PrestonNg

My bike just got stolen today =(
I was parked outside of school, Brooklyn College on Bedford Avenue. Happened between 11:30am and 2:05pm. It was a 2005 Trek 7200FX. Pretty much everything is stock on it except for the handlebars. Here's a recent picture of it. It would be appreciated if you had any information or if you just kept a headsup on it. Thanks. Also any advice would be great too. So far i've got a report written up with the police department and campus security.

Lightingguy

As a BC staff member, my first thought was "Hell of a nice bike to be locking up on a street adjacent to the college". Most bikes I see locked to posts on sidewalks next to college gates are beater bikes or disguised to look like beaters. I know a guy who commutes on a very nice Lemond, but you have to know what you are looking at - components, frame, etc... to know it's true value.

The bike in your picture, in the condition it's in - if locked to a post on a sidewalk bordering the college is shouting "STEAL ME".

Any particular reason you didn't lock it up in the bike parking lot on Campus Rd. at the Whitehead/Boylan entrance ?. Or at the entrance next to the guard booth at the west entrance at Ocean Ave. Folks lock up their bikes at the rack provided and Officer Shelly keeps an eye on those bikes he knows belong to staff and students.

And as a BTW, if you are a staff member you can usually talk your way on campus to lock the bike in your office. It's a NYC law now, as another BTW and that's where I keep my bike.

That said, sorry for your loss and I'll keep a lookout as I wander the Junction.

SB

PrestonNg

thanks for the reply. I actually didn't know about the on campus bicycle lot until today when the other security guard, the one on the Bedford side told me about it. I'm a transfer student, first semester here. I figured my bike would be somewhat safe where I was because of the guard post just a few feet away and the Halal Cart guy right there who exchanges greetings with me when I arrive. I've actually seen a few nice bikes around me too, I was parked next to a 7.3FX, and usually there's a brand new 1.5 there too. I have a feeling I was scoped out for a while..

Commando303

Sorry to hear about your loss -- I hope the bike turns up. If you haven't yet done so, consider filing a police report. I was at Brooklyn College, myself, recently. May I ask, why didn't you lock up on campus, using one of the school's bike-racks? Were they occupied? Also, what method of locking were you using?

stevesurf

Hi Preston, I am so sorry to hear about this. Were there any video cameras nearby? I know that's a public street corner. You never know; you may be in luck if the campus police can pull the video.

Here's a couple of lock recommendations:

PrestonNg

Thanks all, I was actually planning on picking up a better lock this week. Was using a standard cable lock, guess I kinda asked for it, but it kept it safe for the other trips where I locked it up for only a few minutes. Locking method was through the big diamond, front wheel and the iron gate. Lock was clipped, they left it on the gate. Police report was filed, they didn't even bother taking down a description of the bike. Filed a report with campus police as well, the guard was very sympathetic, actually took the time down to take down a description. Already tried asking if there were any cameras, guard said none outside the gates of the campus. Hadn't parked on campus because well, as mentioned above, first semester transfer student, didn't know they had on campus parking, saw a ton of bicycle racks outside and figured that's it, saw tons of other folks commuting and locking up there as well.

Chacal

This stinks, Preston, hope you get the bike back. This just serves to warn us all - no, a cable lock or any other 'good enough' lock isn't good enough. People drag those satanically heavy chains and U locks around for a reason - they work.

That said, if someone wants your bike bad enough they're going to get it. If you are going to be locking up at all, resign yourself to that fact and take appropriate measures to thwart theft as best possible...those efforts will probably vary depending on the value (financial, sentimental or otherwise) of your bike.

What the OP said is absolutely true - thieves will scope out nice bikes and I am sure they rub their hands with glee when they see a bike as nice as that Trek, locked at a predictable time and place with an easily defeated lock. Not trying to be mean or a jerk here, but that really is making things way too inviting/easy for them.

zacster

This is the reason I don't ever lock my bike up. No matter how secure you think it is, there is someone out there with a plan to steal it.

TiberiusBTkirk

sorry to hear that happened.
I don't commute by bike but had one stolen due to lack of judgment.
that judgment? never let the bike be out of sight if you value it.
my brother in law has a nice bike made to look like a junker, putting a plastic bag over the seat helps.
in NYC even junkers get the full lock treatment, a Kryptonite fuggetiboutit chain and u-lock.

Commando303

Again, I'm very sorry to hear what's happened. I don't think we should take this as anecdotal evidence that no one who wants to keep his or her bike ought to ever let it out of sight. Yes, a stronger lock may have deterred this theft, but, even then, one never knows. I suppose it's a matter of trying to balance safety/good sense and paranoia.

otep12

Check out the Bikes section on CL the next couple of months. Who knows it might turn up there.

djetelina

A really nice bike, no wonder it got pilfered in NYC. Next time think about using a proactive free BikeRegistry service off the net to register and most importantly TAG your bike before it hikes off on its own. A thorough tag job will provide some hope of recovery. And whatever you do, never use any cable device to "secure" any bike you would rather keep.

nycphotography

Any particular reason Officer Shelly doesn't keep an eye on ALL bikes?!?

If a locked bike screams "steal me" then why doesn't the BC security / police set up bait bikes and cull the vermin pack?

Lightingguy

The BC public safety officer referred to is stationed at the west entrance to the campus, where there is a small bike rack located just inside the gate on college property. This is the primary (and very busy) vehicle entrance as well as a pedestrian entrance - but not the primary ped. entrance and is not adjacent to, nor in view of the area where the OP's bike got stolen.

Thus any of the PS officers stationed here can and do "keep an eye" on the group of bikes at this small rack and I would suspect would intervene if someone attempted to clip a cable lock on a bike at this location. And I mis-spelled, as it's Officer Sherry (not Shelly) who's the usual day shift officer at this location.

This is also the case at the primary bike lock up location on the north side of the campus, just inside the gate between the Boylan and Whitehead buildings, also not in view of nor adjacent to the OP bike theft location.

Then there are countless bikes locked to assorted sign stanchions on sidewalks that are on the campus perimeter and I've seen bikes locked to the wrought iron fence that surrounds the campus, but am also aware that college policy is to not allow bikes locked to the fence, and officers will inform folks of this policy. The officers do not have a complete view of the entire perimeter of the campus and generally do not really "patrol" the sidewalks as that's city property.

I have no idea what action they take if they see a bike locked to the fence and one thought
I had was to wonder if the college facilities folks clipped the lock and took the bike for safe keeping - grounds keepers, carpenters, etc... I would think that Public Safety would have to initiate a request for this and that they would then be aware of a bike being confiscated, but who knows....

I would also suspect that the BC Public Safety office, being responsible for the college property, is not aware of - necessarily, of thefts on the sidewalks. This is also a very crime busy police precinct, with the area around the "Junction" (Nostrand and Flatbush at the end of the #2 subway) being a hotbed for thefts, robberies, etc... and I know that the precinct cops don't give a flying F _ _ K if somebodies bike gets clipped.

SB