My Bike Recovery Story

First of all, I want to thank all of you for your well wishes when you heard I got my bike stolen.  The bike community honestly is like a family.  All the people who offered help and support, thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

As some of you know, I'm pretty short, so losing this bike was devastating to me since it's the first bike I've ever owned that actually fit me. I have several other bikes, but none of them fit me like this one does. It's a 39 cm frame with 24 inch wheels.

 

Now on to the  recovery story....

 

My bike was stolen Friday afternoon outside my office in Lincoln Park.  No  cut u lock, no signs of the rack being compromised. I honestly thought that maybe I hadn't rode in that day.... but I had my helmet and rain pants so I know I wasn't going crazy.

 

Immediately I filed a police report over the phone, added it to the stolen bike reg and sent emails to friends.

 

Yesterday a few people checked out the swap on the s side with no luck.

 

This morning I headed back there with a couple of friends.

 

Within 5 minutes I saw the bike, we called the cops and they recovered the bike for me.  No arrests.

 

My fenders and rack were missing (which had numerous stickers) but besides that, mommy and baby are reunited.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Amy Y on March 8, 2011 at 5:31am

Great news Julie!!

 

Btw was it clear how the bike was stolen? Ulock clipped? lock picked?

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 8, 2011 at 5:43am

I'm a fan of BikeRegistry.com since they are a free service to all and are run by Goodwill Industries (they don't advertise this on their site anywhere.)  They even sell very low-cost identification sticker kits that you can register with your free account (sticky ones that are really hard to get off) if you want to go that route.  

 

I looked around at the other options and they all seem to be corporate money-grubbers with high fees compared to FREE.

 

I have all my bikes registered there with pictures as well as detailed descriptions/sizes/serial numbers and a complete listing of all components and other identifying features and accessories. 

mindfrieze said:

I'd love to see a detailed best-practice step-list posted online that someone might follow to recover a stolen bike.  Something like:

 

0. Today: Register bike at...; Take pictures of your bike in it's present form.

 

Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on March 8, 2011 at 5:43am

This is a good list so far!

 

I'm working on writing up something since I was bike theft victim back in the Fall.  I should have something by the end of the week that I'll probably post on my blog, but will make available if anyone wants to repost it.  While bikes are certainly stolen in the winter, it's going to get much more prevelant as the weatehr warms up.

mindfrieze said:

I'd love to see a detailed best-practice step-list posted online that someone might follow to recover a stolen bike.  Something like:

 

0. Today: Register bike at...; Take pictures of your bike in it's present form.

1. Upon bike being stolen: Note locking location of stolen bike. Recover any parts/locks left behind.

2. File police report at ... or by calling ... or by visiting...

3. File report at Stolen Bike Registry

4. Post missing bike on Craigslist & monitor for ads

5. Post to social media: the chainlink, CCM listserv, etc.

6. Check swap meets, flea markets, etc. located at ...; Best times to check are...

7. Etc.

 

Maybe this has been done already, and I haven't seen it.

 

I'm thrilled you got your bike back, Julie.

Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on March 8, 2011 at 8:56am
Oh...and here is my post on the different things I did when my bike was stolen.  Unfortunately, I didn't have as happy of an ending, though I do love my new bike:  http://www.balloonbiker.com/biking/stolen-bike-advice/
Permalink Reply by Holly on March 8, 2011 at 10:23am

Ha! Ha! Good one, AKA PAUL--She has to win the first cyclocoss race of the season now that she has her bike back!  ;0) Fabulous news, Julie!


I think when a full list of what to do to register your bike, id it, etc., is comprised, it should be tacked to the top of the forum. At this point, all I really have are photos of my bikes and I'd like to know how to better ensure that someone who steals one can't claim it's not mine.

Permalink Reply by samantha on March 9, 2011 at 4:16am

Hey ladies -

 

Grrr.. I didn't read all the way through these responses last night or I would have written a better blog post for today. I put up a post on my blog about the recent Dutch bike thefts (Vince's and Jay's) and then balanced that sad news with the good news that Julie's was recovered, with a happy picture of Julie and her bike courtesy of Martha Williams.  But the list of 'what to do' would be an awesome addition! Jami and Holly, let me know when/if you post anything on your own blogs so I can reference. If you want to guest post on my blog too. that would be cool. I think I'm going to gather up my few posts on bike locks, bike thefts, and bike security into their own little category. Sorry to say that the # of posts related to that has grown. :-(

 

Oh! And I see you already did that Jami.. well.. I'll have to link to it!

Permalink Reply by Holly on March 9, 2011 at 5:40am

I am not sure if the Bike Winter blog is the place for the list.  I'd love to see the list tacked here at CL for easy reference. I haven't had the misfortunate of being ripped off, so I'd love to see a list of "What to do before it happens" since my organizational skills are lacking and I need to get on that!

 

I can't believe those two Dutch bikes were stolen. They're so beautiful and I'm willing to be the thieves are clueless about what they took.

 

 

Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on March 9, 2011 at 6:03am

I added a forum discussion for things one can do to establish ownership and register their bike:  http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/checklist-for-bike-ownership

 

 

Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on March 9, 2011 at 6:41am

Well, I already posted my listing, but I can definitely edit it when the stolen bike registry thing is completed.

 

Most of the stuff that I listed are easy to do and are the kind of thing that people just put off doing (Like recording their serial number)

 

I don't think that doing what you can do is ever finalized....there are always new resources coming out.

Permalink Reply by Holly on March 9, 2011 at 6:50am
Hi Howard--once a detailed list is on the CSBR, perhaps we can delete what Jamimaria's complied here on her thread.

Jami--this looks like a good start and has certainly been helpful to me. Thank you. I don't think I have many photos of myself with my bikes and would not have intuitively realized how relevant that might be.
Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on March 9, 2011 at 7:03am

THe thing is....I only go went to the Stolen Bike Registry when my bike was stolen and I really started caring about theft. 

 

Having something posted in the Chainlink is probably a little more visible and effective.  Plus it can't hurt to have information posted in many locations.  Also, with the chainlink, I don't look at the other resources and links very often.  I mostly just look at the groups, the forums and the event listings.

 

One thing that I want to emphasize that bike theft sucks, you can be a victim even when you do most everything "right,"  but that you shouldn't be so afraid of theft that you stop riding your bike.

 

Permalink Reply by Will on March 10, 2011 at 7:04am

Hell yeah, Julie! Congrats to you!

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