Originally Posted by
Geordi Laforge
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.
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.
The guy left his bike on the street OVERNIGHT. That's hardly a good lock-up, and a far cry from all the shouting about 'no one will do a thing if some comes with power tools to steal your bike on a crowded street!' hysteria.
You're right, high-end U-lock compromise is rare, so rare in fact that it's not worth worrying about if you use some common sense and lock up properly. I never said that it didn't happen.....