I met a guy a few years back who said he had got a permit from the city of New York to cut locks on abandoned bikes. Apparently he was required to leave notice for 30 days on the bike and then he could cut at will. He said that all he had to do was show his permit to cops and they wouldn't mess with him.

Is this real or was he just BSing me? If it is real, how do I get one?!

Colin