Bike Theif Sting in Los Angeles
 

Hello fellow enthusiasts. Some jagoff tried to take my bike last night. Here's my story:

Riding down Hillhurst yesterday I felt contented. I had just arrived home from my nieces 1st birthday party, and was riding on a wave of warm fuzzies. Since it was only 8pm, I decided to cap off my evening by watching the Quantum of Solace at the Vista. So i jumped on my recently purchased Kilo, and headed down the hill at one with my bike and the road, trying to outpace cars, and squeaking through intersections as the lights turned yellow. Upon arriving at the Vista, the bike racks were filled, so i locked my bike up to the pedestrian walk button pole not 10 feet from the box office, and bathed in the light from the marque.

At this moment a weird sense of dread came over me, it was as if a switch was flipped in my head, and all of a sudden i felt as if there was a great sadness in the force. Not entirely sure of what I was feeling, I headed to the box office, purchased my ticket, and stood in the concession line. Right before I headed into the main theater, I looked back at my Kilo, and stopped for a second to admire the way the Vista lights were dancing off the emerald green paint. I didn't know why I did this at the time, but in retrospect should have listened to my intuition, instead of passing it off as being overly paranoid. As the movie got out, I hurried to the exit, and was relieved to see my bike resting elegantly against the pole. Feeling immense relief, I walked over to my bike. While walking around it and fishing for my key, I was stopped dead in my tracks. The once pristine top tube was scarred and chipped against the pole, and my Kryptonite mini lock had rips in its vinyl covering. Some gutless piece of waste had tried to break my lock, and in the process had ruined the top tube on a bike that was but 3 weeks old.

Now in my 26 years of life, no one would mistake me for an alterboy. I have done things that I'm ashamed of, and things that I knew in the bottom of my heart were wrong. I'll admit that. But to pass this off as Karma? Karma is for hippies. The meek accept misfortune as Karma, the strong retaliate. I am willing to set up bike stings in the Los Feliz, Echo Park, Silverlake, and Hollywood areas. I have a customized Fixed gear that we can use as bait, and a video camera to document the evidence to the police. Lets take our streets back, and show these A holes that you should never touch another man's property. Who's with me?

viva la revolucion!

I'd join you if I lived in the area, bro, but since I don't, you'll need to find some folks already there. At least the lock worked.

Ughhh stories like this make me even more nervous about leaving my bike ANYWHERE. As of today I am car-less so sometimes it will be necessary to lock my baby up while I take care of ****... I seriously want to get a beater just so I don't have to live in (as much) fear of getting jacked.

Sucks about your top tube :(

So glad I decided to drop the extra coin on the Kryptonite. And just putting it out there, but I'm pretty sure Bike thieves live in your neck of the world as well. Get some friends together, and make your streets safer for fellow bike enthusiasts.

That's my pole in front of Vista. I lean against it when I don't feel like trackstanding while waiting for the light to change to cross onto Sunset.
Sorry to hear about your top tube.

Then that must mean you live in the area, let's clear it of some trash

Go to midnightridazz or lafixed. A bunch of other people have been clamoring for a bike sting, but it seems like you're the first one to mention an actual plan.

I'd help if I were in the area. Bike thieves are the lowest of scum, IMO.

I'll do just that. You've got to start somewhere. If you're interested, feel free to contact me as well. I'm going through with this, with or without support.

you do know its not recommended that you leave a bike outside a movie theater, right? its a bike theifs haven. maybe you should have used better judgement. dont blame the thief for trying to take what is yours, you gave them the opportunity.

I would really like to see abunch of self righteous Mercier Kilo TT owners remove bike thieves off the streets of LA.

ehh it would be better than seeing people sit at home talking **** on forums....amiright?

Yes, how stupid of me to leave my property locked in front of the place I was going to be. I should have known that the poor misguided thief could not help themselves. I mean after all, it's societies fault as a whole that throws these people into a life of crime. I mean I don't know about you, but i'm sick and tired of **** victim's complaining about their assailants, when they should have watched their drink at the bar. EVERYONE knows that. By the way, where do you live? I want to make sure you learn the lesson that you should have bars on your windows, because it's your fault that I'm going to hurl a brick through it. Go eat some glass.

I agree, next time it would be better to lock it up in front of the Blockbuster across the street. A much more unpredictable setting for the thief.

Video tape wont do much unless you know the people. Trying to stop them in the act will work a few times maybe, I would stop someone from trying to take my bike naturally, but if you are putting yourself in that position on purpose that is stupid. Someone will stab you. If you are worried about your bike being stolen you have the wrong bike.

Video evidence of them stealing the bike, as well as finding out where they take it would be an invaluable tool for the police. Especially when your sitting in front of the Criminals storage facility ready to show the cops what happened in the view finder. I'm not advocating violence, or direct confrontation, that would be very dangerous. What I'm advocating is documenting the criminal act, and shutting them down within the confines of the law.

you should leave your bike home and take a bus or sumtin to the moves.

Man I wish I could ride my bike to the movies. Well, I guess I could; there's a theatre nearby that shows old films.
But there's nothing I really want to see, and I'm way too insecure to go out and watch a movie on my own. Oh well.

Something tells me you've uttered the words "she was asking for it" more than a few times in your life.

You are dumb as hell.

xg43x in action:

http://lh6.ggpht.com/carltonreidpix/...nt8cutting.jpg

kinda makes me want to go after them with a large heavy object.

what happened to your top tube?

Sorry to hear about your misfortune but as an old hippie, I do believe in Karma. Maybe doing some good deeds would go a long way in helping you move on. But on the other hand, I do believe that bad things can happen to good people (but as you admit, not in your case). I hope everything works out for you.