Your Stolen Bike/Recovery stories...
02-07-13, 01:18 PM
#26
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 7,236
Bikes: '72 Cilo Pacer, '72 Gitane Gran Tourisme, '72 Peugeot PX10, '73 Speedwell Ti, '74 Peugeot UE-8, '75 Peugeot PR-10L, '80 Colnago Super, '85 De Rosa Pro, '86 Look Equipe 753, '86 Look KG86, '89 Parkpre Team, '90 Parkpre Team MTB, '90 Merlin
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-Randy
'72 Cilo Pacer • '72 Peugeot PX10 • '73 Speedwell Ti • '74 Nishiki Competition • '74 Peugeot UE-8 • '86 Look Equipe 753 • '86 Look KG86 • '89 Parkpre Team Road • '90 Parkpre Team MTB • '90 Merlin Ti
Avatar photo courtesy of jeffveloart.com, contact: contact: jeffnil8 (at) gmail.com.
-Randy
'72 Cilo Pacer • '72 Peugeot PX10 • '73 Speedwell Ti • '74 Nishiki Competition • '74 Peugeot UE-8 • '86 Look Equipe 753 • '86 Look KG86 • '89 Parkpre Team Road • '90 Parkpre Team MTB • '90 Merlin Ti
Avatar photo courtesy of jeffveloart.com, contact: contact: jeffnil8 (at) gmail.com.
02-07-13, 01:32 PM
#27
car dodger
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...len+fuji+track
wherein I help get my friend's stolen bike back to him, and get called a rascist for doing so, drama ensues.
wherein I help get my friend's stolen bike back to him, and get called a rascist for doing so, drama ensues.
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1989 Schwinn Paramount OS
1980 Mclean/Silk Hope Sport Touring
1983 Bianchi pista
1976 Fuji Feather track
1979 raleigh track
"I've consulted my sources and I'm pretty sure your derailleur does not exist"
1989 Schwinn Paramount OS
1980 Mclean/Silk Hope Sport Touring
1983 Bianchi pista
1976 Fuji Feather track
1979 raleigh track
"I've consulted my sources and I'm pretty sure your derailleur does not exist"
02-07-13, 01:50 PM
#28
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Beautiful Long Beach California
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Bikes: Eddy Merckx San Remo 76, Eddy Merckx San Remo 76 - Black Silver and Red, Eddy Merckx Sallanches 64 (2); Eddy Merckx MXL;
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02-07-13, 02:08 PM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Fredericksburg, Va
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Bikes: '65 Frejus TDF, '73 Bottecchia Giro d'Italia, '83 Colnago Superissimo, '84 Trek 610, '84 Trek 760, '88 Pinarello Veneto, '88 De Rosa Pro, '89 Pinarello Montello, '94 Burley Duet, 97 Specialized RockHopper, 2010 Langster, Tern Link D8
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I had one stolen when I was about 11 or so. It was a Murray that I stripped and rebuilt frequently. It was fully built when it was stole from a hospital where my mom worked. I went it to see her for lunch and came back to an empty spot. Never found it. Boring story but here is one I just heard last night.
My sister asked me to sell her Motobecane Mirage which happended last night. The guy who bought it told me his last bike was stolen back in October of 2012. It was his only transportation. He had been riding and got a flat so he mounted the bike on the front of the bus he boarded to go home. He likes to listen to music with headphone and was doing so on the bus. At one of the stops, a guy gets off the bus and takes the bike off the rail! The bus driver tries to get the attention of the owner who has his head in the music. By the time he is aware of the bus drivers efforts to alert him the bike and the new "owenr' are gone with one flat tire. This was the second bike stolen from him while living in DC. He lives in Northwest area, North of DuPont circle.
My sister asked me to sell her Motobecane Mirage which happended last night. The guy who bought it told me his last bike was stolen back in October of 2012. It was his only transportation. He had been riding and got a flat so he mounted the bike on the front of the bus he boarded to go home. He likes to listen to music with headphone and was doing so on the bus. At one of the stops, a guy gets off the bus and takes the bike off the rail! The bus driver tries to get the attention of the owner who has his head in the music. By the time he is aware of the bus drivers efforts to alert him the bike and the new "owenr' are gone with one flat tire. This was the second bike stolen from him while living in DC. He lives in Northwest area, North of DuPont circle.
02-07-13, 04:22 PM
#30
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Location: VA -> IN
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Bikes: ones with two wheels
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02-07-13, 05:19 PM
#31
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3 stolen in Arlington VA
My 1st real nice bike a red and white Raleigh 3 speed taken off the car porch in 1966 and recovered next morning 2 blocks away behind a bush, 2nd my PX-10 in 1972 spotted in garage 5 blocks away spray painted black and stripped (took insurance cash as was so broken hearted) 3rd in 1979 my Nishiki ripped off at Marios Pizza (somehow the lock failed) and as I chased my bike on foot I found 2 Gitanes out for trash night and wound up with an upgrade as I saw it!
02-07-13, 05:48 PM
#32
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Location: Incheon, South Korea
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Bikes: Nothing amazing... cheap old 21 speed mtb
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My wifes bike was stolen a while back. 7 speed small/big wheel shopping cruiser in the 'classic' style. Its pretty but a dog to ride! Anyway, it was my fault- I was maintaining the collection of bikes in our garage and forgot to lock that one. Kind of easy when there are 6 others. Some kids stole it and rode it around the neighbourhood. Found it a few months later (after the police took a report and probably filed it in the bin). Sadly it was the rainy season and all the pretty fixtures where rusted and the bike had been poorly treated. Rode my bike home, walked back and carried it home. Took a few weeks to get her back to pretty state, and she's still a garage queen rarely ridden but at least we got her back. 
02-07-13, 09:02 PM
#33
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Location: Portland Oregon
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Bikes: 70"s Raleigh Superbe, 1959 Murray Vanguard Middle weigh cruiser
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About a year ago I saw a listing on CL from someone looking to return a bike they bought off someone on the street for $25-$50. They gave a good description of the bike. I knew nothing of the bike but our local https://bikeportland.org has a section on stolen bikes. There the bike was listed, and I contacted both the parties with information on how they could get in touch of each other. The guy that bought the bike from the guy on the street took no reward (one was offered).
I forget the maker, but it turned out that the bike was a hand built by a local bike maker from about 8 years ago. Seems the bike was stolen from the storage area or parking garage in his apartment building.
I was very happy to have been a help on that one. And just goes to prove us flippers and CL trolls can do some good too.
I forget the maker, but it turned out that the bike was a hand built by a local bike maker from about 8 years ago. Seems the bike was stolen from the storage area or parking garage in his apartment building.
I was very happy to have been a help on that one. And just goes to prove us flippers and CL trolls can do some good too.
02-07-13, 10:56 PM
#34
peddling fool
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Philadelphia PA
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Bikes: Mid 50's Frejus, Late 50's Frejus, Early 1960s Frejus Professional, Mid 1960's Frejus Professional, Early 70's Gloria (branded), 76 Blue Pogliaghi
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A stolen bike got me into C&V...
I was a commuter for about a month on a panasonic sport that I had for years (my wife has a matching one). One weekend, someone opened the car door on my drive, used the garage door opener and stole my bike, lock, helmet, and some guiness in the fridge. Worst part was that they took the garage door opener with them. The garage door opener costs more to replace than than the bike. I think the thief just tossed the garage door opener - but for I a while I thought they took it to return in the future.
As I searched for a replacement, I found new bikes in the $600 range (at the time) to be more than I wanted to spend. I started to look at ebay auctions, bought an odd 70s bike boom Romana - posted here to find out more about what I bought, which was politely conveyed as nothing special. End result, after about a year commuting on the romana - I learned enough here to buy a frejus and develop a taste for first generation suntour superbe. A few frankenbikes later - I am learning to be more period correct. The gist of the story is that a stolen bike lead me down the path appreciation of C&V...Thief is still a scumbag.
I was a commuter for about a month on a panasonic sport that I had for years (my wife has a matching one). One weekend, someone opened the car door on my drive, used the garage door opener and stole my bike, lock, helmet, and some guiness in the fridge. Worst part was that they took the garage door opener with them. The garage door opener costs more to replace than than the bike. I think the thief just tossed the garage door opener - but for I a while I thought they took it to return in the future.
As I searched for a replacement, I found new bikes in the $600 range (at the time) to be more than I wanted to spend. I started to look at ebay auctions, bought an odd 70s bike boom Romana - posted here to find out more about what I bought, which was politely conveyed as nothing special. End result, after about a year commuting on the romana - I learned enough here to buy a frejus and develop a taste for first generation suntour superbe. A few frankenbikes later - I am learning to be more period correct. The gist of the story is that a stolen bike lead me down the path appreciation of C&V...Thief is still a scumbag.
02-13-13, 11:59 AM
#35
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: The one and only Ohio Valley
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Bikes: 94 Specialized Allez, Mid 80's Miyata 312, lynskey sportive disc, Lynskey Cooper road
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I just had a stolen bike returned this morning! Though it wasn't C&V I had my first new quality bike (a lynskey sportive disc) stolen our of my car last month. I figured it was long gone, but I followed all of the normal protocol, even calling every bike shop within 100 miles. In the end facebook got it back to me. A buddy posted a picture of the bike and me on a local concerned citizens page, and an officer kept his eye out for it for over 5 weeks. He saw it while making an arrest in a suspect's house and recognized the bike. I got it back without a scratch on it, the only change was that the perp. lowered the seat post. I'm pretty much in dis-belief!
02-13-13, 05:35 PM
#36
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Years ago, as in the late 70s, a roommate of mine had her bike stolen. She was very upset, no car, her bike was her transportation. About a week later I was walking downtown and see the bike(no doubt it was hers) in front of a barbershop. I open the door and say something like "I'm taking back my roommates bike, if anyone has anything to say please do", no replies so I took the bike and was on my way(it probably helped that I am a really large guy). I put the bike in our house's entry/bike room and she was overjoyed when she returned home later that day. Happy ending, she bought me a great dinner that night.
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Brian
Brian
02-13-13, 05:42 PM
#37
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I had my Haro Master stolen when I was in Middle School out of my garage. It was a great custom bike even then.
Sad part is the kid who stole it rode it to school the next day. Told the school cop and all he did was ask the kid to bring it back the next day.
Never seen again
From that day on I have never been a fan of cops or bike thieves. I shudder when I think of what that bike would be worth these days.
Sad part is the kid who stole it rode it to school the next day. Told the school cop and all he did was ask the kid to bring it back the next day.
Never seen again
From that day on I have never been a fan of cops or bike thieves. I shudder when I think of what that bike would be worth these days.
02-13-13, 07:32 PM
#38
自転車整備士
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Denver, Colorado USA
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Bikes: '86 Moots Mountaineer, '94 Salsa Ala Carte, '94 S-Works FSR, 1983 Trek 600 & 620
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Here's a unique one...
Years ago, someone had the audacity to break into my garage and steal... THE MOOTS!
I was heartbroken to say the least, until I looked down. There, imprinted in the snow was the unmistakable track of the Tioga Farmer John, leading out of my back gate and up the alley.
So, after calling the police (imploring them to please hurry because the snow was melting, and the track would be gone) and waiting for the squad car to show up, we followed the tracks.
They led around the block, and right up the front steps of a house. One search warrant later, and I got the Moots back.
The perp? Well, he just happened to be someone who, ironically, I used to hang out with in the 'hood when I was younger.
First offense, restitution for the Cat Eye headlight that was broken ($10) and probation.
Hey... at least I got the bike back!
Years ago, someone had the audacity to break into my garage and steal... THE MOOTS!
I was heartbroken to say the least, until I looked down. There, imprinted in the snow was the unmistakable track of the Tioga Farmer John, leading out of my back gate and up the alley.
So, after calling the police (imploring them to please hurry because the snow was melting, and the track would be gone) and waiting for the squad car to show up, we followed the tracks.
They led around the block, and right up the front steps of a house. One search warrant later, and I got the Moots back.
The perp? Well, he just happened to be someone who, ironically, I used to hang out with in the 'hood when I was younger.
First offense, restitution for the Cat Eye headlight that was broken ($10) and probation.
Hey... at least I got the bike back!
02-13-13, 09:33 PM
#39
Jack of all trades
I was on a ride recently, when I spied a red De Rosa and a Cinelli SC in an open garage. I could tell they were not locked up, so I made sure nobody was watching and I crept into the garage. Not only were there these two beautiful bikes, but there were boxes and boxes of NOS Campagnolo, Zeus, Galli, Simplex parts everywhere! And VAR tools galore! Not to mention drawers filled with every titanium bolt, axle, bit or bob imaginable. How am I going to carry all this stuff I wondered. I found some musettes and started filling them as quickly as I could when the door from the house opened. None other than Grant Petersen came out! I'd have run, but I was so confounded by the sight of The Grant. "But, but, but...you don't use this stuff? These bikes don't even have eyelets!" was all I could muster, while he grabbed hold of my leg. Let me tell you, that is one strong dude! He pulled me back into his garage by my foot. "No one will ever get my hidden vintage stash! I'll take my secret weight weenie obsession to the grave!" he yelled. He then smashed a Silca pump over my head with his one free arm. "I'm sorry, Grant! I'm sorry! Let me go! I won't tell!" I screeched, but he kept pulling my leg, and pulling my leg...
