Mountain Biking - 2009 Cannondale Rize 4 Stolen and Posted on Craig's List

True Story: Friday night my 2009 Cannondale Mountain Bike was STOLEN from Hjarta Ballard. My locks were cut between 5pm and 7am from a secure parking garage. Saturday night MY BIKE turned up on Craig's List 2009 Cannondale Rize 4 WHITE - $1100 (Seattle)

I called the Seattle Police Department and they said all they could do was email the CL poster and tell them that the cops know its stolen.

What I am asking is that you pass this on. Make it very hard for this thief to sell my bike. I am positive that it is someone who knows my building, because when I announced to my Home Owners Association that I found the bike on CL, the post was immediately taken down.

Email me for serial number information.


Date: 2012-03-10, 5:31PM PST
Reply to: mrn2c-2895694215@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

2000 CANNONDALE RIZE 4
$1,100.00
Frame Size: Medium
Frame Tubing Material: 6061 T6 Oversize Aluminum w/carbon seatstays
Fork Brand & Model: Fox Float RL, 140mm travel
Fork Material: Aluminum/magnesium, single crown
Rear Shock: Fox Float RP2, 130mm travel
Brakeset: Avid Elixir CR w/160mm rotor brakes, Avid Elixir CR levers
Shift Levers: Shimano LX Rapid Fire
Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT
Crankset: SRAM GXP1, 22/32/44 teeth
Bottom Bracket: SRAM GXP
Rear Cogs: 9-speed, 11 - 34 teeth
Chain: Shimano Nine Speed
Seatpost: Cannondale Alloy, 27.2mm diameter
Saddle: Fi'zi:k Nisene Mg
Handlebar: FSA XC-281AOS Riser
Handlebar Stem: Cannondale XC3
Headset: 1 1/2" Cannondale Orbit Z
Hubs: Shimano M525 disc
Rims: WTB Speed Disc XC, 32-hole
Tires: 26 x 2.10" Maxxis Ridgeline


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

IF you have proof that the bike was yours, then I don't know what the cops are waiting for. That police statement is totally lame.

Maybe if you buy them some donuts.....

I don't know what they are waiting for either, I showed them the proof of purchase and the Craigs List Ad. They offered to e-mail the thief... but that was it. Frustrating to see your bike stolen then re-sold.

But I believe in karma...

True Story: Friday night my 2009 Cannondale Mountain Bike was STOLEN from Hjarta Ballard. My locks were cut between 5pm and 7am from a secure parking garage. Saturday night MY BIKE turned up on Craig's List 2009 Cannondale Rize 4 WHITE - $1100 (Seattle)

I called the Seattle Police Department and they said all they could do was email the CL poster and tell them that the cops know its stolen.

What I am asking is that you pass this on. Make it very hard for this thief to sell my bike. I am positive that it is someone who knows my building, because when I announced to my Home Owners Association that I found the bike on CL, the post was immediately taken down.

Email me for serial number information.


Date: 2012-03-10, 5:31PM PST
Reply to: mrn2c-2895694215@sale.craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

2000 CANNONDALE RIZE 4
$1,100.00
Frame Size: Medium
Frame Tubing Material: 6061 T6 Oversize Aluminum w/carbon seatstays
Fork Brand & Model: Fox Float RL, 140mm travel
Fork Material: Aluminum/magnesium, single crown
Rear Shock: Fox Float RP2, 130mm travel
Brakeset: Avid Elixir CR w/160mm rotor brakes, Avid Elixir CR levers
Shift Levers: Shimano LX Rapid Fire
Front Derailleur: Shimano Deore
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT
Crankset: SRAM GXP1, 22/32/44 teeth
Bottom Bracket: SRAM GXP
Rear Cogs: 9-speed, 11 - 34 teeth
Chain: Shimano Nine Speed
Seatpost: Cannondale Alloy, 27.2mm diameter
Saddle: Fi'zi:k Nisene Mg
Handlebar: FSA XC-281AOS Riser
Handlebar Stem: Cannondale XC3
Headset: 1 1/2" Cannondale Orbit Z
Hubs: Shimano M525 disc
Rims: WTB Speed Disc XC, 32-hole
Tires: 26 x 2.10" Maxxis Ridgeline


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

the police can do much more, they could get the IP address from CL and figure out exactly who and where posted the ad, I think over a certain amount of money it goes from a misdemeanor to a felony, not sure what the increments are exactly but that is a total line of BS if they say nothing else can be done!!!

Getting a high-end bike back is a long shot. Best of luck...

I would have emailed him as an iterested buyer and agreed to the $1100, then shown up with some friends and baseball bats.

i would have emailed him as an iterested buyer and agreed to the $1100, then shown up with some friends and baseball bats.
ditto

I would have emailed him as an interested buyer and agreed to the $1100, then shown up with some friends and baseball bats.
Agreed, except for the baseball bat part. Show up being interested in buying. Take it for a test ride. Then tell him its stolen and its yours. Of course the whole time have some buddies in another the car waiting but out of site (use them for safety, NOT intimidation). If he insists that its not stolen, have HIM call the cops.
PS: if you have proof (pics of you and the bike or a dated photo, receipt) the bike is yours, bring it.

Agreed, except for the baseball bat part. Show up being interested in buying. Take it for a test ride. Then tell him its stolen and its yours. Of course the whole time have some buddies in another the car waiting but out of site (use them for safety, NOT intimidation). If he insists that its not stolen, have HIM call the cops.
PS: if you have proof (pics of you and the bike or a dated photo, receipt) the bike is yours, bring it.

+1, but why have your friends out of sight? IMO having your buds with you is the best way to prevent a confrontation from escalating...

I hope you get your bike back. I second the idea of going to purchase the bike if you track it down again and then ask to take it for a quick test ride. Then have a 2way radio(walky talky) in your cargo pocket or something and push a button to signal your friends to drive up. Proceed to inform said thief that it's your bike and you're taking it back, and if they want to cause a problem then you and your friends would be happy to deal with it, and the thief can feel free to call the police if they feel so inclined. Also make sure you get the thief's license plate number if you don't meet them at their house. Give the police the address/plate number. They probably won't do anything, but still do it if you can.


IF you have proof that the bike was yours, then I don't know what the cops are waiting for. That police statement is totally lame.

That's the police for you. I've seriously heard this exact same type of thing many times. Person has bike stolen, person finds bike, cops say there's nothing they can do. Yay police. Good thing we pay lots of taxes seemingly mostly to keep the streets flooded with cops to pull over regular people in cars doing a few miles over the speed limit...

I would have emailed him as an iterested buyer and agreed to the $1100, then shown up with some friends and baseball bats.

This is exactly what I would do.

problem with the baseball bat theory: bike thieves may well be armed. it would be best to just ask for a test ride and GTFO. you can't steal what is already yours.

I can't believe the seattle pd refused to get involved. sad.

problem with the baseball bat theory: bike thieves may well be armed. it would be best to just ask for a test ride and GTFO. you can't steal what is already yours.

I know that the entire post was in jest, but the other problem is that stolen bike versus someone beat to a pulp...well, in a court of law, you're going to lose.

I also think it's sad the police won't get involved. Perhaps the cops get calls about "stolen items" on Craigslist all the time, when the bikes aren't actually stolen? I feel like since you had them a receipt though, that shouldn't be an issue. Have a serial number too, by any chance?

At this point...yeah, I'd probably go to "test ride" the bike, bringing along friends (in sight, without baseball bats). If you're worried about things escalating, I'd see if he's willing to meet in a public place. Yes, it increases the chances of you getting caught "stealing" the bike back, but 1) we know the cops do nothing about stolen bikes, and 2) they have a RECORD of you calling and reporting the bike as being stolen. At the worst, they'll call you on playing vigilante and taking justice into your own hands, but what other choice do you have?

You literally cannot steal something that legally belongs to you. Taking it, even under false pretenses, is repossession.

Course.. if you somehow were wrong and it isn't your bike... oops.

File a small claims court suit against the guy. IF you can prove the bike is yours (not gonna be easy unless you recorded/registered the SN or have identifying marks and proof), you should win the purchase price of the bike. The cops SHOULD have gone and investigated/arrested the guy but if they won't do their job you can always go the civil route.

I agree with showing up with a bunch of friends & taking it back. Biggest thing though is that I'd make sure the guy doesn't feel physically threatened at all. Make sure he knows that the friends are there for your protection, not his intimidation, & that if he wants to call the cops he's more than welcome. That not only keeps things from escalating into a physical confrontation, but looks a LOT better on your part if the bike somehow isn't yours & he does call the cops.

^And Chris_F's idea, according to my brother who recently passed the BAR & works at a general civil defense firm (deals with stuff exactly like this, but usually with larger businesses), is the most legal way to go about doing it. However, you would have to hire an attorney which could significantly offset the benefits of getting your bike back.

This happened to a friend of mine that had a 69 schwinn stolen from him, although in the days pre-CL. We spread the word that it was stolen including pics, description etc. Someone saw it and we followed the guy back to his house discreetly. Walked up to him in the yard and asked to take it for a test ride. I had the truck and bike rack around the block so i jumped on, pedaled off real easy like, turned the corner, threw it on the bike rack locked it down and hauled ass. Called the cops when we safely got back to the house and they ended up picking him up for a dozen other charges as well as bike theft. The guy ended up doing 7 years or something like that. I would have called the guy and arranged a meet too. Ive had 5 bikes stolen from me, recovered every single one.

Thanks everyone.

I did go through the motions of setting up a new Gmail account and emailing the CL ad. One of my friends (unbeknownst to me) did the same thing. The ad was promptly taken down about 90 minutes after I began my social media campaign. I also emailed CL with the police report number and asked for IP information to be released to the police department, they never heard anything. I sent the information to both my local TV stations, no reply. What it comes down to, according to the police, is that I am one of many many victims, they do what they can but in this case it isn't much.

The bike community is a good one. Thanks for keeping your eyes peeled for my super sexy White Rize 4, here and in the park!

Sorry to hear your PD was so unhelpful. Could be worse (as if that's any consolation) - - Spokane City PD disbanded its property crimes unit in the last year. Your whole house could get cleaned out and they might not investigate.

At least you have an excuse to buy a new bike

Similar response came from my local police regarding a friends stolen TV that was taken from intruders from her house (bugulary). Next time I saw a cop at a speed trap, I asked how in the WORLD he had time to WAIT for a crime to be commited when one already had been & we were told they didn't have time to do anything about it. He was more or less speechless.

We had the serial number & had video/pawn shop ID records of who took it, they said they couldn't give her the TV until they arrested the thie,f as it was evidence. They have yet to so much as knock on his door. Police are good men/women... we have too many pigs around here.

Why was your bike locked outside overnight?

Ask OJ Simpson about meeting someone to "Steal" your "stolen" stuff back. Not a good idea as nobody knows how that would go down.

A guy I know around here was in the same exact spot. He arranged a meet with the seller and told the cops his plans ahead of time. They offered to stick around the area. Once he verified the bike was his he called the police and they came and arrested the guy. The police may not have wanted to get involved but when you let them know you are gonna do something then I would think they would get involved.

Las Vegas has had a rash of gun fights over CL purchases. There has also been theft of bikes while the rider was on them. (Regional discussion, Southwest thread) Rider gets beat up, bike taken. The economy has created new marketing techniques for thieves. You have to be creative on CL purchases. Some people bring guns to rob you if they think you are showing up to make a $1,000. purchase. Buyer beware is more important than ever.

Las Vegas has had a rash of gun fights over CL purchases. There has also been theft of bikes while the rider was on them. (Regional discussion, Southwest thread) Rider gets beat up, bike taken. The economy has created new marketing techniques for thieves. You have to be creative on CL purchases. Some people bring guns to rob you if they think you are showing up to make a $1,000. purchase. Buyer beware is more important than ever.

Wouldn't that be a kick in the balls. You meet the guy who stole your bike to try to get it back from him and he robs you at gunpoint for your cash, credit cards and anything else of value on you.

^Note to OP: Park a great distance away & show up with nothing of value.

That blows man, I normally never let mine out of sight, I take it into places even if its for like 2 secs. When its in the back of my truck its cabled to a mount I welded to the bed and I always try and find a security camera at whatever business I am at on the outside and park it in view of the camera. If I had seen my stolen bike on craigslist I probably would have tried to get it back either by theft or by meeting the person to buy with a glock in my belt. Then again I am somewhat crazy when it comes to my personal rights!

I wouldn't be too trusting of security cameras. They're often live feed cameras with no recording device, or just phony all together. And even when they aren't, an experienced thief knows they can be foiled with as little as a baseball hat if you're careful about your angle.

Just be REALLY SURE the bike is yours. There was an incident in Cali where a group of 3 showed up to reclaim a bike offered in the newspaper classifieds. Upon seeing it, they were positive it was the one stolen and beat the guy to a bloody pulp before taking the bike. The last digit of the SN was filled in with paint and the 3 was misread as an 8. Prison terms all around for that mistake.

you need to call the Seattle and speak to a Sgt or Lt. and file a complaint. that story is pathetic. being retired law enforcement, sadly I can tell you that every agency has pieces of crap on board. you probably called at the end of a shift, or when the guy was headed to break. we had em where I worked too.

I think it is a good point that the one officer that responded to me, is not a representation of the entire police force. I posted on several message boards and have been amazed at the outpouring of stories. The stolen bike registry sent me a sticker that says "Bike Thieves Suck"... pretty funny.

Just to clarify- I live in a condo. You have to have a code or key to get into our garage. We have an underground area with bike racks which I opted out of locking my bike to because I can't see them. Instead I mounted bike racks to the concrete wall above my parking space. Both my bikes (2008 Lemond and 2009 Cannondale) were locked with Bulldog locks to the wall. My condo was first hit on a Tuesday night and all the bikes that were not locked were stolen from the underground racks. The following Friday night we were hit again and 2 Cannondale and 1 Trex were cut out of their locks. Only my Cannondale was stolen- the thiefs left my Lemond.

Farmers Insurance has been amazing to work with. They are even paying the depreciation when I purchase my next bike, the bad news is my deductible is $1k. All and all I'm glad no one was hurt, but I will remain on the lookout for my bike.

Food for thought: with expensive bikes, if your ins. has that provision, it pays to insure them as "scheduled property" add-ons to your homeowners. Costs just a few bucks a year, is not subject to your HO policy's normal deductible and usually pays full replacement value.

What dminor points out if very important. You can "SCHEDULE" personal property on a homeowners or renters policy. There are two types of payouts, ACV and RCV. ACV=Actual Cash Value, and what you get is a Craigslist valuation, or its used value, which is always a good source for argument. What you thinK it is worth might be hugely different than what an adjuster thinks. The key phrase is "what a willing buyer would pay a willing seller." Think yard sale. ACV is cheaper for a reason.

RCV=Replacement Value. What is the cost to buy the same thing new in today's marketplace. If your 2005 FS Stumpy is ripped off, then you get the 2012 FS Stumpy, if you have scheduled the bike. It is important to save receipts and have pictures. Take fresh pictures every 6 months.

ALSO, if you put on new parts like a dropper post, CF handlebar, special rims, new high dollar fork, take pictures and save receipts. RCV on scheduled items costs just a few dollars more, but saves a ton of grief if the bad man comes your way.

Food for thought: with expensive bikes, if your ins. has that provision, it pays to insure them as "scheduled property" add-ons to your homeowners. Costs just a few bucks a year, is not subject to your HO policy's normal deductible and usually pays full replacement value.

Better food for thought: When your condo complex is cleaned out of all bikes that were not locked up, move your bikes inside. No doubt your situation sucks, but I never would have left a bike of that value outside after the garage was robbed once. In fact, I would not have left it outside at all.

Yeah, I think one moral here is that a bike in the living room might make for sore eyes, but a bike stolen makes for a sore heart (and wallet)!

I am a pretty reserved person but I'd also have probably gone the "prospective buyer" route. Wouldn't be looking for trouble, but I wouldn't say I'd be unprepared for it.

I do wish you the best and it sounds like you just about know where you're going to end up out of this. Also, I do applaud you on your level head :) .