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07-27-07, 07:06 AM
Ugh. Sucks too. Rather turns my stomach. Before I go on, I’ll just say that I bought it in order to turn into the police.
I’m well known in my neighborhood for riding all sorts of bikes year round – (road/mtb – – actually they call me crazy when I come in from a fresh 8” snowfall covered in the stuff, hehe) for quite a few years – and when my mtb was stolen – I was, needless to say, a fa-reaking banshee – especially when I found out the bike was being ridden within a block of where it was stolen, a block from my house, a block from my hangout bar (update – the group of thieves that I saw most likely with my bike with full lights on and ridden by what looked like the “gang” leader in the middle of the group is now riding a better mtb bike – nice carbon Cannondale full suspension/front/back disc brakes, etc – can I swear here? @#$$!#%%. – no way they purchased that – so mine must be either trashed/restolen/resold).
So anyway yesterday - Tuesday, I ran into an acquaintance as I rode past a local business who jumped out to announce ... they were going to call me as they had a bike!, that they FOUND, and thought of ME (these people know that I had a bike stolen and have a reward out – but I knew deep down that this was NOT my bike). Eh? So I stop and they bring it out so I can see it, and I look at it with great grievance. Not my bike. My acquaintance says they found the bike behind a bar, most likely ridden by So and So the “Crackhead” and do I want it – to BUY it. (what the hell is the mentality of knowing I’m missing a certain bike and that I would want to purchase another obviously stolen bike???).
Ugh. I stalled, and said “awwww come on here – you KNOW I just had one of my bikes stolen, this is NOT mine! You know how I feel about this kind of stuff! – why would I want to buy a stolen bike?????” This person said – oh no – it’s not stolen! I found it. It’s not stolen.
Right. Thought about it a second and said, let me think on it. This person called me yesterday to assure me that the bike was not stolen – that they talked with the “crackhead” who left it behind the building because he took it from his ex-girlfriend because she owed him money – which actually means my acquaintance was getting this bike as collateral on some debt owed...
Great.
I work at a local 2-year college where my department has direct contact with the criminal justice unit, plus I ride with some of the off-duty police officers on charity rides, etc – so I told a retired detective my quandary – what do I do? It’s a definitely new girl’s hybrid bike – most likely out of K-Mart or something – probably $120 at the most (back brakes not worn at all – not a freaking mark the frame at all – brand new bike and is most likely stolen from a 1 mile radius from where I live) ... and stated that I’m buying it and turning it in – So how do I do it? Received a local authority name and number to call – my job for today or Saturday when I have more time.
So that’s what I’m doing. Spent $25 on the bike (my acquaintance wanted more – phooey on that!) and now have a stolen bike in my garage. Turning it in to the police with the stipulation that if no one picks it up (I really hope they do), then the authorities are to contact me so I get it back so I can turn it over to one of the two charities that my Club deals with that refurbishes bicycles and gives them to needy families. And my acquaintance will remain unknown to the authorities because I know they are more or less the 2nd or 5th parties in “ownership” in this bike. Yep, they’re of the stupid sort, which is why I term them “acquaintances”.
But really what stinks is the mentality of this whole thing – this acquaintance did not understand the utter wrongness to this transaction at all. You find it, it’s yours. “WHY”, they ask me, “are you buying this and turning it in???? – It’s now YOURS!!!” So, soooo sad! How the hell would you feel if a kid ran out in the street as you’re riding by and screams “Dad! That’s my bicycle!!!”.
And I can’t tell you how I feel about this bike. Yeah I know it’s a no-name bike, but it still sucks to lose something – to have something you really like taken from you. It’s a pretty little teal colored bike that is clean – somebody cleaned it and I don’t think the thief did it. A family purchased this bicycle for their daughter and it was stolen. Plus – it’s just something about bicycles - I know all my bikes, all the parts I’ve replaced, rebuilt, broke, saved for, spent money I should have spent in other places, lovingly cleaned and just plain freaking admired, etc. I like my bikes. And my stolen bike just sucks. Like an open wound. It should be downstairs in the basement with the rest of them and not out beaten to death by someone who doesn’t give a sheoit about it.
<sigh> So I hope some girl gets her bike back. $25 I didn’t really have to spend, but was well worth it ---- I hope!
I’m well known in my neighborhood for riding all sorts of bikes year round – (road/mtb – – actually they call me crazy when I come in from a fresh 8” snowfall covered in the stuff, hehe) for quite a few years – and when my mtb was stolen – I was, needless to say, a fa-reaking banshee – especially when I found out the bike was being ridden within a block of where it was stolen, a block from my house, a block from my hangout bar (update – the group of thieves that I saw most likely with my bike with full lights on and ridden by what looked like the “gang” leader in the middle of the group is now riding a better mtb bike – nice carbon Cannondale full suspension/front/back disc brakes, etc – can I swear here? @#$$!#%%. – no way they purchased that – so mine must be either trashed/restolen/resold).
So anyway yesterday - Tuesday, I ran into an acquaintance as I rode past a local business who jumped out to announce ... they were going to call me as they had a bike!, that they FOUND, and thought of ME (these people know that I had a bike stolen and have a reward out – but I knew deep down that this was NOT my bike). Eh? So I stop and they bring it out so I can see it, and I look at it with great grievance. Not my bike. My acquaintance says they found the bike behind a bar, most likely ridden by So and So the “Crackhead” and do I want it – to BUY it. (what the hell is the mentality of knowing I’m missing a certain bike and that I would want to purchase another obviously stolen bike???).
Ugh. I stalled, and said “awwww come on here – you KNOW I just had one of my bikes stolen, this is NOT mine! You know how I feel about this kind of stuff! – why would I want to buy a stolen bike?????” This person said – oh no – it’s not stolen! I found it. It’s not stolen.
Right. Thought about it a second and said, let me think on it. This person called me yesterday to assure me that the bike was not stolen – that they talked with the “crackhead” who left it behind the building because he took it from his ex-girlfriend because she owed him money – which actually means my acquaintance was getting this bike as collateral on some debt owed...
Great.
I work at a local 2-year college where my department has direct contact with the criminal justice unit, plus I ride with some of the off-duty police officers on charity rides, etc – so I told a retired detective my quandary – what do I do? It’s a definitely new girl’s hybrid bike – most likely out of K-Mart or something – probably $120 at the most (back brakes not worn at all – not a freaking mark the frame at all – brand new bike and is most likely stolen from a 1 mile radius from where I live) ... and stated that I’m buying it and turning it in – So how do I do it? Received a local authority name and number to call – my job for today or Saturday when I have more time.
So that’s what I’m doing. Spent $25 on the bike (my acquaintance wanted more – phooey on that!) and now have a stolen bike in my garage. Turning it in to the police with the stipulation that if no one picks it up (I really hope they do), then the authorities are to contact me so I get it back so I can turn it over to one of the two charities that my Club deals with that refurbishes bicycles and gives them to needy families. And my acquaintance will remain unknown to the authorities because I know they are more or less the 2nd or 5th parties in “ownership” in this bike. Yep, they’re of the stupid sort, which is why I term them “acquaintances”.
But really what stinks is the mentality of this whole thing – this acquaintance did not understand the utter wrongness to this transaction at all. You find it, it’s yours. “WHY”, they ask me, “are you buying this and turning it in???? – It’s now YOURS!!!” So, soooo sad! How the hell would you feel if a kid ran out in the street as you’re riding by and screams “Dad! That’s my bicycle!!!”.
And I can’t tell you how I feel about this bike. Yeah I know it’s a no-name bike, but it still sucks to lose something – to have something you really like taken from you. It’s a pretty little teal colored bike that is clean – somebody cleaned it and I don’t think the thief did it. A family purchased this bicycle for their daughter and it was stolen. Plus – it’s just something about bicycles - I know all my bikes, all the parts I’ve replaced, rebuilt, broke, saved for, spent money I should have spent in other places, lovingly cleaned and just plain freaking admired, etc. I like my bikes. And my stolen bike just sucks. Like an open wound. It should be downstairs in the basement with the rest of them and not out beaten to death by someone who doesn’t give a sheoit about it.
<sigh> So I hope some girl gets her bike back. $25 I didn’t really have to spend, but was well worth it ---- I hope!