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Old 04-01-09 | 06:23 PM
  #128  
Geordi Laforge's Avatar
Geordi Laforge
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Joined: Nov 2008
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Originally Posted by Ziemas
You don't think thieves know what locks are easier to defeat? They sure as hell do.
That is irrelevant. If a thief has the opportunity and motive, the make and model of the lock does not matter one bit. Higher rated locks simply means an extra minute or two of work.

Originally Posted by Ziemas
What I'm disputing is the claim that high-end locks are being defeated in the wild with any regularity. Several people say that they are, yet have nothing to back it up with, not even a shred of anecdotal evidence.
I said in an earlier debate with you that I did not want to post others' private emails, but here's one edited sample to help this all sink into your head. He posted a stolen bike ad on craigslist and I replied asking him how the bike was stolen. He said his kryptonite fahgettaboudit u-lock was cut by bolt-cutters [sic].

me:
u-lock or cable?


guy: kryptonite NY u lock, they just cut right through it.

me:
did they leave the cut lock on the ground?
I always like to know what those ****ers are doing to steal bikes -- I'd like to keep a step ahead of them because I dont want to lose my bike.


guy: yeah, they left the remains of the lock cut on the ground. the metal
was sheared from two different sides with a point in the middle, kind
of like an arrow >
with the middle part looking more like it was broken off rather than
cut. it was like part of the sides of the U was cut, leaving more of
a J (and the top bar).
i usually don't leave mine outside overnight, but i'd injured myself
at the park and walked home instead of riding
i actually got an email from someone who saw a guy selling my bike at
a flea market yesterday morning the market was closed early because
of the weather by the time i got there, but it's every week so i'm
going to head back next week just in case it's there. i filed a
police report too.
thanks for your email.


Obviously, bolt-cutters did not do this - sounds like an angle grinder.

So, the score:

high-rated u-lock? yes and compromised.
flea market? most likely.

What else do you want? I have about 30-40 of emails just like this from the last 2-3 years. I'd say 90% or more of those that return my emails are just using a cable lock or have their house/garage/apartment robbed, so u-lock compromise is rare -- but certainly it does happen.

You havent seen any evidence because you havent sought any out.

Last edited by Geordi Laforge; 04-01-09 at 06:31 PM.
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