A bike left chained up in New Road, Oxford, for three weeks in August and September 1976
EVER since the first cyclist peddled his newfangled contraption through Oxford's cobbled street in the 19th century, bike thefts have been a problem in this city.
However in autumn 1976, the cycle of crime seemed to grind to an inexplicable halt.
It wasn't just a slow news day – the news cycled stopped completely when we reported on September 3 that year that no one had stolen this bike – despite it being left chained up on New Road 'for nearly three weeks'.
Come to think of it – isn't there still a bike chained up to that tree...?
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