Another update: Last night I'm walking down the sidewalk and turn left near the Raleigh in question. I see a guy with tools working on his biycle. I look closely because I know a thing or two about repair and could offer help, but he seems engrossed and I'm on the cell phone so I keep walking. I pass the Raleigh and notice the front wheel is missing. WTF, I think and keep walking. I get about five paces when I connect the missing wheel with the guy hunched over his bike. What to do? Do I confront the guy about the wheel or do I just keep walking and let it go? F it, I say, and just keep walking. Seems that tag the city attached was an invitation to come and take what you want. (The wheel was a POS, steel, heavy, certainly no stopping power, and 26 inch, I'm sure the thief had no clue that his front wheel is now smaller than his rear).

The vultures have descended and now the story ends.