Ok, My wife's bike was stolen last week. (A 1989 Raleigh technium, Scott Tinley) My beloved TREK 613 from 1981 disapeared in June, along with my sons dirt bike. I called the cops filed the reports etc... Then decided to take matters into my own hands so to speak. I teach high school, so I circulated pic of the wife's bike (I took pics of ALL my bikes after that and recorded serial no's too) and offered a $50 reward for it's return. It wasn't 24 hours before I had a name and "hood" of the culprit. I "logically" called the cops, gave them the name and adress of the guy with the bike. That was 2 days ago. With the fact that he probly knows I'm on to him I doubt they'll find anything if they wait longer.

So... Do I wait or do I go cut the guys hands off!? ( I favor the latter but understand that it's porblematic)

Why the @#$% don't the cops take a bike theft serious... I know it's "just a bike". But I have one worth more than most of the cars.

Waiting patiently, knife in hand

With the daily crime rate, local government financial shortfalls and lack of manpower, stolen bikes are probably not a big concern.

If you know where it is and have the balls, go get it back. But I'd take a gun, not a knife.

I would not cut off any of his appendages, but maybe make him ride 50 miles on an orange Scorcher with the seat tilted up at 45 degrees.

I live in Montreal and the cops do not investigate theft under 5,000$.

I guy I knew kicked in my apartment door and made off with a new Trek 520 and he was seen leaving the building by a friend of mine who had met him.

I filled the cops in on the details and they told me to claim it on insurance.

I decided to make the perp pay and I hired a friend who is a PI. He put so much heat on the guy that he finally turned himself in and confessed to 7 break and enters and turned the PI on to 3 cases of insurance fraud. The cops and insurance company gave the PI cash for clearing crimes from their blotter.

The perp sold my 1500$ bike to a crack dealer for 50$ worth of product but he would not give up the guy.

I dogged him through the court case and levered the court into making him sign a promised to repay 2000$ plus interest.

We have a system in Quebec that he pays the Gov't and they issue me a cheque and if he misses payments they can seize tax returns and a portion of his earnings.

He left town shortly after making the last payment.

A friend had his Mercedes 1960 roadster stolen years ago. Now that is a car that almost anyone could recognize from 1000 paces, at night, without your glasses. Don't think the cops spent 10 minutes on it. He found it himself about six months later, a few blocks from his house, with the motor damaged.

Hmm. If I was only a 26-year old ex-recon, instead of ancient, this would be interesting.

My brother-in-law had his Marin stolen, a $1500 bike. He pretty much knew it was traded for crack. He offered the suspected thief $100 if he could find it for him....and 24 hours later, it was back.

Of course, about a month later, it was stolen again.

Knives are stupid. Tire irons are very useful. He should have changed his tire shortly after the bike was returned.

Some people only understand flat tires.

He can still ride the bike without hands, I say go for the knee caps!

(kidding)

Have someone - even yourself - approach the ratbastard. Tell Lil' Al Capone that the cops got his identity and fingerprints (LIE!) and to just give you back the bike. Do this - you won't file charges. If he won't: Tell him you have friends that work in jail. And you'll tell them to spread the rumor that he's in jail for diddling kids.

Cruel. But extremely effective.

Get a friend, and go over there. I don't think there's need for weapons, maybe just some mace. The chance of someone attacking you over a bike they stole is pretty slim, unless they're tweaking.

Chances are, he's gotten rid of it or is going to get rid of it. Don't leave him alone until you get at least some info.

It is just a bicycle and the violence suggested, or even implication of violence moves the whole issue to another plane. Do you really want to confront the nut case who stole your bike? What if he is capable of kicking your butt? Or, worse yet, you kick his and he lays a charge against you. You still will not have your bike but you will have a criminal record. And an enemy.

Long have I pondered the problem of break-in and subsequent theft. Twice has The Old Shed been invaded and twice I have wished that I could find the individual(s), then do them serious bodily harm. But then I remember - it is just a bicycle. It is not worth the potential battle or even war that could result as a result of direct confrontation.

Now, the cops are another thing. If those guys will not do their job, when the perpetrator of the theft has been identified, I would go to the Mayor in our city. And next the media. Sure it is only a bicycle but those guys are paid to serve and protect - even the little guy.

Just my opinion.

I'm only 160 lbs and am 49, which is old but I'm the head wrestling coach and run stadiums with my kids. My montra is, "Age and treachery make up for youth and exuberance"... I don't think I'll get my ass kicked. I think rather than carrying gun or knife, I'll just have the cell phone and explain that if he @$#%s with me I've got the "boys" on speed dial and the cop shop is only 2 blocks from where he lives! I want the bike back most importantly, and I am fairly certain the same asswipe probably also took the TREK. even with BOTH bikes back, I'd still like to see SOMETHING happen to the guy to teach a lesson that you can't do this crap over and over w/o consequence.

PS to randyjawa.... I've been to Western Ontario many times and have always loved the senic beauty and freindly and peaceful nature of the Canadien mind set.... Unfortunately here in South Ga the only thing most folks under stand is is a big can of "Whup-ass"

wow you guys are quite mean towards criminals. personally as the as the OP lives in SW Georgia I am suprised he has not gotten his bike back by himself already, he must be a transplant.

jimblairo there is crime in Canada? (well Qubec) the antigun people here have everyone beleiving that since no one has guns up there there is no crime

I'm with bashermax, somewhat. As a wrestler from age 5 through college, the chances of getting hurt, even at 50, are slim, and I can still run....the tire iron is just so much quicker, well-defined, and immediate. 10 seconds with that, you're pretty much done, and it just has a "presence."

Never go to the door. Always meet between him and his house, so the only escape is the street, and try to have obstacles he must navigate to get away from you.

Tell him that you are here for the bike he stole, and have the tire iron ready to swing upward (it's an unnatural motion for him to defend). The split second he starts to speak, use it, hard, once. he will stumble back, so stay in close, well within arms reach. Some people like a throat grab at this point, but I prefer giving them a second chance.

Do not discuss facts, or the police, and give him 5 seconds to get it, then hit him at 3, twice, in a lateral motion, back and forth, very hard. If you don't cause significant injury, you'd better leave, or stay there and finish, because time's up. You either get the bike, or you get out of there.

Other than discipline, the education benefits, VA loan eligibility, 8 years of paychecks, off-duty sports, and the comraderie, I did actually get something out of the USMC. I'm the same size as bashermax, and it took some remediation, but I learned, eventually, the quickest way to get some things done.

I say cut the guys hands off. He can still ride a bike but stopping would be a slow process and some cager would probably take proper care of him.

OK so here's the update. After posting and reading a few replies this morning around 6:30 I went to the Hood and walked through the gate to the project housing and went to the back. There was a 6' chainlink fence covered in Greenbriar (Which, if you're unfarmiliar, is natures version of concertina wire) Low and behold behind the fence was about 30 bike frames, wheelsets etc... I found a way over/around the fence. I also found MY WIFE"S BIKE! hanging in the vines of the fence (Hastily pitched there I'm sure). Got it out and "cussing a streak" yanked about 25 mongoose and huffy frames up out of the ditch/wood/weeds and then dialed up the cops. a few minutes later a guy arives. He asks if we can drive to where the bikes are. I laughed. I hiked him to the bak and walked him through the mess. He thought that MAYBE they could get a county truck over there monday (Probly to take them to the dump). He left, I satyed and went deeper into the woods hoping to find at least the frame of my missing trek. No luck. but found another complete dirt bike and a remington/savage .22 rifle (Rusted probly beyond fixing) through em in the truck and came home.
Happy to have the bike but pissed at the lethargy. This Jesse Lewis (Thief) has got the system worked. As long as No Single theft is over $500, no fellony conviction. But aparently you can steal 100 items one at a time for $100-$499, and go scott free
There will be an editorial in the paper next week!

time for the tire iron.

Nice to meet a fellow grappler. I too spent many years wrestling for my university of choice and then on to represent Canada in various tournaments. More often than not I go my ass booted but I did not really care since I do enjoy combative sports. And those grappling skills proved very useful at my pay for school job - bouncer in a local bar.

And please don't think that Canadians are too gentle. Piss me off, or any of my friends(including missus me) and you will have to defend yourself. But to enter in the battle arena for an old bicycle is asking a bit much of this old warrior. I would rather let it go as opposed to have me go to jail for assault. But that is just me...

that's why there's a 10-second rule. Then it's time to be absent.