Folding Bikes - Green Tikit Stolen @ UC Berkley

http://bp1.blogger.com/_vUEhS0lU3eU/R3RLNzqYejI/AAAAAAAAEAw/2utv1h6yQ_8/s400/green+tikit.php

From a post by Lynette Chiang on the Yak List:

Hey folders on the dock of the Bay ...

I feel even worse for poor Eric than for myself leaving my passport in a NY cab last week.... see attached rant below my rant. There's a shot of a green folded tikit at http://www.bikefriday.com/tikit

Please don't hound poor Eric as to why he didn't wheel it inside, it will only make him feel worse and liable to jump off Grizzly Peak.... do please forward this to all your Bay area and beyond listserves. Velosport tell me a stolen SF bike was recovered on craigslist in Chicago recently ... :o(

Text from Eric's email:

"My *brand new* Bike Friday Tikit was stolen yesterday (12/26/07) on the UC Berkeley campus. It was locked with a U lock to the bike racks on the south side of the Valley Life Science Building. It is GREEN, and the serial number on the frame is 446. Attached is a picture of a green Tikit. Paul at Bike Friday said he’s pretty sure it is the only green Tikit in the Bay Area.

I would be so appreciative if you could forward this information to any Bay Area Bike Friday folks, or cycling groups, or whatever you think would be useful. It is such a distinctive bike, that the chances of it being noticed would hopefully be better than 0.

I was barely able to afford this bike, and purchased it for an upcoming international bike tour (and hopefully many more after that).

My contact info is: Eric Berlow
eberlow@ucmerced.edu
ericberlow@gmail.com
209-625-6700 (cell)

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

Sincerely, Eric"

Here's what happened.

He was probably told by someone inside the school not to bring the bike inside. In his situation, he had two options. He could either cover the bike entirely and carry a + 25lb bag around campus. Not enjoyable at all. His second option was to leave the bike outside locked to a bike rack. A huge mistake as you would never park a bike worth more than $50.00 dollars on a bike rack.

A much better option would have been to hide the bike. I left my folder hidden with a U-Lock and nothing ever happend. Only when my bikes were exposed to the public in front of eveyone's eyes, (ex. Bike rack) that they were attacked! My beater was hit last week with two cut inner tubes and a destroyed tire.

Another option would be to get a beater and lock that to the bike rack and prey.

He could also get a Strida or CarryME and just use that to roll around campus.

What a welcome to Cal.

He seems either to have been visiting someone or taking a tour of the VLSB. The day after Christmas, you'd think campus would be a wasteland so I can see why he'd consider locking the bike outside (though south side is pretty close to the main campus exit/entry). The theft problem at UC Merced, I'll bet, is MUCH lower; he wasn't prepared for Berkeley. Truth be told though, he would have looked pretty dorky rolling his tikit around inside esp. if he had nowhere to stash it (i.e. in a grad friend's lab or office, etc.).

There's also the issue of what time he was there and for how long. If he was there long enough, the thief might have spotted it earlier, and went to go get tools. Plus nowadays, it gets noticeably dark starting at 5pm. Nevertheless, I hope he gets it back. If I were him, I'd start scanning the flea markets this weekend and maybe check around People's Park right away. THEN there are the used bike shops, as well as the knuckleheads on fraternity row and dorm rats who didn't leave for Christmas vacation. Sigh.

Here's what happened.

Since none of us were there I don't see the mileage in second guessing the situation. I posted this here on the off chance somebody here came across this bike being sold and could help reunite the owner with his lost ride.

I'm not looking for tips on parking my folding bike at UC Berkley [I live in Canada...:o] and the owner isn't a BF member [that I know of].

Since none of us were there I don't see the mileage in second guessing the situation. I posted this here on the off chance somebody here came across this bike being sold and could help reunite the owner with his lost ride.

I'm not looking for tips on parking my folding bike at UC Berkley [I live in Canada...:o] and the owner isn't a BF member [that I know of].

Fair enough.

I think there's an important lesson here. If you're going to an area that requires alot of walking in indoors, leave the folder at home. This is especially true if the your not sure they will allow folding bikes covered or uncovered. There's nothing worse than taking a folder inside a building and told no bicycles allowed. This has happend to me in malls and shopping centers which is why I now use a beater.

The folder practically becomes a part of you and this is especially true if it costs over 1K. You can't just get up and go to the mens room without walking with this rather large package. Shopping, dining and all sorts of activity must be accompanied with a 25 pound package. This more than anything else, is the reason you don't see people with folders inside anywhere! The folding bike is marketed like a "go everywhere" deal but in reality, it's a beast of burden.

Update from Eric [looks like his insurance will cover the cost of his stolen Tikit...=-)]:

"Hi Lynette,

A number of people have emailed me with the same question.
I’m still a bit confused exactly how it happened.

I locked the main frame of the bike (the thick cross bar) to a u-shaped bike rack with a Bull Dog U-Lock (the stubby model).
<3hrs>
There was no sign of a broken lock or anything.
In fact, I kept staring at the spot wondering if I had indeed locked my bike there.

It was a very quiet day on the UCB campus (26 December) – not many bikes in the parking area, not many people walking around.
Quiet enough of a day that as I locked my bike, I thought, hmmm this bright green new bike sure does stand out here.
I considered folding it and bringing it inside, but had recently been reprimanded for bringing a bike in the building, so I didn’t.

I guess the lesson there is to always listen to the little voice in your head that says, “hmmm not a good idea.”

Other news folks might be interested in:
If you purchase your bike with a credit card, it is very likely that you have insurance on the card that will pay the deductible for your property insurance.
In my case, my property insurance has $1000 deductible, and the Mastercard folks said they will likely pay all of that.


Hope that helps.

e. "

Some credit cards will reimburse you for lost or damaged or stolen items that you used the card to buy, at least they used to. I know this because I once dropped overboard a new pair of very expensive binoculars from my kayak and they reimbursed me in full. All they wanted was a police report. That was years as years ago, though.

Some credit cards will reimburse you for lost or damaged or stolen items that you used the card to buy, at least they used to. I know this because I once dropped overboard a new pair of very expensive binoculars from my kayak and they reimbursed me in full. All they wanted was a police report. That was years as years ago, though.

My Visa card gives me a certain number of days of theft protection for anything I buy with the card and extends the warranty by a year or more - have to check on that.

My condolences or Codolences if you like fish.

I just saw a green tikit show up on Craigslist! Could this be the stolen bike?

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/bik/523738962.html

That's an after market seat - might be an identifier.

That's also an unrealistically low price!!!

Should be interesting to get vik's take on it.

Way to go SesameCrunch.

That's an after market seat - might be an identifier.

That's also an unrealistically low price!!!

Should be interesting to get vik's take on it.

Way to go SesameCrunch.

I didn't have the ticket stolen, but I emailed Eric and let him know.

There's always a question of proving ownership, but with Bike Friday it's a no-brainer because they keep a database of customers and which bikes they own. Just look for the serial number and that answers all the questions.

Just in case the listing gets deleted...

Bike Friday!Travel,Folding Bicycle.Just The Tikit! *Photo - $550 (san leandro)

Reply to: see below
Date: 2007-12-30, 3:37PM PST

This is a "Bike Friday"! It's a lightweight folding, travel bicycle. This bike is in darn near new condition. This model is called "Just the Tikit, Built to Order". It is an 8-speed and is a size small to medium (equivalent to a 21" normal bike). Go to bikefriday.com to see all the details and read about how great these are!
If you know someone who would love to have this, please pass this ad along, thanks!
Asking $550 or best offer (no reasonable offer refused!)
Please call Bill at (510) 394-8008

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c218/acampagnolo/bikefriday1.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c218/acampagnolo/bikefriday2.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c218/acampagnolo/bikefriday3.jpg



it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 523738962

Just in case the listing gets deleted...

Bike Friday!Travel,Folding Bicycle.Just The Tikit! *Photo - $550 (san leandro)

Reply to: see below
Date: 2007-12-30, 3:37PM PST

This is a "Bike Friday"! It's a lightweight folding, travel bicycle. This bike is in darn near new condition. This model is called "Just the Tikit, Built to Order". It is an 8-speed and is a size small to medium (equivalent to a 21" normal bike). Go to bikefriday.com to see all the details and read about how great these are!
If you know someone who would love to have this, please pass this ad along, thanks!
Asking $550 or best offer (no reasonable offer refused!)
Please call Bill at (510) 394-8008

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c218/acampagnolo/bikefriday1.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c218/acampagnolo/bikefriday2.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c218/acampagnolo/bikefriday3.jpg



it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 523738962

Good idea - thanks! It would certainly put a smile on my face if we were able to help Eric get his bike back!.....:)

I think it's unlikely that a bike thief would advertise on the internet. More likely to try to sell it on the street someplace.

I think it's unlikely that a bike thief would advertise on the internet. More likely to try to sell it on the street someplace.

I really doubt there are too many Green tikits, period, let alone in the Bay area. The Serial Number should be the key - unless it's been "erased".... :>)

I find it completely believable that a thief, of bikes or anything, would advertise on craigslist.

$550 or best offer is HIGHLY suspicious for my profile of someone who would possess a Bike Friday, and such a new model, by legit means.

I concur. ^^^ Maybe if the poster listed the original selling price and a valid reason for selling, but even then $550 is INSANE for that bike. The bike should easily bring 2x that, even used. The Tikit in the Craig's List ad appears to be pristine.

Well Bike Friday contacted the seller on behalf of Eric [he is away at the moment out of contact] and the guy from Craig's List says he got it at a flea market, but acknowledges it may be stolen so he is going to hold don to it for Eric's return and work something out with him.

I guess owning a fairly unique bike has some advantages.

Thanks to Sesame Crunch for posting the ad from Craig's List and to Bike Friday for taking some action on behalf of a customer. Bike Forums CSI got some results - good work team...:D

I love it when a plan comes together.

I find it completely believable that a thief, of bikes or anything, would advertise on craigslist.

$550 or best offer is HIGHLY suspicious for my profile of someone who would possess a Bike Friday, and such a new model, by legit means.



I don't know anything about these bikes. For all I knew they may all be green. Don't know much about Craigslist either, tho I did hear it was being used for some illegal activity. Yeah, this is pretty amazing cooperative detective work here! Has the victim made a positive id on the bike yet? If so, better notify the police in case it's the actual thief and the contact info is some sort of transient thing, or in case the thief wants the victim to show up with cash so he can rob him. Hopefully the police will take an interest instead of just filling out a form. Also, the seller is in the vicinity of the crime, yes? But again, I'm not familiar with that part of the country. Better hurry, though. If it is the thief, he may be long gone by now.

...and the guy from Craig's List says he got it at a flea market, but acknowledges it may be stolen so he is going to hold don to it for Eric's return and work something out with him.
:rolleyes:

That's what keeps people stealing bikes. The dude who bought it should be prosecuted. The bike needs to be turned into a police station NOW.

Also, that's what a thief will say. Where did you get the stolen bike? I bought if from some dude on the street/flea market.

http://bp1.blogger.com/_vUEhS0lU3eU/R3RLNzqYejI/AAAAAAAAEAw/2utv1h6yQ_8/s400/green+tikit.php

From a post by Lynette Chiang on the Yak List:

Hey folders on the dock of the Bay ...

I feel even worse for poor Eric than for myself leaving my passport in a NY cab last week.... see attached rant below my rant. There's a shot of a green folded tikit at http://www.bikefriday.com/tikit

Please don't hound poor Eric as to why he didn't wheel it inside, it will only make him feel worse and liable to jump off Grizzly Peak....(

Text from Eric's email:

"My *brand new* Bike Friday Tikit was stolen yesterday (12/26/07) on the UC Berkeley campus. It was locked with a U lock to the bike racks on the south side of the Valley Life Science Building.....
It is such a distinctive bike, that the chances of it being noticed would hopefully be better than 0.

I was barely able to afford this bike...).

My contact info is: Eric Berlow
eberlow@ucmerced.edu
ericberlow@gmail.com
209-625-6700 (cell)

Sincerely, Eric"

Poor guy. He just made a bad judgement based on "locking that thing outside" brainwashing of other's expectations instead of treating it like the expensive beautiful valuable item of machinery and technology it was and taking it with you at all times or leaving it at home or "safe house" as I do.


Here's what happened.

He was probably told by someone inside the school not to bring the bike inside. In his situation, he had two options. He could either cover the bike entirely and carry a + 25lb bag around campus. Not enjoyable at all. His second option was to leave the bike outside locked to a bike rack. A huge mistake as you would never park a bike worth more than $50.00 dollars on a bike rack.

A much better option would have been to hide the bike. I left my folder hidden with a U-Lock and nothing ever happend. Only when my bikes were exposed to the public in front of eveyone's eyes, (ex. Bike rack) that they were attacked! My beater was hit last week with two cut inner tubes and a destroyed tire.

Another option would be to get a beater and lock that to the bike rack and prey.

He could also get a Strida or CarryME and just use that to roll around campus.

From what I seen of the tikit, you can roll it around. Perhaps being so new to the bike, Eric was not aware of that feature. I always thought your method of hiding it locked up is interesting Dahon Steve, but not practical everywhere. Here in gangland where I live, people constantly watch you for a momentary weakness and pounce on that opportunity. "Hiding the bike" is a ticket for a theft here as it simply makes it easier for the thieves to work in peace.


Since none of us were there I don't see the mileage in second guessing the situation. I posted this here on the off chance somebody here came across this bike being sold and could help reunite the owner with his lost ride.

I'm not looking for tips on parking my folding bike at UC Berkley [I live in Canada...:o] and the owner isn't a BF member [that I know of].

I hope the poor man is reunited with his bike, I really do. But if you see someone on a green tikit (assuming that it is not repainted in a homemade fashion, stripped for parts or driven to another county), what do you do? Call the police? Fat chance they will respond, much less get involve with "just a bike". Strong arm the suspect? Even if you can, perhaps the bike really does belong to the person in question. I once saw a Bike Friday outside a big box home improvement store in gangland a few years back. It was locked with a cheap cable lock and it was about to rain (a sad way of treating a beautiful bike). What can one do in gangland-or anywhere else for that matter? Folding bikes only work here when they are folded up and taken with you, not treated like a regular bike. Otherwise it's gone-probably forever.


Fair enough.

I think there's an important lesson here. If you're going to an area that requires alot of walking in indoors, leave the folder at home. This is especially true if the your not sure they will allow folding bikes covered or uncovered. There's nothing worse than taking a folder inside a building and told no bicycles allowed. This has happend to me in malls and shopping centers which is why I now use a beater.

The folder practically becomes a part of you and this is especially true if it costs over 1K. You can't just get up and go to the mens room without walking with this rather large package. Shopping, dining and all sorts of activity must be accompanied with a 25 pound package. This more than anything else, is the reason you don't see people with folders inside anywhere! The folding bike is marketed like a "go everywhere" deal but in reality, it's a beast of burden.

I cover my bike and only take it with me in limited situations. Otherwise the bikes are at home. I do and have done all sorts of activities with the bike in it's nice cover and otherwise discreetly tucked in underneath tables (see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/world-of-folding-bicycles/265102648/in/set-72157594325178229/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/world-of-folding-bicycles/265102648/in/set-72157594325178229/) ) or rolled about on it's own luggage cart. I have taken my bike with me in the Ladies room when necessary. I don't know if the Men's room have this option, but I use the wheelchair stall where it is much wider for wheelchairs (and the folding bike fits even unfolded there just nicely). This has worked for me as you can see in my Flickr photos.


Update from Eric [looks like his insurance will cover the cost of his stolen Tikit...=-)]:

"Hi Lynette,

A number of people have emailed me with the same question.
I’m still a bit confused exactly how it happened.

I locked the main frame of the bike (the thick cross bar) to a u-shaped bike rack with a Bull Dog U-Lock (the stubby model).
<3hrs>
There was no sign of a broken lock or anything.
In fact, I kept staring at the spot wondering if I had indeed locked my bike there.

It was a very quiet day on the UCB campus (26 December) – not many bikes in the parking area, not many people walking around.
Quiet enough of a day that as I locked my bike, I thought, hmmm this bright green new bike sure does stand out here.
I considered folding it and bringing it inside, but had recently been reprimanded for bringing a bike in the building, so I didn’t.

I guess the lesson there is to always listen to the little voice in your head that says, “hmmm not a good idea.”Other news folks might be interested in:
If you purchase your bike with a credit card, it is very likely that you have insurance on the card that will pay the deductible for your property insurance.
In my case, my property insurance has $1000 deductible, and the Mastercard folks said they will likely pay all of that.

Hope that helps.

e. "

If my bike is not welcomed and I have been previously warned about taking it there, it stays home. Some credit cards have this option, but I am not interested in finding out if I have it or if they will reimbused me for the loss. But for me 100% of the time, I carry the most simple little bag in the world that prevents the bike from being identified as a bike-offered free on Flickr....http://www.flickr.com/photos/world-of-folding-bicycles/988690181/in/set-72157601331380862/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/world-of-folding-bicycles/988690181/in/set-72157601331380862/)

I love it when a plan comes together.

+ 1 - good work Bike Forums CSI team members...:p

I hope the poor man is reunited with his bike, I really do. But if you see someone on a green tikit (assuming that it is not repainted in a homemade fashion, stripped for parts or driven to another county), what do you do? Call the police? Fat chance they will respond, much less get involve with "just a bike".

Folder Fanatic is right. Personal property theft, even automobiles, is just a "fill out a form on the internet" crime in the Big City.

Turning it over to the police will just result in it sitting in the Berkley PD property room for a year or two, assuming they would choose to prosecute. Pretty hard to prove this guy did it, unless there are witnesses or security camera video.

In any event, if this is his bike, there will be no pay-off by the Ins Co.(s), so might be best to make an arrangement to get it back if he wants to be able to ride it again any time soon.

Will be interesting to hear what does happen.

Turning it over to the police will just result in it sitting in the Berkley PD property room for a year or two...
Assuming the OP was not a dunce and did file a police report, it would not matter if it sat in BPD, OPD, or even SLPD. The point is that when the OP returns from wherever he went, he can go to a PD and pick up his bike. The guy who bought the bike from the "flea market" should not be rewarded in any case; people who buy stolen property are RARELY reimbursed for their trouble, and if you ask me, it serves them right for buying it in the first place. Besides, "Bill" did his research, knows what a tikit is, knows the original price, and is/was willing to sell the bike for a profit before even checking if it was stolen, although "acknowledging" it might have been. What does he have to work out with the OP? Just give it back.

I think Bike Friday went above and beyond on this one. The rest is in the OP's court, but he seems pretty nonchalant, esp. when he found out his insurance is willing to cover it. If he was depending on insurance to begin with, why bother anyone about his stolen bike?

Fat Boy's watched too much A-Team. :)

Also, that's what a thief will say. Where did you get the stolen bike? I bought if from this dude/flea market.
Craigslist is far, far more traceable than a for-cash sale at a flea market or off the back of a truck. So I see it as quite likely that the CL lister did get it from a flea market, and decided to flip it. Why else would he list his name and phone #?



That's what keeps people stealing bikes. The dude who bought it should be prosecuted. The bike needs to be turned into a police station NOW.... What does he have to work out with the OP? Just give it back.
Well, that's a bit one-sided.....

You have no evidence whatsoever to indicate he knowingly received stolen property and, in doing so, intended to aid the thief. If he flatly refuses to turn over the bike when presented with evidence it was stolen, he could be charged; but it's pretty clear that is not the case here.

I don't know of any way to distinguish a "stolen bike" from a "used bike" just by looking at it. Do you? How would a non-cyclist know? Or should we all just assume that any outlet for used bikes (including Craigslist) is, in fact, an outlet for stolen merchandise?

As to what he needs to "work out," the CL lister is out at least some cash for the "crime" of buying a used bike and selling it. He's already willing to work things out and turn over the bike to the original owner, so there really is no reason to turn over the bike to the police. If I was in the CL lister's position, I'd definitely want to see a police report and evidence of ownership.

What "keeps people stealing bikes" is that it takes 30 seconds to steal a bike, that most bike thefts are not felonies, that most bikes are generic enough to make recovery difficult, and the police aren't putting a lot of resources into bike theft. Throwing the book at someone like the CL lister would make it significantly more difficult for anyone to get their bike recovered.

Even if the original owner is asked to shell out a few bucks, he should be glad he's getting his bike back.


By the way, you can't always predict where your bike will be "welcome." If you have a snazzy bike that you expect to leave outside, you might want to record your bike's Serial # (e.g. take a photo) and use the National Bike Registry ( http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/ ) as well.

Guys, guys...let's not second guess stuff we aren't privy to. We helped someone find their stolen bike. Let's just be happy for that and hope if we are ever in the same situation someone helps us out. Trying to figure out people's motives and/or what they are or are not doing based on a few posts by third parties to an internet forum is waste of energy.

Well, that's a bit one-sided.....

You have no evidence whatsoever to indicate he knowingly received stolen property and, in doing so, intended to aid the thief.
No, it's not one-sided. You just don't read well enough.

vik posted above that when Bike Friday contact the seller, the seller acknowledged that it could be stolen. But, come on: even if he's not going to admit it, you think given the price, condition, etc. that's it's not? Even he knows, as you write -



If he flatly refuses to turn over the bike when presented with evidence it was stolen, he could be charged; but it's pretty clear that is not the case here.
Again, you didn't read well enough. I think Bike Friday already convinced him it was stolen, otherwise why would he want to work anything out? If it was NOT stolen and he had legitimate property, what is there to work out?



I don't know of any way to distinguish a "stolen bike" from a "used bike" just by looking at it. Do you? How would a non-cyclist know? Or should we all just assume that any outlet for used bikes (including Craigslist) is, in fact, an outlet for stolen merchandise?
Care to admit anything you've done in the (recent) past? :rolleyes:

Again, if this was a legitimate bike, he probably would not be so accommodating to Bike Friday's request.



As to what he needs to "work out," the CL lister is out at least some cash for the "crime" of buying a used bike and selling it.
No, the buyer needs no payment. You see, the buyer was going to sell it for profit; he just got caught. When he got caught, he was willing to plea bargain. My opinion is, "screw him." Yours, obviously, differs.

Now, there are legitimate people on craigstlist. They will openly say "Hey, I found a nice bike at such and such flea market. I have a feeling it's stolen. If you can describe it or give proof it's yours, email me and I'll let you have it back from what I ransomed it for. Otherwise I'm keeping it." It is clear, in this case, that was NOT the buyer's intention.



He's already willing to work things out and turn over the bike to the original owner...
That has yet to be shown.



...so there really is no reason to turn over the bike to the police.
It's easier for everyone: erase the police report; promise not to file charges; go to a legitimate place to pick up the bike instead of some San Leandro ghetto, etc.



If I was in the CL lister's position, I'd definitely want to see a police report and evidence of ownership.
We agree here. But given how "Bill" has handled the situation so far, he knows what he has is hot.



What "keeps people stealing bikes" is that it takes 30 seconds to steal a bike, that most bike thefts are not felonies, that most bikes are generic enough to make recovery difficult, and the police aren't putting a lot of resources into bike theft. Throwing the book at someone like the CL lister would make it significantly more difficult for anyone to get their bike recovered.
OK, but what also keeps people stealing bikes is that they always find buyers. In the Bay Area, everyone is so lazy. It's easier for them to say "OK OK I'll give you 'reward' money, just give it back." I wish people would just say "Just give it back. End of story." To a certain extent, we here do exacerbate our own problems.



Even if the original owner is asked to shell out a few bucks, he should be glad he's getting his bike back.
The lazy mentality, but yeah, you're right. I would. Save my insurance rates or whatever from going higher.



By the way, you can't always predict where your bike will be "welcome." If you have a snazzy bike that you expect to leave outside, you might want to record your bike's Serial # (e.g. take a photo) and use the National Bike Registry ( http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/ ) as well.
Good advice. But this should be in the "Owning a Folding Bike 101" category: plan to spend extra money on a bag you can carry it in. You'll save yourself a ton of trouble down the road.

Guys, guys...let's not second guess stuff we aren't privy to. We helped someone find their stolen bike. Let's just be happy for that and hope if we are ever in the same situation someone helps us out. Trying to figure out people's motives and/or what they are or are not doing based on a few posts by third parties to an internet forum is waste of energy.
Yeah but it's too easy. :p

So here's a question. Let's say you came across a deal like this at a flea market and you were almost certain it was stolen, would you buy it in hope of finding its rightful owner? Does buying property which you believe may be stolen with the intent of returning it to its owner make you a criminal? If you instead called the police, what good would it do?

In this case, it looks like the work of the BF members did a great service in helping the owner become reunited with his bike but things rarely work out so well.

I know that if I had the opportunity to buy this bike at a flea market, my wallet would spring open against my better judgement just because I know it is such an incredible machine, but with the lingering thoughts of theft in my mind, I would follow my conscience and try to find the rightful owner. I know about receiving stolen property being a crime, but I know how I would feel if I had a bike like the Tikit stolen from me.

What a dilemma! Hopefully, the case will be resolved and the owner can once again enjoy his bike.

In this case, it looks like the work of the BF members did a great service in helping the owner become reunited with his bike ...

____________________


WAS it his bike? Where's the follow-up to this soap opera?

In this case, it looks like the work of the BF members did a great service in helping the owner become reunited with his bike ...

____________________


WAS it his bike? Where's the follow-up to this soap opera?

Yes it was his bike and he's taking things from here. I don't know Eric personally I'm just passing on what I hear via others through email. I'm sure he is very appreciative of the help he has rec'd, but I don't think he'll be writing any kind of screen play for us to post online.

Thanks to everyone that helped out. Finding a stolen bike for someone is a great way to end 2007....:D

Happy ending to 2007!

Well Bike Friday contacted the seller on behalf of Eric [he is away at the moment out of contact] and the guy from Craig's List says he got it at a flea market, but acknowledges it may be stolen so he is going to hold don to it for Eric's return and work something out with him.


I wonder how much Eric is going to give him? The new seller probably paid money for this bike and will want to be compensated. He may very well be the crook and it could be a dangerous situation.

Eric has to be very careful with this because the new seller can turn around and say it was all a joke if he's not given any money. He can also say he never saw the bike or someone else had it and sold the bike without his permission. In short, until the bike is in Eric's hands, he's walking on thin ice.

The police can get involved but the seller can say, I never listed the bike, it wasn't my ad listed, I never spoke with Eric.

If he has a tikit with the same serial number on it that was sold to Eric - the possessor is on thin ice!

If he is the thief (or even if he is not) he may have a record, and would rather resolve the situation as easily as possible without the police.

Lots of possible variables here.

Sounds like Starbucks might be a good place to meet.....lol

If he has a tikit with the same serial number on it that was sold to Eric - the possessor is on thin ice!

If he is the thief (or even if he is not) he may have a record, and would rather resolve the situation as easily as possible without the police.

Lots of possible variables here.

Sounds like Starbucks might be a good place to meet.....lol

We could all meet at Starbucks to further discuss this drama. I'd go for that.

Let's say you came across a deal like this at a flea market and you were almost certain it was stolen, would you buy it in hope of finding its rightful owner? Does buying property which you believe may be stolen with the intent of returning it to its owner make you a criminal?
It is not legal to purchase property that you know is stolen with the intent of returning it to its rightful owner.

The odds of you getting prosecuted are minute. But yes, purchasing a stolen item is a violation of the law.


Anyway..... Let's assume for the moment that Bill is not a fence. He goes to the flea market, sees a weird bike in excellent condition, shells out $150 for it, takes it home and finds out it is worth $1500.

He puts a listing on CL that says "I picked up this bike for a song at a flea market, I suspect it's hot, if you had a bike like this stolen from you then contact me." Per S11's comments, it is a) impractical and/or encouraging more theft to reimburse Bill; b) if Bill asks for compensation, this is unethical and a clear sign that Bill is a thief or fence; c) technically, Bill is violating the law, and is not protected even if his intent is to return the bike to its rightful owner.

(This is, of course, aside from S11's willingness to jail someone based on 3rd- and 4th-hand reports. ;) )

While it is unlikely that Bill would be prosecuted, the victim could easily demand the stolen property, refuse to reimburse Bill, and threaten prosecution if Bill refuses to turn it over. And let's face it, while some Good Samaritans will be treated positively, others will not.


Scenarios like the current one are, as I think we all know, few and far between. Few people own bikes so rare that only one will exist in the entire Bay Area. Many stolen bikes are chopped for parts or shipped out of the area where they are stolen; and thieves and fences, I wager, want to have absolutely nothing to do with the original owner of a stolen bike.

Bike theft is also rampant in many areas which do not have "lazy victims," such as -- well, just about every major urban area.

As such, I find it unlikely that the willingness of victims to pay to retrieve their stolen goods is a "major," or even notable, segment of the populace that is willing to buy stolen goods, and therefore not a major part of the bike theft problem.

Sometimes I wonder if this thread is even legit. I never heard of anything like this before: crime gets announced, crime gets investigated, clues appear like magic, crime solved, all on one thread in one day! Sounds like one of those old Bob & Ray skits with their detective character. The crimes get committed and solved and the criminal gets apprehended and sentenced within the space of the 2 minute skit. Next we'll see here: the criminal was apprehended by a SWAT team in the Starbucks and he has been tried convicted and sentenced to 30 years without parole in the state pen. Case closed!

(This is, of course, aside from S11's willingness to jail someone based on 3rd- and 4th-hand reports. ;) )
Heh heh. :)

Next we'll see here: the criminal was apprehended by a SWAT team in the Starbucks and he has been tried convicted and sentenced to 30 years without parole in the state pen.

Please let us know the location of the Starbucks where this sting operation will take place. Sounds like it might be worth the drive from the Portland area to watch it go down! :)

I wonder how much Eric is going to give him? The new seller probably paid money for this bike and will want to be compensated. He may very well be the crook and it could be a dangerous situation.

Eric has to be very careful with this because the new seller can turn around and say it was all a joke if he's not given any money. He can also say he never saw the bike or someone else had it and sold the bike without his permission. In short, until the bike is in Eric's hands, he's walking on thin ice.

The police can get involved but the seller can say, I never listed the bike, it wasn't my ad listed, I never spoke with Eric.


The way this new world works now, with no one trusting each other, much less helping someone who is not a member of an inner related circle, I am more in favor of folding bike ownership. Assuming you are separated from the bike for any reason, prevention is the only way to go now-especially where I live right smack in the middle of gangland where everyone is for themselves only. The Norman Rockwell ideal America where I grew up does not exist anymore but for rare exceptions.

Sometimes I wonder if this thread is even legit. I never heard of anything like this before: crime gets announced, crime gets investigated, clues appear like magic, crime solved, all on one thread in one day! Sounds like one of those old Bob & Ray skits with their detective character. The crimes get committed and solved and the criminal gets apprehended and sentenced within the space of the 2 minute skit. Next we'll see here: the criminal was apprehended by a SWAT team in the Starbucks and he has been tried convicted and sentenced to 30 years without parole in the state pen. Case closed!

Such the skeptic. ;) This has happened before: http://www.transalt.org/press/media/2007/1293.html

Incidentally, the flea market story should be easy to verify. Typically, one needs to register to sell something. At least, that's the case for the Berkeley Flea Market.

here's another true story involving stolen bikes and craigslist:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/25/AR2007082501363.html

Yes, skeptic I am. But thanks for the links. From the Wash. Post link:


"...he scratched the surface of the region's stolen-bikes underworld, which police and bike store owners say has become increasingly sophisticated as expensive bikes have flooded the market and Internet sites have provided platforms to sell them easily and at high prices.

"It used to be that stolen bikes were more of a crime of opportunity," said Denise D'Amour, co-owner of Capitol Hill Bikes. "People saw a bike that wasn't locked very well, and they would grab the bike and run. With the advent of Craigslist and eBay, it looks like more expensive bikes are being stolen in a more organized way."

D.C. police Lt. Michael Smith said that although the department doesn't keep statistics on the subject, bike theft in the region appears to be on the rise. "It's gone up significantly because there's a market on the street for bicycles," Smith said. "They're killing us."

Although Montgomery County police statistics show little change in the level of bike thefts, Metro Transit Police, who track thefts from Metro stations, reported 25 bike thefts in May and 32 in June -- roughly double the numbers from the same months last year.

Police say most bike thefts go unsolved because many victims do not report the crimes or have unregistered bikes and few promising leads. With the Craigslist lead, Moulton became one of the few people in the region who have a stolen bike story with a happy ending.

The odds of recovering a stolen bike are slim, says Bryan Hance, a self-described computer nerd who created a Web site, http://www.stolenbicycleregistry.com, that allows people to post photos and descriptions of stolen bikes for free...."






Guess I'm behind the times. Is there any lock that can actually give these new organized and computerized bike thieves some trouble?

This whole thread is disturbing. I have at least a dozen bikes I have literally taken out of the trash, including four I took off the curbside on trash day, and I can't count how many kids bikes, which I've fixed up as necessary for my kids to ride. The kids' bikes have almost all come out of a dumpster, the same one that has provided me with some relatively high end bikes, a Bianchi road bike and a Trek MTB and a nice old threespeed, and lots of spare parts... which lie in my basement waiting to be either fixed up or stripped for parts... all in the interest of recycling. I have no way of knowing if these may have been stolen at some point; all I know is they should never have been thrown away. I also know that people DO throw these things away, like it or not. Every time I find one, literally in the trash, am I supposed to call the police, or do some kind of search to figure out whether it was stolen? Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking a brand new Tikit here... but people are so wasteful that it honestly wouldn't surprise me to find a brand new Tikit in the trash, probably with some damage such as a flat tire, which would render it 'totalled.' And if I saw one at a flea market, I'd snap it up in a heartbeat, and I wouldn't sell it on Craigslist if I did.

I bought a 25-year old Fender guitar amp at a yard sale last summer... paid $38 for it... and discovered I could sell it for $750 on Ebay if I wanted to... not that I want to! But now this thread makes me wonder what I should have done: walked away from it? Called the police to report too-good-to-be-true prices at a yard sale?

I don't know anything about the guy who tried to sell this bike on craigslist, but I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. We expect our fellow Americans to recognize a good deal and to try to profit from one where they can; that's the American way, like it or not. I hope this story ends happily, with the original and rightful owner getting the bike back and all... but it's a mess one way or another.

"Guess I'm behind the times. Is there any lock that can actually give these new organized and computerized bike thieves some trouble?" No, but if you search the forum on 'theft' you can find tactics that might reduce the risk.

As to CL/ebay I have bought and sold on it. You are never sure if the stuff is stolen. All used property for sale has a sad story behind it (I worked hard for my money, bought something I never used, now I have to sell it to you at a discount, stupid me).