So I have been using my bike to commute back and forth to work. 4.5 miles one way. I have racked up almost 600 miles since the end of July. I work at the County Emergency Services Building which also houses the County Jail.

I was storing my bike in an unused (most of the time) training room while at work. Since the character of some of the people around my work may be questionable(jail visitors). About two weeks ago now my boss came out and told me to "Get my bike out of the training room, and it doesn't go back in there!" I had been using that room since July to store my bike with no issues. So the fact that he came in and announced that to me in front of all of 9 of my co-workers was a little irritating to say the least. I got up and locked up my bike outside by the Sheriffs Detectives cars. Figured it would be fairly safe there.

Yesterday I went to leave for work changed into my commuting clothes took the bike down from were I store it and noticed that someone had messed with my pump. Nothing major just flipped it back over and re-strapped it down. I did a quick check nothing else seemed to be missing or messed with. I hop on and start riding. Something didnt feel quite right but figured maybe one of the tires was low on air. I ride down the hill from work and start to climb up a little slope and all of a sudden my rear tire locks up. Stop and look and someone had stole the rear skewer!... Thankfully I was unable to unclip fast enough and didnt fall on my face in traffic. I felt like sending my boss an email saying and this is why I was putting my bike inside. Thankfully it was a $5 fix. Went to the LBS and they hooked up and ordered me some locking skewers....

I would diplomatically ask for a safe place to store the bike. There may be a storage closet or something where it can be tucked out of the way.

wow that sucks! I would be talking to someone about getting that bike back inside somewhere. good luck on that one.

If that were my bike, I'd have a little talk with my boss when I went back to work.........

Who steals a skewer? I mean seriously?

Sounds more like someone is pulling a prank on you, hoping you will fall.

Well you gotta go to your boss, but that seems unlikely to help because he's a lousy boss. Is there a facilities person you could go to? They should treat this no differently than if someone tampered with a car's lug nuts.

Obviously you could get hurt if this continues. They should be concerned about liability if you report it. Unfortunately they might just make a "no bikes" rule, because that's easier than dealing with the issue.

Sounds like a real gentlemen. Maybe he caught some grief about your bike from someone else.

In this case I suspect it was someone who wanted to play a prank rather than for the sake of stealing something. But people do sometimes steal strange things. Years ago someone stole the four wingnuts from the wheels on my wife's bike (found on bikes that were cheaper than those with quick releases). And in college I once had the bottle dynamo stolen from my Varsity - later someone also stole the handlebars from that same bike.

You work at a County Services facility? Find out who is in charge of alternative transportation, bike lockers/etc for your County Transportation Department/Planning Department and talk to them about placing lockers at your facility.

Indeed. When I was in college, somebody stole the pedals of my bianchi road bike, and it wasn't even locked up!

Amazing how gov't agencies favor alternate transportation but do everything to discourage it!
Years ago parked my commuting bike for many months in an empty/not used closet.
New boss, who was anti-bike, told that it was dangerous to park in there and someone could get hurt! Park in the parking lot it was told.
Found a nice spot under an overhang and was told that someone 'could trip over it.'
Finally was ordered to park bike in the far corner of the parking lot away from any building!
Seems they were short on parking spaces, so I submitted a redesign for the parking lot that would gain 2 extra parking spaces + included a spot for up to 2 motorcycles and/or bicycles.
Someone in upper management liked the idea and it was implemented over the objections of the new boss.
More than one way to achieve change!
Seems that new boss irked lots of other employees; someone 'keyed' his brand new Corvette . . . on both sides.

Trying to figure why SCUMBAGS steal anything is wasted thought IMHO. Why do people seal valve stem caps off tires? Man that really sucks! Thanks for the tip though for another thing to check when I happen to leave my bike locked up out of sight before climbing back on.

I'm more worried about those who steal valve stems.

Prathman,

It is entirely possible that it was more a prank than anything else. Sadly many of my coworkers are pranksters but I dont think they would do something like that. The bike pump part I could see them doing but the skewer thing not so much. Of course I am not sure most of my coworkers would know what a skewer it much less what it does. I also dont think that they would do anything to try and harm anyone. I am glad that the wheel locked up when it did because the next stretch is a somewhat busy 4 lane country route it would have sucked to dumped the bike there in 50 mph traffic.

As for alternative places to park the bike there are a few. We have several garages on the property and a mens locker room. The garages would be a bit of a walk but not the end of the world. The Locker Room is a lot closer but still inside. I am not a huge fan of hauling the bike inside if its been raining. Dont need people having to clean up after me and my bike.

Was the bike located where surveillance cameras might have recorded the tampering? If there are surveillance cameras watching other locations where you can lock your bike, then that might keep the pranksters at bay.

I would say there is a good chance that somebody thought it was a police officer's bike and that's why the decided to mess with it. Or you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, some kids like to vandalize and destroy out of sheer boredom. I hope they let you take it back inside!

The OP's problem was the reason I got a folder and a large bag. Cubical was a bit tight.

No longer fighting with a 'boss'.

I think the general rule of thumb is: if it can be stolen, it will be stolen.

Best advice is to take along anything that can't be locked down. In the area where I work, there are people who lock just the bike frame outside; both wheels, seatpost, and saddle stay with the owner. You could also lock the bike and wheels outside, but take the skewers, saddle, and seatpost with you. If somebody steals your skewer-less bike, maybe they'll be the one that ends up eating pavement!

Don't forget, though, that components are often the most expensive part of the bike and they're very easy to steal, especially if the thief is willing to cut the cables and chain. Brake calipers, levers, and derailleurs are trivially easy to remove, disappear into a backpack, are difficult to trace and easy to sell. I'm surprised that more thieves don't go after components! As a result, it's not a good idea to lock a bike in an area that's completely hidden from view.

That's what I hate about bikes they aren't really easy to store or able to carry around that's why for short trips I just take my longboard, goes everywhere I go and No one is going to touch it either...

Your boss is a dick.

How is your boss going to feel about that skewer being turned into a shank?