Commuting - awk no ride home!

I rode in this morning and it was a wonderful commute but a frustrating day. So about 3 oclock I decided to walk out to my bike to refill the water bottle. Take break!

I get off the elevator...Awk <<<<NO BIKE!>>>>> Gone...jacked with a crumby bike parked next to it and my helmet and gloves on the ground. The cut the lock and took off.

The police could not get finger prints on the helmet but think they have it on the garage camera. But what good will the video do...

It's a easy bike to spot and the police seemed hopeful that they can get back...err really? :(

err they have to take it to the local bike shop sooner or later because it needs hub and bottom bracket work..how can I help the bike shop to spot my bike when it comes in for repairs?

Wow. What a bummer. Do you have homeowners or renters insurance that will replace the bike if it's not recovered?

err they have to take it to the local bike shop sooner or later because it needs hub and bottom bracket work..how can I help the bike shop to spot my bike when it comes in for repairs?

Maybe if you give the LBSs your bike serial number they will check it when one of that model comes in. Also, make the rounds of the area pawn shops now and then. Maybe the scum that took your bike will get hard up for cash and pawn it.

I know your pain, a coworker recently had his yamaha R1 race motorcycle stolen. I doubt anyone who steals a bike would care about getting hub and bb work but it wouldn't hurt to post a few things around. Police could definitely get a description off the video, don't think it doesn't help. The dude's probably stolen bike's before and most likely will steal again.
Maybe see if the garage has insurance for that kinda thing?

Hope you had an NBR registration.

Those are of great help, especially if a cop recovers it. those warehouses of recovered but not claimed bikes are ridiculously huge.

Basically hand out your bike's S/N everywhere along with your NBR number. Also have a good description of your bike handy. If it had any issues let all the bike shop guys know.

One good trick for future theft resistance is to have your name, address, and phone number etched to the inside of each rim. Make it very obvious, like paint htat spot black, then etch, etc....something htat will catch the shop worker's eye. Everyone eventually has a flat, and where do most of them go...the bike shop...

My bike is going to have that done soon enough, but I'm also going to etch any future upgrades. Seatpost, handlebars, and fork come to mind. It may seem minor, but it's amazing how something like that can get someone caught.

err they have to take it to the local bike shop sooner or later because it needs hub and bottom bracket work..how can I help the bike shop to spot my bike when it comes in for repairs?

Err, really, don't expect it to come back. If they've sold it to some second-hand shop to pay for drugs, the new "owners" mightn't look after it so well -- that's assuming it's even in the same city still. When I had mine stolen last year, consensus was that it would have been in Sydney (900km away) or further by the time I got around to reporting it.

In anycase, you have my condolensces, it really sucks to lose a bike that way.

Sorry to hear of your loss.

err they have to take it to the local bike shop sooner or later because it needs hub and bottom bracket work..how can I help the bike shop to spot my bike when it comes in for repairs?

unfortunately, many thieves of valuable bikes these days seem to know to transport the bikes a couple hundred miles away before selling.

That's cr@p. :mad:

I know your pain, a coworker recently had his yamaha R1 race motorcycle stolen. I doubt anyone who steals a bike would care about getting hub and bb work but it wouldn't hurt to post a few things around. Police could definitely get a description off the video, don't think it doesn't help. The dude's probably stolen bike's before and most likely will steal again.
Maybe see if the garage has insurance for that kinda thing?

These are all good ideas. My homeowners has a 1K deductable...I think the replacement value will be about 2K...its' something at least. Too back I can't have the parking garage pay for whatever homeowners doesn't pay.

The cops chalked the trash bike to see if anyone would drive it home. The trash bike they drove in with was still there this morning. No serial numbers on it.

That bike wasn't the the best, but it had alot of geek-bike accessories to customize it.
I'm not even sure it's worth getting another. Why bother...some commie... "your's is better so I'm taking it" will just take the next one. :(

Why bother...some commie... "your's is better so I'm taking it" will just take the next one.

So commies are thieves? Save it for the politics forum. :rolleyes:

What the hell do commies have to do with bike stealing???

That bike wasn't the the best, but it had alot of geek-bike accessories to customize it.
I'm not even sure it's worth getting another. Why bother...some commie... "your's is better so I'm taking it" will just take the next one. :(

I think you're making a few judgements about a few groups without looking firstly at the facts or even the probabilities. They did a survey around here a couple of years back which concluded that 96% of all theft was done purely to raise funds to support drug habits. I really think that's all they wanted with your bike, too. I doubt they'd even know enough about it to get a decent price when flogging it off to some pawn shop, but if they get the next line of crack, that's all they really want. Heck, they're probably too stoned to have any political views, never mind an understanding of Communism.

Register your next bike. A registered bike is eight times as likely (which, granted, still isn't saying much...) to be returned to its rightful owner as one that is not. Who knows, the sticker might act as a marginal deterrent.

Seriously, etch the inside of your rims with your name, and at the least telephone number.

Something like

Property of Bob. If found, please call (400) 123-7869.

Just make sure to have the etching either filled with something dark, or to paint the area of the etching dark before starting, so it'seasier for a bikeshop employee to see the inscription if he ever replaces a tube or something on the stolen bike.

So commies are thieves? Save it for the politics forum. :rolleyes:

You guys are right. I over heard two gals "commending Communism" and if my stuff is better than yours, I share/give it etc...it didnt' sit well after the bike got jacked. <dunce cap> 'nugh said!

Seriously, etch the inside of your rims with your name, and at the least telephone number.

Something like

Property of Bob. If found, please call (400) 123-7869.

Just make sure to have the etching either filled with something dark, or to paint the area of the etching dark before starting, so it'seasier for a bikeshop employee to see the inscription if he ever replaces a tube or something on the stolen bike.

My LBS was great. They remembered the bike and know the impact of a commuter bike being stolen.
Big surprise! So if the bike were at a shop wouldn't the thief just say. Yeah I bought the bike from Bob, now it's mine?

Had a major attitude adjustment over the weekend and it's time to move on. Do they have some sort of portable box that surrounds a bike that could lock to the rack?

They could, but most people I know from auto shops will call the number regardless of the "owner"'s words.

I know of a rather nice 34 ford coupe hot-rod that hadd it's rims jacked....the thief was caught in nebraska trying to get a flat fixed...the owner (my uncle) was rather happy when he heard his rather expensive rims were recoevered. All he did was attatch a sticker with his contact info and a picture of his face, stating if the face doesn't match...these were stolen.

later the next year he sold that car...first thing he did was remove those labels, and put new ones on with the new owner's face and contact info. He didn't have to do that to the car itself, since it was rather....extremely distinct. Anything black with flames going all the way down, chopped top, and the growl of a heavily tuned 327 will get much unneeded attention for any thief, so basically he had to ensure teh safety of the wheels and a few other items.

Has anybody ever had their stolen bike recovered?

Has anybody ever had their stolen bike recovered?

In college, the cops caught the guy red-handed! What concerns me is the nature of bike thefts is changing. It used to be a "crime of opportunity". Bikes got jacked when not locked up. Now the theives actually come with gear for "the job". If you bring your bike in the building, they just take it from your office. Most unsettling.

I had one stole from behind my house and they left it accross the street outside the white castle the next day...

Got a neat rear light out of it, but lost a 200 fixed gear wheel :(

Has anybody ever had their stolen bike recovered?
Yes, I did, and within a couple of days. I was impressed.

Yes, I did, and within a couple of days. I was impressed.

Lessons learned from 1 week grounding (NO BIKE). Please learn from my multiple points of failure:
Fallacies dispelled of why my bike wouldn't get stolen:

1. "My Bike's not new and not resellable. So who'd take it."
2. "My bike is locked with a good lock."
3. "It's yellow and dirty."
4. "Besides insurance would cover the whole replacement cost."
5. "It's in a company garage" "there's the camera...that'd get 'em on camera"
6. It's loaded with junk, it would at least slow 'em down and go for an easier target.
7. I've got that serial number *somewhere*
8. The Company Security and police will be a big help if my bike *ever* gets stolen!