking to the police on his mobile. The police told him to stay where he was and lock his doors… Needless to say Jonah drove away from the scene as quickly as he could.
As we go to press Jonah is still waiting for the police to visit him. He curently has the rider’s size large helmet in his posession and his scooter has vanished back into the underbelly of Manchester.
Just before the knifes and baseball bats turned up
Have your say
Has Britain become a lawless society where the victim is forced to take matters into his own hands to get any kind of justice? Will it take more have-a-go heroes, possibly with deadly consequences before the law is used to protect the honest?
Have your say in the comments below…
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ScooterNova – issue 2 | MAGAZINE
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When a scooter is stolen you either expect to find it burnt out or never see it again. Not in this case though, Manchester scooter lad, Jonah had his distinctive Vespa GTS stolen three weeks ago and saw it up close and personal today, when he rammed the rider off the road.
The GTS was stolen almost three weeks ago from an apartment in a suburb of Manchester, it had a disc lock and handlebar lock fitted but was lifted into a van. Jonah didn’t really expect to see it again but yesterday it was spotted by two friends in the Gorton area of Manchester.
The custom sprayed orange Vespa is pretty unique so wasn’t hard for friends to spot. Jonah had a bit of time to kill today so decided to visit the area where it had been spotted and wait around. After just 40 minutes he was amazed to hear his own scooter riding towards his car. There was no traffic behind it so he pulled out and started the pursuit.
After a couple of miles the rider started to pay attention to the silver jeep in his rear view mirrors and before long decided to make a quick U-Turn and head back the way he’d come. That’s when Jonah decided on a potentially life changing split second decision and rammed the scooter off the road.
The rider flew off the scooter, quickly followed by his crash helmet. Sadly he was able to get to his feet and limp away. Our have a go hero called the police and put his scooter back on its stand to survey the damage. The number plate had been swapped over (cloned from another GTS), the grab rail had been removed and the back light changed from a black to a clear one but other than that the scooter was pretty much as it was, other than some fresh crash damage from the impact.
Armed and dangerous
Another car driver wintessed the incident and had some of it on dash cam but as he was about to swap details an agressive lad turned up saying the scooter had been bought by his friend from Gumtree. Before Jonah knew what was happening two car loads of youths arrived, brandishing knifes and baseball bats. The occupants were wearing ski masks and threatened Jonah, landing a few kicks and punches on him before leaving the scene, punching his jeep and trying to smash the side window before they left.
Just when he thought it was all over the lads returned, so Jonah decided enough was enough and got in his car. Two lads rode the GTS away from the scene whilst Jonah realised the seriousness of the situation and made his escape, whilst speaking to the police on his mobile. The police told him to stay where he was and lock his doors… Needless to say Jonah drove away from the scene as quickly as he could.
As we go to press Jonah is still waiting for the police to visit him. He curently has the rider’s size large helmet in his posession and his scooter has vanished back into the underbelly of Manchester.
Have your say
Has Britain become a lawless society where the victim is forced to take matters into his own hands to get any kind of justice? Will it take more have-a-go heroes, possibly with deadly consequences before the law is used to protect the honest?
Have your say in the comments below…
New products always in development…
Well done Jonah, glad your ok, shame about your scooter but at least you have the satisfaction you rammed the scum off the road,,
Think this is going to become more common (people taking the law into their own hands) as the law don’t seem to be to bothered about this sort of crime.
Think I’d do the same, but it’s a big decision to make in a split second..
Yes, I wasn’t going to let this opportunity go and miss my chance of getting my scooter back, I’d spoken to the police earlier and was told they can’t do anything because of the fear of causing a accident or fatalitie and was also told if I myself rode without a crash helmet around town nothing would happen to me,,, unbelievable
I followed the orange scoot through Stockport last week he was riding alongside a white gts, my wife even commented they don’t look like scooter lads next night read about the incident with Johna . I have just moved to Manchester and own and ride 5 scoots on a daily basis and work in the city .i hope those responsible are caught , sadly i work in custodial custody and if caught they will be given a light sentence hope Jonah gets his scoot back and the scum are duelly delt with
I’ve lived in the US for 35 years and have never owned nor felt the desire or need to own a hand gun but what I see happening in Blighty has me disturbed. Zero police response and even though the police in the US have a rather negative reputation this incident would have seen a cop on scene immediately. Then there is the reputation Britain has for not allowing self defence when faced with criminal aggressors. It seems like you are being set up for more of the same and worse. Good luck.
Got to be a Knighthood for services to the community.
Justice Jonah scooter commando
Yep, got a certain ring to it
Answers to those two questions are ‘yes’ and ‘yes’. I also expect the Old Bill to have a go at Jonah and sadly wouldn’t be surprised if they charge him with dangerous driving….but it’s time to fight back, so well done ‘fella.
Thanks, sometimes in life it’s a case of no more it’s mine and I’ve worked hard for my pride and joy and lessons have to be handed out.
My solution would be to have scooter bait traps for thieves, with a crew standing by in a Transit ready to act.
Bundle the scumbag into the Tranny, Duct tape his mouth and cable tie his hands and feet then take him to a fly tipping site out in the countryside.
Introduce the perp to trial by Lambretta toolkit. Fingers and toes being mangled by Harry Hammer and Mickey Mole Grip (all 24 digits in their case!) then stick an electrical screwdriver up their rectum so the bulb illuminates and take plenty of pictures and post them all over the net so he can be humiliated publicly. Then dump him on the pile of other fly tipped shit; MFI kitchen units, Irish Traveller tarmac mounds and bulk Polish brand soft drink containers. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
I would then expect to be included in the New Year’s Honours List (at last) for services to the community.
Then again that’s just me. Gave up Buddhism for Lent.
Good man, bigger balls than the twats that stole his scoot. Hope to see him in the New Years Honours List ( do something useful for once Theresa May) and not in court.
Jonah is an absolute hero, and will be getting a pint….(Oh, well maybe a pina colada with extra fruit) from me when I next see him.
I love how slow the Law still is in coming to sort it out!
Cheers pal, yeah could’ve turned nasteir but seen enough to try and stand my ground and fight for what is mine and send a message to these thugs that sometimes there may be consequences and if he’s got a sore leg then so be it.
Thanks Johnny, prefer a bloody Mary if that’s okay, Police just contacted me over 24 hours since the incident and were surprised how vicious and dangerous the situation escalated into and will be calling to see me and take away the helmet to hopefully get some prints and DNA from it
At least one of the scum is feeling the love
Yeah and a slight limp and sore head I hope
Cheers pal, yeah could’ve turned nasteir but seen enough to try and stand my ground and fight for what is mine and send a message to these thugs that sometimes there may be consequences and if he’s got a sore leg then so be it.
Well done Jonah for standing up for your rights. “Still waiting for the police” was the main thing I took from the article. Even when you put yourself in harm’s way to recover your own property, did they turn up and arrest anyone? No. Have they been to see you since? No. It’s no wonder these thieving scumabgs do what they do – they know they will keep getting away with it. It’s time the police actually fought crime instead of giving telephone advice.
When I spoke to the control officer from the police she said, ” wow that’s quite serious and should of been upgraded, I only deal with low grade offences,,, unbelievable.we will be in touch again soon.
Think the Manc police need a kick up the Maine road!! ok vehicle theft may not be high priority but assault by knives and baseball bats could have led to something way more serious for them to deal with and how much would that have cost the taxpayer if not turning up was due to penny pinching.
think its about time Two wheeled rider organisations started making serious noises when its time for police and crime commissioner/ Councillor / MP election time. its clear that police forces seem unable or unwilling to act, when they need to wake up to this before more large urban areas are affected by this growing plague caused by these feral scum who are involved with more than just vehicle theft .
Mind you if there was some collateral damage and one of the scumbags got toasted while avoiding arrest i and many others wouldnt loose any sleep but no doubt the scene would then become an unholy chav shrine with all manner of lowlife making pilgrimages to it.
people used to say national service is what they need , but as ex forces i wouldn’t want to have served with them anywhere near me unless they were standing in for figure 11 targets !!
Sorry to hear about this incident – hope you get your scooter back with both you and it in one piece.
But the comments above are the main reason I don’t engage with the ‘scooter community’ at rallies or clubs – lazy police-bsshing and unchallenged racism? Really? I’m sure most scooterists aren’t that abhorrent but there’s enough to tarnish the reputation. Just my opinion though and I know I’m in a tiny minority.
Good work in my books.
Truth is the knives and baseball bats are so prevalent amongst ‘the villain element’ that you take your life into your own hands. Nothing is worth getting stabbed for though. Living in London and riding Lambrettas and a GTS i see the little scooter criminals everywhere, always on the look out for the next target. I carry a red dye spray [criminal identifier] with me in my belstaff top pocket. if i get done, they go bright red for a week..fair trade.
Three weeks later? While it does look as though the rider was one of the associated criminals given what happened afterwards, how were you to know it wasn’t some clueless individual who’d bought the thing? You should be arrested for dangerous driving and assault.