Lowest of the low...bike thieves

[northstar]

For the second time in a year, someone has ripped off my bike.

My husband, well, kind of offered my cruiser up to the bike thieves last year. He borrowed it to go water trees for the neighborhood (great guy, huh?), laid it down on one side of the hill, then came back four minutes later and it was gone. This was a gorgeous beast of a retro cruiser that he had given me as a birthday gift, complete with basket full of red roses and a bell.

Then tonight. He and my brother took our hybrids (purchased after ripoff of the cruiser) down to the Twins game. I just called him on his cell because I was wondering where the heck they were, and turns out both the hybrids were stolen.

Do I have to resort to riding a complete junker around to pick up groceries and run errands? That's almost $1000 in bikes, poof gone in less than a year. I keep my road bike inside, thank God, but I can't ride it to the grocery store and load it up with groceries. I have a real need for a city bike...and after spending lots on my new roadie less than two months ago, there's not cash in the bank for another.

Seriously! Who are these people??? Some loser is cruising around on the bike that made me fall in love with biking, and he'll probably sell it for $25 bucks to someone who will leave it to rust in the middle of some city park.

Sorry. Just so sad and so very angry right now.

Anyone ever "catch" a bike thief? Recover their bike? I'm not hopeful, period. Minneapolis police have enough to deal with these days.

Oh, and if anyone in Minneapolis sees two Giant Cypress hybrids (one black DX and one blue) being beaten on by some losers, tackle the suckers and PM me.

[DarcyInOregon]

Sorry about your losses. It is painful to lose a bike.

You asked if anyone ever recovered their bike. There was a story on the local television news this week. A cyclist in Portland, Oregon, had his bike stolen. He found his stolen bike advertised on Craigs List and he and his friends set up a sting operation to catch the thief. It was a successful sting operation, and that is why there was a news story about it.

Darcy

[Trek420]

Adventure Gal where are you?

She recovered her bike. I should let her tell it but as it was told to me her beloved customized MTB was stolen. AG is my height or shorter, she's small but mighty :) :) ).

She didn't give up. Her DH who does some manner of construction I think kept receipts, descriptions in his truck.

She went on to love other bikes :D but as I hear it one day AG DH was driving around when he sees it! Teeny Tiny MTB being perilously ridden by full size guy. Note to bike thieves don't do this again because AG reverses her brakes the rear brake is not the one you think it is :eek: :p :rolleyes:

AG DH collared the thief, got the bike and .... had all the papers too.

There really is a special place in he}} for bike theives.

If I ever found the jerk who stole my Trek right outa the house ..... there's no internet access in jail, right? Darn, no TE. Then I guess I could not do what I would want to do to him.

My bikes are usually locked even INSIDE my home.

[northstar]

We'll be watching Craig's List and going to the Mpls Police Bike Auctions coming up. Not only to watch for our bikes, but probably to buy commuter type bikes.

This might cause some distracted driving. I still examine every red looking clunky bike I pass. Even wonder if it's my cruiser, repainted sometimes. Now to keep my eyes peeled for our other bikes, wow...

[mimitabby]

I am terribly freaked out about getting my bike stolen esp. after my son's was stolen a month ago or so.
When i helped him buy a new one, i bought him a 50 dollar lock.
I also just bought myself a very thick combination cable. I do not leave
my bike unlocked out of my sight anywhere.

I'm sorry about your bike. A lock (HEAVY ONE) is a good investment.

[mary9761]

I'm really sorry to hear about your bikes.. There's a gentleman on Bikejournal who had a nice roadie stolen a while back and he's from Alberta, Canada. He never thought he'd see it again. Strangely he DID get the bike back and if I remember correctly (some of the gals on both forums can correct me if I'm wrong) it actually showed up at the Police Dept left outdoor of the precinct I believe.

Years ago my son had a bike stolen, he had left it on the front porch of our apartment for 2 minutes (if that) and went straight back outside and it was missing. We walked around the apartment complex and found it. I had someone go call 911 while I stood watching the bike then they came back while I went to get the paperwork with the serial number etc on it while we waited for the sherriff. The person who stole it had already broken pieces OFF the bike in the few minutes they had it (trying to make it look different I'm guessing) and had hidden it behind several other bikes on their back patio (probably also stolen) When the police arrived, I showed them my paperwork proving that I owned the bike and the thief had the nerve to try to say 1st that I'd broken into their apt to take the bike in the first place, then that when I showed the paperwork with the serial number to the sherriff they had the nerve to say I broke into their apartment to get the paperwork WTF???? They were people who unfortunately had been caught stealing other items in the neighborhood and that was why I wasn't surprised to see it hidden on their back porch, but when I wanted to press charges when they'd literally been caught red handed with a stolen bike the police officer told me lady, just be happy you got the bike back. Whatever, we did get the bike back but it was damaged and I think we ended up having to get another bike eventually but, sometimes you get it back sometimes not and even when you catch the thief in a bold faced lie, it doesn't mean the police are going to do anything about it.

[northstar]

Yeah...I had just been at an LBS the other day to buy a lock for my road bike. The guy wanted to sell me a mini-U lock for $60, and I said no thanks. I'm now realizing that I can more easily afford a $60 lock than a whole new bike. So much for cable locks.

DH said the bikes were locked up, in what he perceived to be a safe spot...yikes. I guess if people are determined to take, they will. :(

[DarcyInOregon]

Actually I have a story about getting my stolen bike back.

I was in high school, in 10th grade. I had purchased a ladies' Raleigh 5-speed with my own money, in a beautiful blue. This was a lot of years ago because I am 53 now. I commuted to school and everywhere else on that bike. At school, I locked the bike to a chain fence on the school property. One day I found the cable cut, and no bike.

I had the bike licensed with the police department. A few months later the police called me and told me my bike was recovered; the license was glued to the frame and the thieves never removed it. However it was the frame only. The thieves were two drop-out boys from the high school, and they had stripped the bike and sold everything on it, including the wheels and the bike bell.

Because the thieves were juveniles, I took the parents to small claims court to get the money to fix my bike to where it was. I got an estimate from the bike shop and the cost would be about $150. It turns out each boy was from a single parent family. Thief number one had an aging prostitute alcoholic mother. Thief number two had a widowed father who worked as a janitor. The judge found against the father because he was the only one with an income. The father came up to me after the judge's decision and asked me if he could pay me $10 a month. My father was with me, and I asked my dad if I could borrow the money from him to fix the bike, and in return I would pass on the monthly money from the judgement. My dad said yes, and my parents were quite poor, so that was a significant yes. So I told the thief's dad it was ok. My dad gave me the money to fix my bike, which I did, and over the next 15 months the janitor paid $10 a month and I handed each check to my dad when it came in.

Funny thing is I can't remember what happened to that bike. I eventually got a 10-speed road bike, and I can't remember what happened to the Raleigh. Can't remember what happened to that 10-speed either.

Darcy

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Buy heavy duty locks, and if possible don't leave your bike locked up where there aren't any people hanging around.

[Triskeliongirl]

I am sorry for your loss. I had my beloved bike friday pocket rocket pro stolen locked securely to a bike rack near a security guard booth at work. I used a combo cable lock, and I learned after the fact how easy it is to break BOTH combo and cable locks. I purchased a NYC kryptonite lock for nearly $100 that weighs 5 lbs, and keep it permanently on the bike rack, but no more bike thefts! I have a second one that I use if I go downtown and want to leave it. You could consider a used touring bike, you can put a rack on with shopping panniers for errands, and also have it for road riding and even touring which can be a lot of fun.

[7rider]

Oh, that sux about the theft.
I had a bike stolen from the front yard of a friend's house. I laid it down - on the ground, in front of my parked car, out of sight of the road - for 5 minutes while I went in and talked to my friend before heading off on a ride. When I came out again, it was gone. Never found it. I got it replaced (less the deductible) through her homeowner's insurance.
Scour Craigslist - the bike(s) could turn up there.
Good luck.

[missymaya]

I'm sorry northstar for this to happen, it really sucks!! I receive a weekly email of all things cycling going around in my area and one of the messages was that a brand new Specialized Tarmac was stolen from one of the guy's I ride with. But, he was able to get it back, I think he found it on Craig's list also. He was lucky. I hope you get it back or get a new bike

[Triskeliongirl]

I forgot to say that while my bike was never recovered, I was advised to, and did, scour all the local pawn shops, local newspaper ads, etc. I also sent a picture to all the bike shops in town in case it was brought in for appraisal/service (believe it or not thieves sometimes do this), or sell it off cheap to an unsuspecting soul that brings it in for service, etc. My bike club also ran a picture in the south texas cycling news, since it was a very distinctive bike the hope was that folks might spot someone riding it, but all this did was cause my husband to get repeatedly stopped since he also rides a blue bike friday that looks very similar to my stolen one, expect that it is a larger frame size. I also listed it in the stolen bike registries on line, and we have a club member who is on our local police dept. bike patrol that kept a lookout for me, circulated info. to the other officers, etc., and told me to phone him if I ever see someone riding it for assitance. I do know friends that have recovered stolen bikes successfully, but my bike was never recovered. I was able to file a claim on my homeowners policy, but I had a very large deductable so while it helped, it didn't help as much as I would have liked.

[suzieqtwa]

I had my bike stolen off the back of my jeep while locked ,with a cable lock at 1pm ,2 feet from my work on a busy intersection. :( That was 6 months ago ,and I still look at all the bikes when they pass by me. I havent even purchased a lock for my road bike as Im so paranoid about how thieves can get into any lock. Ive started commuting to work ,and I put the bike in a small room that locks.
It took me months to get over it...not really sad ,but more mad at how someone could steal something that wasnt theirs. Im sure mine was sold for a hit of crack or something.

[mimitabby]

I think nothing of wheeling my bike into the ladies' room with me... and into restaurants .. :p

[northstar]

Oh, totally, Mimi! I plan my long road rides based on where I can safely stop to use the restroom without leaving my bike alone. If I feel like a place is cool with the college, bike-commuter crowd, I'll bring the bike right in. I even know where the "big" porta potties are around town, and poor Myrtle has to hold her breath when I wheel her right in there with me. :o Too much sensory stimulation...sorry ladies.

I am going to look at Sunrise Cyclery here in town. They recondition a lot of older, used bikes. I want something solid but not terribly enticing to look at...something I can put racks and panniers on and chug along. Something I can still love yet not feel like money is flying out the window if someone sets their mind to stealing it (and breaking through the wicked lock I am going to put on it the second I get it).

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

And Northstar....your bikes have both been stolen while your husband was borrowing them....I would quit lending them to him! :eek: ;)

[mimitabby]

And Northstar....your bikes have both been stolen while your husband was borrowing them....I would quit lending them to him! :eek: ;)

I noticed that too! :confused:

[F8th637]

Augh, that really sucks about your bikes being stolen. :( Did you register your bike with your local police department?

Does the National Bike Registry work? I guess I should put my NBR sticker on my bike ASAP. I always worry about my bike getting stolen. I had one stolen when I was a child. My dad was so pissed! It was a beautiful pink Sea Princess bike with a white banana seat. I was a child and didn't lock it. I know that if my current bike got stolen I'd be so depressed. I currently keep my bike inside rather than locking it up outside even though we don't have a ton of room for fear of it getting stolen.

[northstar]

I know, I know about my DH...:o He felt TERRIBLE about it the first time. And the second time, he had done everything right. Locked it in a place he thought would be safe, etc...

Neither time did I know he was using my bike. He feels awful, again...and I guess I am trying to go by the saying, "you can't unring a bell." It's hard for me not to just scream about it. So, what's done is done (unfortunately twice now). I have a wonderful DH with horrible bike luck, and I don't need to make him feel even worse than he feels right now.

MN doesn't register bikes. I guess the city of Mpls does offer a number you can get and put on all your "stuff." Of course I hadn't done that. But we do have photos of us with the bikes, and according to the police department, that's one way of proving ownership.

We are going to file a police report and file a claim with our insurance. Hopefully that will come through.

[mimitabby]

when my son's brand new Trek was stolen a few years ago, our homeowner's insurance paid for it. It was on a bike rack on our car. we got home and it was GONE. We don't know when it was lifted, but it wasn't on the road... so...

[pyxichick]

Dang, that's just sad.

The first bike I bought as an adult got stolen the second day I had it, when my roommate took it out for a ride, put it on the front lawn and ran inside to get his asthma inhaler, and came back out two minutes later to find it wasn't there. Hello and goodbye. I spent the next month gawking out my car window at every cyclist, hoping to see my bike.

I was just telling my BF that instead of driving the three miles to the Twins games, and paying 15 bucks to park we should ride our bikes. Well, maybe not...

I am always paranoid about locking my bike up somewhere, even my klunky old sears cruiser. I try to keep in in sight if I'm, say, at the bookstore or a cafe or something, I'll keep going to the window to check if it's still there.

I don't have a lock for my road bike because I never leave it outside when I'm not right next to it.

I have heard many stories first hand of people who have recovered their bikes, but you have to be ballsy enough to approach the person who has it.

Go to the Mpls. Bike Love website, they have a section on stolen bikes.

Good luck!
Kate

[northstar]

Hey Kate,

We love riding to Twins games, and have done it lots of times. When we've gone in the past, though, we've locked the bikes right in front of a Caribou, right in front of the windows and we never had any trouble. And we got to kind of snicker as we zipped by all the people sitting in their cars, waiting to get out of town.

Once we replace our bikes, I am pretty sure we will do it again. (That's why we're buying used bikes. In case the theft happens again...)

Molly