Bikes stolen in my neighborhood

[Kennah]

Kid next door and a kid a few houses down had their bikes stolen, 4 bikes in all.

One had the bikes inside the fence, but right at the edge, and no lock at all. Other one left the bikes in front of the garage. I had my pump and wedge pack stolen off my locked up bike from in front of the public library a few weeks ago.

Mine could have been kids doing dumb-assed stuff, or perhaps for a few bucks profit. Can't imagine that a $25 three year old, well used, pump would still command $25, but the $20 wedge pack was brand new.

Some of it was carelessness, mine included, on the part of the owners. I don't leave my pump on the bike anymore, and I'm looking into a Topeak wedge pack with a quick release clip for quick on and off.

However, the thefts themselves I'm seeing as a sign of the times.

[Ilsa]

1. Stealing children's bikes is so sad and despicable. nt

[gratuitous]

2. Stolen bikes are big deals in some areas

Meth heads in Portland swipe them for a few quick bucks for metal salvage. Other bikes are stolen for a brief joy ride, then dumped in a secluded area. I see at least a couple on my way to and from work every day, bikes in the hands of persons who obviously don't own them.

Lock your bike, every time. Don't leave accessories on them that you want to keep.

[DURHAM D]

3. This happens in my neighborhood.

Usually the stolen bikes are found down in the creek or out in a field a few days later. I guess the kids that "borrowed" them found something better to borrow.

[villager]

4. Mine was stolen right out of my garage a couple weeks back. Front tire wasn't even on

Dammit.

[surrealAmerican]

5. I live in an urban college town.

If you don't lock up your bike, you don't have a bike. The new batch of college kids will be learning that very soon.

[taterguy]

6. Yes, these are the first times that bikes got ripped off

[LeftyMom]

7. Report bike thefts. I know it barely seems worth it,

but I actually got one back when the cops busted a bike theft ring and found hundreds of bikes in storage lockers waiting to be resold.

I had to drive over an hour away to go get it, so apparently the thieves really got around.

[kestrel91316]

8. I think I was actually more upset and offended when miscreants stole my

bike this year (it was my ONLY mechanized transport) than when they stole my car a couple of years ago (I still had the bike then for alternate transport).

I DO have a new used bike now (can't afford a brand new one, have you seen the prices lately???) so what with my good legs/feet/shoes, and good mass transit, I am doing fine.

[Dappleganger]

9. The very first brand new bike I ever owned was stolen

two weeks after christmas from our front, fenced-in yard back in the 1970's.

Seriously, bike theft has been going on a very looooong time.