Abandonned bikes in Cambridge

[mlertpac]

I was wonderng whether any of you folks can offer advice--

So two days ago, I discovered an unlocked bike parked right outside my window. I live on the first floor behind a larger building, so I thought maybe someone needed a place to stash their bike while they were paying someone a visit. It also crossed my mind that perhaps the bike was stolen and the thief just needed a place to park it before coming back for it.

Yesterday, I realized it must've gotten in my landlord's way while he was taking out the trash- so it was moved to the street. Still unlocked. I'm sure anyone with enough brains would not leave their bike unlocked on the street in Cambridge (Boston) like that. So I'm beginning to think someone stole the bike, hid it, and my landlord moved it to the street. Just in case it belonged to someone, I moved the bike into a safe spot and now I'm not sure what to do... I doubt the cops could care less.

I hear this happens often, people stealing bike/parts and hiding them in places. I recently had my wheels stripped off my bike, so I just want to make sure the owner gets his/her bike back.. for good karma.

[Air]

Take the bike inside, leave a note outside to see if anyone did just leave it there, and contact the police and see if a bike with that serial number was stolen.

[Bacciagalupe]

No, I'd put it back exactly in the last spot you found it.

It is not your property. Thus, regardless of your intent, taking it without permission is, technically speaking, theft.

You have no idea who put the bike there, how it got there, or who the rightful owner is. Therefore you have no grounds to conclude it was stolen by the time it showed up outside your window.

More importantly, it is not your problem. If it was stolen, it could've been taken from anywhere in the city, so there's no way for you to contact the owner. And if someone is idiotic enough to leave a bike out on the street without a lock, it is neither your duty nor obligation to save them from their own mistake.

[Shorty]

Or, as is common in Boston, someone has left it out to be taken because they don't want it any more.

[whatsmyname]

No, I'd put it back exactly in the last spot you found it.
I wouldn't do that - if it's not been stolen already, it surely would be in time. I'd put a note out there saying FOUND: Bike... If no-one calls, then it's either been stolen somewhere else and dumped, or someone threw it out as garbage.