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Found my stolen bike. Now what?

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Found my stolen bike. Now what?

Old 09-11-07, 07:34 PM
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get an angle grinder and a sock fulla quarters and take the bike back there is nothing like riding up next to some one saying hey thats my friend bike man

all the cops are going to do is take into evidence and you won't see it for a long long time
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Old 09-11-07, 07:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Chrysiptera
I for one wouldn't let my GF ride the bike after all this. Imagine this scenario:

1) Bike stolen
2) Bike sold to this current guy who thinks he owns it legitimately
3) You steal it and give it to GF
4) This guy sees her riding it, stops her, beats her teeth out and takes it back because he thinks she stole it.

You are assuming and risking too much. If you were going to be riding it I'd say do what you like, but in this case you are risking your girl.
Okay, at least someone here actually follows a logical pattern of thought.
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Old 09-11-07, 07:49 PM
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find a bike cop was the best idea ever!
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Old 09-11-07, 07:50 PM
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or try this method.

1)get bowling ball
2)climb tree with bowling ball
3)drop bowling ball on top tube rendering the bike useless.

Then stake out the bike for a few days...and when the guy comes back to ride his stolen bike, video tape him crying. Then jump out of the tree laughing at him...put said tape on youtube. Then give us the link to the video.
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Old 09-11-07, 07:51 PM
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My bar cruiser was stolen a couple of years ago. A few months ago I saw it leaned up against a house and I went back to get it that night. Upon arrival I found that both the front and rear wheels were bent, the one piece crank was bent, the fork was bent slightly, and the bars were turned 90 degrees from where they were supposed to be. The Varsity frame was fine except for the fork. I laughed my butt off all the way home. The bike has been built back up to original form to get me to the gas station and back. It looks like someone ran into some trouble ( car/truck/off a cliff). The cog was also un-rotafixed and one pedal, not the spindle though, was missing.
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Old 09-11-07, 07:59 PM
  #56  
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Originally Posted by Falkon
The course of action is to call the police first. Put your lock on the bike if you wish, but if you have the receipt with serial, you have all the proof you need.
but see, having the receipt only shows that he owned it at some point. as far as the police know, he could have sold the bike or given it away and is now trying to scam whoever is currently in possession of it (not that that's the case, but the cops don't know that).

ideally, i think the cops should be involved (as in, in a perfect world where cops functioned the way they ought to), but since he never reported it stolen i'm not sure how a receipt proves anything. though i suppose he could report it stolen now.
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Old 09-11-07, 08:08 PM
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take it back, restore it, paint it.... ****er wont know the difference
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Old 09-11-07, 08:34 PM
  #58  
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no angle grinder, too loud. use dikes. you can get through a cable in about a minute. (my mom lost her key to her kryptonite cable lock. tried 3 foot bolt cutters, didn't do ****. handheld dikes, adios cable...) have fun. bring a friend in case this ****er comes out while you're liberating the whip.
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Old 09-11-07, 08:42 PM
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Originally Posted by ThrottleJock
Hey guys, I'm looking for advice or maybe justification for some action.

About 6 months ago my girlfriend’s bike was stolen from her place of work. Cut cable, bike gone. The bike is very unique. It’s designed for her, has unusual sized wheels, lots of custom bits, and one very distinguishing feature – a bike shop sticker from the shop I purchased it at, my buddy’s shop in another state, 700 miles from here. There’s no question in my mind that this is her bike. ZERO. It looks like ****, has been sitting out in the weather for what looks like months and some full-grown ape is riding it as the seatpost is at full extension. It's a miniature bike designed for a girl, and some ****wad man is riding it. Sweet.

I know where the bike lives. I’ve cased it out and it’s parked at the same place every day.

Here’s the problem: I never registered it. I have a proof of purchase but I’m not sure if that will do the trick. What cop cares enough about such an inconsequential crime to take the time to see that the serial number listed on my proof of purchase is the same as the serial number on the bike. Is there anything legitimate I can do to get this bike back and make my girlfriend the happiest little person on earth again ‘cause she got her favorite little custom-built-just-for-her bike back? I will get the bike back one way or another, but I’d prefer to follow the path of righteousness in doing so if at all possible.
I don't know how the Miami police operate, but in the City of Atlanta the matching serial numbers would be enough to ensure an enthusiastic bust.
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Old 09-11-07, 08:45 PM
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this thread is hilarious...shows the diff backgrounds/mentalities represented here on the forum
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Old 09-11-07, 09:32 PM
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We need a real update from the OP.
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Old 09-11-07, 09:40 PM
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I'll be pretty disappointed in the OP doesn't just go and take his ****ing bike back already.
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Old 09-11-07, 09:42 PM
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Originally Posted by bonechilling
I'll be pretty disappointed in the OP doesn't just go and take his ****ing bike back already.

Seriously. You go get the ****ing bike back, spend some money and time looking up every jerk-ass rattle can recipe on these forums, rebuild the bike to be even awesomeurbantasticer and just get it the **** over with.

The second i saw it, i wouldve grabbed the closest rock, assuming the chain was really that ****ty, and took it home.
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Old 09-11-07, 09:46 PM
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i say just take it back, and bring a few friends, just in case.
don't take a police officer, 'cause there's always a chance that the guy's some huge ****** who might pull the, "hey - you sold me this bike!", when a cop's there.
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Old 09-11-07, 10:01 PM
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yes, it is time to get the bike back...


then of course post the story if it's cool.
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Old 09-11-07, 10:11 PM
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Except you are all forgetting that the guy who has the bike now might not be the guy who stole it.
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Old 09-11-07, 10:21 PM
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Originally Posted by fischer, max
but see, having the receipt only shows that he owned it at some point. as far as the police know, he could have sold the bike or given it away and is now trying to scam whoever is currently in possession of it (not that that's the case, but the cops don't know that).

ideally, i think the cops should be involved (as in, in a perfect world where cops functioned the way they ought to), but since he never reported it stolen i'm not sure how a receipt proves anything. though i suppose he could report it stolen now.
I agree with you, but the course of action should be to contact the police first. If they can't do anything or they don't give a damn, you know what to do.
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Old 09-11-07, 10:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Falkon
I agree with you, but the course of action should be to contact the police first. If they can't do anything or they don't give a damn, you know what to do.
Except here's the thing: what happens if the cops say "you didn't register the bike, nor did you report it stolen and there's nothing we can do"? Posession is 9/10 of the law or some such bull****. "Now go steal it back" you say? OK, fine untill the new "owner" calls and reports it stolen. Now the police are at YOUR door demanding the bike back.


Originally Posted by Falkon
Are you or are you not a ****ing moderator?
ust because I'm a mod doesn't mean I'm some goody two shoes pansy who doesn't know how the world works.

And calling me (or anyone else for that matter) an idiot will go a long way towards earning you a nice 3 day ban.
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Old 09-11-07, 10:42 PM
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Originally Posted by operator
Except you are all forgetting that the guy who has the bike now might not be the guy who stole it.
It does not matter. In that case he recieved stolen goods. I don't think many people are advocating an ass kicking, but the bike is he and he should get it back by whatever means.
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Old 09-11-07, 10:43 PM
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balls to the police. who cares if the current rider is not the thief? They most likely knew it was a stolen bike when they bought it off the dude in the street for negligible crack money. Do what's right, take the bike and teach the stolen bike buyer/thief a lesson.

edit. HEY! this is when its ok to STEAL to make a POINT.....who figured?

editx2: if you werent that concerned about reporting a stolen bike, why would they? I've never bothered. They never get em back...
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Old 09-11-07, 11:09 PM
  #71  
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Originally Posted by kemmer
OK, fine untill the new "owner" calls and reports it stolen. Now the police are at YOUR door demanding the bike back.
but the new guy won't have anything that shows it's his, and the OP does.

Originally Posted by kemmer
And calling me (or anyone else for that matter) an idiot will go a long way towards earning you a nice 3 day ban.
it would be a lot less tempting to call you an idiot if you didn't spend so much time getting your kicks by deleting posts, locking threads, and oh-so-unironically proclaiming "****."
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Old 09-11-07, 11:35 PM
  #72  
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Originally Posted by fischer, max
but the new guy won't have anything that shows it's his, and the OP does.
Unless of course he did register it. You never know... Besides, three posts back you admited that the OP doesn't really have proof that it's his either. That's the whole point. In case you forgot what you typed:
but see, having the receipt only shows that he owned it at some point. as far as the police know, he could have sold the bike or given it away and is now trying to scam whoever is currently in possession of it"
The cops aren't going to do anything but waste his time and give him the runaround. Meanwhile his bike could disappear (remember how it's locked) or be damaged even more. He isn't stealing, it's HIS BIKE.



Originally Posted by fischer, max
it would be a lot less tempting to call you an idiot if you didn't spend so much time getting your kicks by deleting posts, locking threads, and oh-so-unironically proclaiming "****."
Hmm, so now deleting offensive posts and locking pointless threads is behavior unbecoming of a moderator? Just what would you do if you were a moderator besides pop into threads telling people they shouldn't take back what's rightfully theirs before discussing it with a bunch of ******** fascist pigs. Nevermind, don't answer that I couldn't care less what you'd do.
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Old 09-12-07, 12:03 AM
  #73  
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Originally Posted by kemmer
Unless of course he did register it. You never know... Besides, three posts back you admited that the OP doesn't really have proof that it's his either.
actually, he does have proof that he at one point owned the bike. you're right, though, that the dude could have registered it somewhere after he stole it or bought it from the thief or whatever, and then the OP wouldn't have the upper hand anymore.

Originally Posted by kemmer
Hmm, so now deleting offensive posts and locking pointless threads is behavior unbecoming of a moderator? Just what would you do if you were a moderator besides pop into threads telling people they shouldn't take back what's rightfully theirs before discussing it with a bunch of ******** fascist pigs. Nevermind, don't answer that I couldn't care less what you'd do.
calm down, champ. yeah, those things are the function of a moderator, it's just your obvious creepy powertrip about it that gets old. and i did say that he should take it back without cops involved, if you actually read what i wrote. i'm just trying to see both sides of the situation.
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Old 09-12-07, 08:06 AM
  #74  
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So, the same people who hate bike thieves and the such are the same ones that are advocating not dealing with a potential thief. I don't get it. If you get the cops involved you have the chance to get rid of a bike thief (at least for a little while). If not, you just let this guy have a reason to steal another bike and another poor cyclist is out on their ass. If this guy bought it off of a thief there is a chance he can point the cops towards the person he bought it off of and potentially shut down a larger ring.

You are a fool if you believe in vigilante justice. Go back in time and lynch someone because of a rumor or burn them at the stake for being a witch. I thought we as a society were supposed to evolve.
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Old 09-12-07, 08:10 AM
  #75  
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Originally Posted by V-Rock
So, the same people who hate bike thieves and the such are the same ones that are advocating not dealing with a potential thief. I don't get it. If you get the cops involved you have the chance to get rid of a bike thief (at least for a little while). If not, you just let this guy have a reason to steal another bike and another poor cyclist is out on their ass. If this guy bought it off of a thief there is a chance he can point the cops towards the person he bought it off of and potentially shut down a larger ring.

You are a fool if you believe in vigilante justice. Go back in time and lynch someone because of a rumor or burn them at the stake for being a witch. I thought we as a society were supposed to evolve.
yeah, but you don't see too many witches running around on the loose anyhmore, do you?
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