Originally Posted by
duke_of_hazard
I dont understand why bicycles are stolen so much more frequently than other things available in a city like cars and store merchandise?
They aren't.
Originally Posted by
duke_of_hazard
From what I have read online, bike thiefs have all sorts of elaborate tools to cut through any lock system.
Some do. Most of them have nothing more than their hands and maybe a bolt cutter or hacksaw.
Originally Posted by
duke_of_hazard
So why dont they use this knowledge to steal cars or break store windows and steal merchandise?
They would, but the knowledge is not transferrable. It's one thing to know how to break a bike lock. It's another set of knowledge to know how to disable a car alarm and get the car to start without a key.
Originally Posted by
duke_of_hazard
Who actually buys these stolen bikes?
Plenty of people. Some buyers know the bike is stolen but don't care. Some may suspect the bike is stolen, but they tell themselves they don't know for sure (this justification helps them to sleep at night). Others don't know and are blissfully unaware.
I suspect most bike thefts are crimes of opportunity. The thief just happened to be near a bike that was unlocked (or not securely locked) and takes it.