Roscoe, who moved to the Netherlands in 2007, had a used Koga bike that she loved. And like so many other bikes in this country, it was stolen.
Roscoe knew she wanted to replace it with a similar bike. “So in a state of saddened desperation I scoured Marktplaats for a replacement,” she explained, “and this was one of the few used Kogas I found near Delft.” After making an appointment with the seller to see the bike, Roscoe set off with her husband by car through a heavy rain. When they arrived at the address, they were surprised to find it was a grocery store. Roscoe called the man, who said he lived nearby and would bring the bike to her.
“So he arrives, and I am wet and cold and want to quickly see the bike and escape back to the dry car,” said Roscoe. “So I test it out a little. Feels good, nice fit. Not in top condition, but then 300 is a bargain for such a bike!” Roscoe handed over the money, put the bike in the car and headed for home.
Roscoe’s husband then casually wondered if it was stolen. Roscoe felt sick at the feeling that her desperation had likely allowed her to be deceived.
The bike sat in her entrance for weeks, unused. Finally, she went to the police to explain the situation. But she was told to think twice about reporting it as she might be considered a suspect. She was advised to check a website for the serial number and learned that it had not been reported as stolen.
So Roscoe decided to let it go. “I took the bike to the shop to get it fixed up with a palpable feeling of shame,” she noted. “So I never really loved this bike, and when I do replace it, I will just give it away.”
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