The Chainlink

Clybourn Metra station bike thefts

I feel obligated to post this, to warn others who might take the Metra from the Clybourn station and think about taking any shortcuts with locking their bikes...

I've been parking my bike there during the day for less than two months, and had the rack stolen off my bike (it was bolted on, no quick releases to make it easy) and today was the second time that the person parked next to me had their rear wheel (unlocked, quick release skewer) stolen. The other time someone's wheel was stolen someone also tried to steal one of mine (the front skewer was undone) but apparently after doing that they realized it was locked with a u-lock so they weren't able to steal it. I've also seen other bikes that might be getting their wheels stolen, but since they weren't parked right next to mine, it's possible the rider just took it with them for safekeeping.

Anyway it seems to me that the thieves are targeting the easy stuff - unsecured items with quick releases. The person next to me today who had her wheel stolen had the frame and front wheel secured with only a basic cable lock, so the thief just took what was easy to grab and go.

So, if you lock your bike there, take the extra time to secure anything that's removable. My personal strategy (after my rack was stolen and I realized that it was only a matter of time before my bike disappeared) was to get a cheap used bike to use for my commute, as opposed to using my normal commuter which I actually like and don't want stolen or messed with again. But I still use a good u-lock and a cable lock that I run through my seat, rack and rear wheel (which also doesn't have a quick release). So far so good, except for the unobservant thief who tried to steal my locked front wheel.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 22, 2012 at 10:33pm

LOL!

James BlackHeron said:

Perhaps someone needs a Safety Slap?

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on August 22, 2012 at 10:42pm

You learn quickly, Kevin C.  I'm not sure who taught you, but apparently you've learned that some things you post on the internet live forever unless you erase them -- example being your post from a year ago that you sort of own up to but sort of don't want to either because you point out that it was a year ago...

I haven't met you or seen you either, and I also only know you through your posts.  It doesn't seem like either of us would like to change that, or am I wrong?  If you saw me in person, what would you say?  Would you list off all the great things you do for cyclists in the city again?  Would we become friends, and then take our friendship online to the Chainlink and back each other up in arguments, truth be damned?  Further, I had pasta for dinner tonight, so you can add that to my recent timeline of events.

Lastly, there was nothing taken out of context.  You said don't bother with locking skewers.    

Kevin C said:

Zoetrope-

I don’t know you and as far as I know, I don’t know anyone who knows you (and I know or have at least met a lot of people on the chainlink). I don’t know if you go on group rides or volunteer for any of the bike advocacy groups. The persona I know is the one you exhibit through your posts.

You used to be Brendan and you posted a thread about hitting a pedestrian in the Loop. That thread devolved into a flame war when you were surprised to see that very few people rushed to defend your position.

Now you’re Zoetrope and your account settings are set to private. As Zoetrope, you posted a thread about chasing down a motor vehicle that had done you wrong (a block or two before), and slapping the window hard enough that you were surprised that you didn’t break it. Again, you were surprised to see that very few people rushed to defend your position.

Today, you posted on a thread that was begun over a year ago, quoted me out of context, and used that as proof that I’m giving bad advice. The correct context of my quote was as follows:

Kevin C:

“Truthfully, locking skewers don't seem to be much of a deterrent to bike theft. The volume thieves don't ever intend to change a flat tire on the bike, they intend to flip it to some schmuck who won't be able to fix their flat tire. The only ones inconvenienced or daunted by locking skewers seem to be the owners. Make sure you have a lock on each wheel and leave it at that.

Lauren said:

Eric,

My current rear skewer isn't quick release because the bike is a really old mountain bike, and that's what it came with. I did used to use locking skewers (I think it was the On Guard brand) but stopped after one got a little stripped so my wheel would rub on the brake pad, and it also became a little annoying having them, since, for example, if I took my bike to the shop, I had to remember to leave the key for the skewer. Also, I always lock both my wheels (front with a u-lock, rear with a cable lock) so the locking skewers were probably overkill anyway.”

 

My post was a direct response to a post regarding the inconvenience of locking skewers relative to the benefits. I stand by that response. James BlackHeron did a nice job today of articulating a cost/benefit analysis of locking skewers.

The reason for my post which so offends you is that I’ve been an administrator for the Chicago Stolen Bike Registry for two years. I’ve read close to two thousand theft reports. I’ve met with Chicago police officers from the 9th, 14th, and 19th districts as well as the Illinois State Police and Wilmette Police Department regarding bike theft. I have been to the Swap O Rama at 42nd and Ashland more than 30 times, and I have read an enormous amount of material about bike theft. I have assisted people with recoveries of stolen bikes which were located on Craigslist. So I’m not just throwing out suppositions here.

Are there people more knowledgeable about bike theft than me? Absolutely, and I continue to learn. It’s just that you’re not one of them.

My job for the past 20+ years has been to fight and no one else speaks for me. Your posts strike me as belligerent, immature, and not particularly informative. You have clearly not yet learned that you still have much to learn. Once someone calls me a “dickhead,” they have already conceded defeat.

Permalink Reply by Barry Aldridge on August 22, 2012 at 11:54pm

Since there is almost no foot traffic there (except for people using the train), the streets are full of distracted drivers trying to navigate that confusing intersection and it's isolated between two overpasses, it is about the perfect location for bike thieves. During the day the trains run so infrequently, a thief would have plenty of time to saw through the most hardened lock. All you can do is make your bike a less attractive target than the others, somewhere on the "super lousy bike - incredible, heavy locks" continuum.

Permalink Reply by Michele on August 23, 2012 at 12:07am

I am curious where exactly at this station these thefts are occurring. There are multiple locations in or around that station to lock bikes.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 23, 2012 at 12:50am

I recovered a bike at Swap O Rama one Saturday morning that had been stolen from this location the night before. The man selling it looked like he could have slept on the street waiting for the Swap to open.

I believe that the main reasons this stop is heavily hit for thefts of whole bikes, relative to other Metra stops,  include:

-Easy shot to Swap O Rama/ Ashland on the bus, on foot, or riding, to try to sell your bike to a vendor

-Proximity to Wicker Park and generally desirable hunting grounds for bike thieves

-bike locking areas isolated/out of sight of people riding the train.

The reason parts get stolen here can be found earlier in this thread.

Michele said:

I am curious where exactly at this station these thefts are occurring. There are multiple locations in or around that station to lock bikes.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Hulbert on August 30, 2012 at 6:12pm

I had my bike stolen about a week ago.  Is it far, far, far too late to take a trip down to the swap-a-rama? I imagine that they don't have a long life span there?  

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 30, 2012 at 8:58pm

Hi Jeff-

You filed a report with the CSBR on August 16 but indicated the bike was stolen on the 4th. Does that need to be corrected?

I would not peg your bike as particularly likely to end up at Swap O Rama at all, but if it did, it's hard to say how likely it would be to turn up coincidental to your trip. It would have to have gone home with a vendor the day the thieves hawked it, and not been sold however many times that vendor had been back since.

Considering it's a fairly low-end, unremarkable bike, it may actually be a hair more likely to hang out a little longer as the vendor would not be as nervous about trying to get rid of it, and it would not have caught any bike folks' eye and prompted them to check it against the registry and contacted you.

If it was to turn up there, it would be very interesting, as hoardes of bikes are stolen each weekend locked along the lakefront with cable locks, and to date Swap O Rama hasn't really proven to be the place they're ending up.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Hulbert on August 31, 2012 at 12:07am

Thanks for the response.  And yes, that was a typo on my part.  Not a week.  A month ago. 

Thanks for the insight too.  And VERY glad to hear you were to return someone else's property to them.  Has to be a really rewarding feeling.  

If you would ever be willing to share any other thoughts on the topic with me, you would find me to be all ears. 

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 31, 2012 at 12:50am

I think the best thing you can do, apart from waiting for the chance that the Registry does its thing, is set up a Google alert for your make and model so you can catch if it's listed on eBay or Craigslist. Happy to advise if it does pop up there. And thanks for not capitulating to bike thieves. We can't eliminate them but we can make their lives harder.

Permalink Reply by Apie (11) on August 31, 2012 at 9:57am

When you guys speak of Swap o Rama are you always refering to the one on Ashland?  Or do you check both Ashland And Melrose Park? 

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on August 31, 2012 at 10:07am

My comment is that this does not always work as many bike thieves cannot tell the difference between a K-Mart Special and a first class road bike.  My rule has always been to park my bicycle next to a better bicycle with a poorer lock.  However, this has not always worked and I have had a bicycle stolen.   Apparently the Bike Thief knew "bike locks" and decided that the better the lock, the better the bicycle and only took bikes with the best locks.  (He hit this place one time to many and he got caught...)  There are no perfect solutions...

Barry Aldridge said:

hardened lock. All you can do is make your bike a less attractive target than the others, somewhere on the "super lousy bike - incredible, heavy locks" continuum.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 31, 2012 at 10:52am

You can always pull the decals off of  your bike and replace them with these:



David crZven said:

My comment is that this does not always work as many bike thieves cannot tell the difference between a K-Mart Special and a first class road bike.  My rule has always been to park my bicycle next to a better bicycle with a poorer lock.  However, this has not always worked and I have had a bicycle stolen.   Apparently the Bike Thief knew "bike locks" and decided that the better the lock, the better the bicycle and only took bikes with the best locks.  (He hit this place one time to many and he got caught...)  There are no perfect solutions...

Barry Aldridge said:

hardened lock. All you can do is make your bike a less attractive target than the others, somewhere on the "super lousy bike - incredible, heavy locks" continuum.

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