The Chainlink

Bike Stolen in Irving Park...Please help me find my bike.

Hi, my bike was stolen Monday, April 9th between 5-7am from my apartment. Wondering if maybe you fellow bikers can keep an eye out for me?

It's a Bianchi, Nirone, size 46, women's bike, mostly white with Teel accents, great condition. At the time it was stolen it had a white bike light on the top of the bike and taillights.

I have the serial number and receipt. I'm searching around the city, but some extra eyes would help too!! Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Matt Talbert on April 2, 2013 at 3:16pm

Thank you! I was happy to help!! I wish we could have brought the thieves to justice. But we accomplished the more important task, which was reuniting this bike with its rightful owner!

Permalink Reply by Vitaliy on April 2, 2013 at 4:31pm

Only if our fruit were as rich and plump as yours were. Congratulations Jennifer!

Jennifer Vacanti said:

Good News!!!

My bike was found late last August. Sorry for not posting this earlier, school and work have kept me insanely busy. I just got to thinking how great it will be to actually ride my bike this summer and I thought I'd post this! It was found at CASH AMERICA on North and Damen by Mathew Talbert, who happens to be a member of the chain link. He noticed it hanging in the window and thought it looked suspicious.

I was extremely disappointed when I made the report the officer didn't take me seriously and I don't think he even put my bike number in the system. It was a joke to him. The pawn shop claimed they checked the police database. The police never followed up to find the thief. Anyway, I do have my awesome road bike back and so very much thanks to Matt. It's cool to know people actually look out for others in this big city. Thanks to others who kept their eyes out ;)

Jennifer

Permalink Reply by Matt Talbert on April 2, 2013 at 9:54pm

I believe someone asked how I found the bike, the comment may have been deleted, but here is the part of the story where I come in:

I work in Wicker Park, and the bus stop I take home is on North, Damen and Milwaukee, right in front of the Cash America Pawn Shop. While waiting for the bus I pass a portion of my bus waiting time by glancing at the bikes in the window, which are often old and warn mountain bikes that were likely purchased from Wal-Mart or Target. However, one day I noticed a very nice and shiny Bianchi Nirone. Upon seeing this, I couldn't believe that someone would buy this bike, and decide "welp, I don't want this nice, expensive road bike anymore." If they did, they would probably bring it back to the bike shop they bought it from, sell it to a friend or sell it here on The Chainlink. The "stolen" flag immediately went up in my head. Among other things, Jennifer's lights were still on the bike. If someone were to pawn their bike, I would think they would keep their lights. Figuring this was a stolen bike, I looked closely at the details and colors, and then searched for such a bike on the Chicago Stolen Bike registry when I got home. Sure enough, Jennifer's bike was on there. I was in the right place at the right time.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on April 2, 2013 at 10:30pm

Nice work Matthew!  We need about a hundred more like you.

Matthew Talbert said:

I believe someone asked how I found the bike, the comment may have been deleted, but here is the part of the story where I come in:

I work in Wicker Park, and the bus stop I take home is on North, Damen and Milwaukee, right in front of the Cash America Pawn Shop. While waiting for the bus I pass a portion of my bus waiting time by glancing at the bikes in the window, which are often old and warn mountain bikes that were likely purchased from Wal-Mart or Target. However, one day I noticed a very nice and shiny Bianchi Nirone. Upon seeing this, I couldn't believe that someone would buy this bike, and decide "welp, I don't want this nice, expensive road bike anymore." If they did, they would probably bring it back to the bike shop they bought it from, sell it to a friend or sell it here on The Chainlink. The "stolen" flag immediately went up in my head. Among other things, Jennifer's lights were still on the bike. If someone were to pawn their bike, I would think they would keep their lights. Figuring this was a stolen bike, I looked closely at the details and colors, and then searched for such a bike on the Chicago Stolen Bike registry when I got home. Sure enough, Jennifer's bike was on there. I was in the right place at the right time.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on April 3, 2013 at 6:47am

Huzzah to Matthew for cracking this case and helping a bike get back to its rightful owner. 

Any news on the identity of the thief and any justice being done?  Was there any paper trail at Cash America on this pawn/sale?

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on April 3, 2013 at 12:26pm

Per e-mail there was no attempt to catch a thief- pawn shop had "paperwork."

They actually made Jennifer go to the police station to get the bike even though she had full proof of ownership on her at the pawn shop.  It sounds like nothing about the police database was working that day (other evidence suggests it doesn't work any other day either.)

James BlackHeron said:

Huzzah to Matthew for cracking this case and helping a bike get back to its rightful owner. 

Any news on the identity of the thief and any justice being done?  Was there any paper trail at Cash America on this pawn/sale?

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on April 3, 2013 at 1:13pm

So, seriously, is there any point to the city bike registration site on which I have dutifully recorded my information?  It seems a few good bike shops, Chainlinkers and the stolen bike registry are the only things that work.
 
h' 1.0 said:

Per e-mail there was no attempt to catch a thief- pawn shop had "paperwork."

They actually made Jennifer go to the police station to get the bike even though she had full proof of ownership on her at the pawn shop.  It sounds like nothing about the police database was working that day (other evidence suggests it doesn't work any other day either.)

James BlackHeron said:

Huzzah to Matthew for cracking this case and helping a bike get back to its rightful owner. 

Any news on the identity of the thief and any justice being done?  Was there any paper trail at Cash America on this pawn/sale?

Permalink Reply by Matt Talbert on April 3, 2013 at 1:21pm

Seems like registration with the police department is worthless. As mentioned, I used the Stolen Bike Registry that a chainlinker created to find Jennifer's bike. I think the best thing to do is to create a post here on the chainlink, in addition to remaining vigilant within the cycling community, especially when we see "nice" bikes in pawn shop windows.  

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on April 3, 2013 at 1:22pm

Anything that forces one to look at and record their serial number has merit, IMO.  I would still recommend city registration, but strongly recommend screen-shotting the registration once it's viewable.

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

So, seriously, is there any point to the city bike registration site on which I have dutifully recorded my information?  It seems a few good bike shops, Chainlinkers and the stolen bike registry are the only things that work.
 
h' 1.0 said:

Per e-mail there was no attempt to catch a thief- pawn shop had "paperwork."

They actually made Jennifer go to the police station to get the bike even though she had full proof of ownership on her at the pawn shop.  It sounds like nothing about the police database was working that day (other evidence suggests it doesn't work any other day either.)

James BlackHeron said:

Huzzah to Matthew for cracking this case and helping a bike get back to its rightful owner. 

Any news on the identity of the thief and any justice being done?  Was there any paper trail at Cash America on this pawn/sale?

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on April 3, 2013 at 1:35pm

Good point and done!

h' 1.0 said:

Anything that forces one to look at and record their serial number has merit, IMO.  I would still recommend city registration, but strongly recommend screen-shotting the registration once it's viewable.

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

So, seriously, is there any point to the city bike registration site on which I have dutifully recorded my information?  It seems a few good bike shops, Chainlinkers and the stolen bike registry are the only things that work.
 

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on April 3, 2013 at 1:39pm

A screen shot is imperative. The registration with the City disappears after 2 years (based on information told to me by CPD in 2011). I have no reason to believe that little "problem" has been corrected. You can also go to the Chicago Stolen Bike Registry, click on "Register with Bike Shepherd" and your registration will exist indefinitely. It also has a nifty, printable certificate of registration bearing your serial number.

h' 1.0 said:

Anything that forces one to look at and record their serial number has merit, IMO.  I would still recommend city registration, but strongly recommend screen-shotting the registration once it's viewable.


Permalink Reply by Jennifer Vacanti on April 3, 2013 at 2:24pm

As soon as my bike was taken I created a post on The Stolen Bike Registry and the Chainlink. When I called the police to report the bike after it was stolen, the officer taking the report over the phone was awful. He didn't take it seriously and made me repeat myself. I could tell he wasn't listening to me, so I got nasty with him and told him to write take down the serial number, because the bike was expensive, not just some old mountain bike. He gave me some excuse about how bikes are stolen everyday and I'm just another victim.

I tried to pry at the pawn shop and find out why my serial numbers had not come up when Cash America ran the numbers, if they even did, but I received no answers. I wanted to press charges against the Pawn shop but the detective told me I'm lucky that the pawn shop cooperated in the first place to give the police the paperwork, "evidence." Apparently they didn't have too. I asked the detective if the serial numbers were in the database? He said it was impossible for all the police stations to link up, manpower is limited. I don't know if my numbers were documented, except for on the police report.

Obviously, I can't write everything on here since it's open to the public. The detective really made it seem like he was going to pursue this. There was "evidence." I tried calling back to see if there was progress emailed, called, nothing. They just ignore me. It's been 8 months since the bike was found, so I feel like they gave up. I'm so very happy to have my bike back, but it makes me upset to know this person and I know this person is doing this to other people, not just bikes. If there is a way I can help let me know.

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