Bicycle Theft

Bikes Lost and Found

Another lost and found story
And yet another
Lost, but not forever

It all went down like this. I was looking for a unique commuter bike and what I found was a Marin San Anselmo with a 7 speed Nexus system. You know, a no maintenance thing that would last forever. There wasn't a single one to be found, so I called my friends at Marin and they found one, which was practically the last one in existence. Two days later I received the bike from Seattle. The weather was getting nice and biking to work (as we all know) is the fastest and easiest way to get there. I always made sure it was double locked right out front of my building, it lasted for all of three weeks before it was stolen. The only remnant was two halves of the chain links left on the ground. And of course, the building security who was in plain view of the whole thing, didn't see a thing. I figured the what could I do except shrug it off and grab the next bus home in my state of disbelief.

For the next couple of days my eyes were sharply focused on every messenger, delivery guy and almost every other butt on a bike. After all, a big polished aluminum bike that shimmers like a beacon should be easy enough to spot. A month later having already given up the search, I'm riding down Lexington on another bike (we all have more than two, don't we?) and at 29th street, I see a Chinese-food delivery man on a flat black painted bike. (If you can call a bucket of paint thrown at it a paint job.) But the silhouette was strikingly familiar. And then I saw the incriminating evidence. The incredi-bell and the rack I had put on the back. Needless to say, infuriated and red in the face I pulled him over and the screaming started. Unfortunately, he didn't understand any English and just kept on saying "my bike, my bike". So I rode along side him and he brought me to Sam's Noodle Shop on 29th and 3rd (every time I tell people this, they always tell me "They make great noodles!") Yeah for bike thieves! The guy locked the bike up, and the shop emptied out onto the street. I'm yelling it's my bike and it was stolen, they're yelling they bought it(from two guys trying to unload it.)and when they boldly finally told me to call the cops, I did. Meanwhile when I called the cops I told them I was at a Chinese noodle shop, and gave the location. They go "You mean Sam's Noodle Shop?" (Does everyone eat here?) "Yeah Sam's" I said. And they sent a car. When the cops arrived I recapped the story. They told the manager that if I showed a receipt for the bike and could prove ownership, that they'd have to give it back.

After going home and finding the receipt, I called back the shop and had to set up a time when there would be someone to translate the transaction. Two days later I arrive at the shop with the proof. We unwrapped the tire tubes to unveil the name of the bike(San Anselmo) and the company (Marin). Still unconvinced I demanded that they unlock it and turn it upside down, After scrapping off the layers of paint I unveiled the serial number.

This is the only sure identification that is unarguable proof. Some chat went on (in Chinese) with all the waiters, now once again we were all on the street. Then the manager turns to me and starts giving me a sob story that the guy who bought the bike had no idea it was stolen and that he didn't know any better and to top it off he bought it for $100 bucks because it looked so nice and.... get this. Wanted to know what I can give the guy since he spent the $100 bucks. Like I'm going to buy my stolen bike back. Yeah right! Once I got it through to them that buying stolen property is illegal and that I'd have no problem calling the cops again to get the bike into my hands, all it took was a handshake and off I rode. The only thing mechanically wrong with the bike, which I didn't find out til I hit the brakes, is that the roller drum brake in the rear doesn't slow the bike down at all anymore. It does however make a machine gun noise when you pull the brake lever, which I trigger this imaginary machine gun every time I see a food delivery guy on a disguised stolen bike.

Ride On!

--Paul
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More lost and found

In the beginning of June a Chinese food delivery guy comes in the shop to get some work done on his bike. Of course it isn't his bike, it belongs to Mark W. a regular customer at Habitat. We called Mark up and he came in and reclaimed his bike. Unfortunately, the Chinese takeout places are a prime place to sell stolen bikes. Think about this the next time you order takeout.

More lost and found

In the beginning of June a Chinese food delivery guy comes in the shop to get some work done on his bike. Of course it isn't his bike, it belongs to Mark W. a regular customer at Habitat. We called Mark up and he came in and reclaimed his bike. Unfortunately, the Chinese takeout places are a prime place to sell stolen bikes. Think about this the next time you order takeout.




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And yet more lost and found

My bike was stolen and quickly recovered (!) on Astor Place this evening, across from Barnes and Noble. The "apparent" thief was riding off on his $3000 mountain bike with MY bike in tow and my broken St. Pierre lock-and-chain around his neck when I came walking out of a store. I grabbed my bike, pulled the 3 foot chain off of him and let into his bike with that chain (a few times). I was screaming obscenities at him as he tried to explain that he did not steal it, he BOUGHT it from someone. Naturally I did not give a f*ck. A crowd gathered, watched us argue, but did nothing; finally one woman called the police on her cell. By the time the phone-cop connected us, the bad man had gotten away. I got the address of the precinct from the phone-cop and spent a sweaty hour at the station reporting it.

The woman who loaned me her phone was Queen Latifa. Nice.

I have been advised that rather than, or in addition to, screaming obscenities, it would be a good idea to scream, "POLICE" next time.

--Rebecca