Wow. So much for my theory that people don't drive around with angle cutters to steal bikes.

Okay it happened and there is video.  I still think this is incredibly rare and the stats bear me out.  But I did issue a caveat that you shouldn't leave expensive bikes locked for more than an hour or two. 


CHICAGO — Bike thieves used an angle grinder to steal two bikes on the Near West Side — a drawn-out, brazen theft captured on a surveillance camera, the victims said.

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Permalink Reply by mike w. on September 14, 2016 at 2:18am

Not nearly as rare as you may think. Cordless angle grinders are relatively cheap (and fairly easy to steal,) easily concealed, and very fast given a fresh cutting disc and skilled handler. There's a video somewhere on YouTube demonstrating that and also showing than most passersby don't even seem to notice the thief even during a midday raid. (Granted the video was shot in NYC, but you'll get the point.)

Permalink Reply by Jeremy Bloyd-Peshkin on September 14, 2016 at 2:57am

I saw a video along those lines of a man cutting a bike off a rack in broad daylight in front of a San Francisco coffee shop. Lots of people walked by and no one even stopped.

Similarly, the one time I was in NYC with my bike I dropped my lock key down a grate and had to cut my lock off. I did it right next to a NYPD cruiser, got my bike off the rack, and rode away.

Bicyclists are the only people who care about bike theft, I think.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on September 14, 2016 at 3:48am
"Bicyclists are the only people that care about bike theft."
I think you are correct. If you watch this very long video you will see a guy (cyclist probably) leave the building, he sees the sparkling grinder, chases them away, only for them to return numerous times to slowly steal both expensive bikes.
I posted this in Lee Diamond's Stolen Bike Registry theft thread earlier and said that "determined bike thieves go to great lengths to get what they want."
Permalink Reply by Josh L. on September 14, 2016 at 5:22am

In Chicago it's very rare per the Stolen Bike Registry.  Particularly when you realize how cheap, easy and quick angle grinders are to use. Not many people steal bikes this way as there aren't many serious bike thieves.  But for those so inclined it's easy as the video shows.

Permalink Reply by Seri97 on September 22, 2016 at 7:00am
Actually, two weeks ago, my Abus Granit X 6500 lock was cut 60% on one side and 90% on the other side when I returned to it in front of the Sulzer library on Lincoln Ave. in Chicago. It was definately a cordless power tool. I feel very fortunate they were not able to finish the job.
Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on September 22, 2016 at 7:17am
You are lucky. Maybe the thieves cordless angle grinder battery died just in time. Hopefully the battery died and overheated, bursting into flames and scorching their evil hands. (They do get extremely hot when used.)
Permalink Reply by Brian on September 22, 2016 at 6:56am

Here's one from Clinton, just south of Randolph. Notice how no one does much...except stare or make comments to friends. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ansaTSw3nbs

Permalink Reply by steve rulz on September 28, 2016 at 9:46am

This is is a very common thing. I confronted a guy a few years ago with a battery powered grinder stealing a bike. I distracted him long enough for the cops to show up who apparently let the guy go. Thanks for the help on that one CPD.

I broke the key off in my bike lock at 6 corners in Wicker park. I called  a lock smith to help me out with it. I figured I would get a guy that at least looked official with a company shirt on or something. The guy showed up with a black tshirt on and a grinder. I had the paperwork from when I bought the bike in case anyone asked. We even asked urban outfitters if we could run an extension cord from inside the store. This was right at rush hour on a week day which was very busy and not a single person questioned it.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on September 28, 2016 at 1:55pm

Actually it is very rare......I and others have  reviewed the stolen bike registry data and cut  locks are  very rare (but obviously they happen).  Bike theft is generally - that means there are exceptions - crimes of opportunity.  As far as crime goes bike theft is not very attractive as  you pretty much have to sell the goods online or on the street  as stores won't buy bikes off  the street.  Every couple of years there is a bust of one or two serial bike thieves again  but these are the exception.

I also saw  how  easy it is to do with an angle cutter. I stood outside the Merchandise at night with sparks flying and  nobody challenged me. The fact that  it's so easy to do -and that there are so relatively few bike locks cut - tells you how relatively rare it  is.

Before the hate mail pours in a few qualifiers -

 +  Nice expensive bikes like the Giant in the video will get stolen  and in some cases the lock is cut. And remember they got 2 bikes!  An $800 bike is a nice haul.  The few serious bike thieves that  are out there can recognize these  bikes.  

+  Bikes left in unattended areas,  for example  in a  storage  room or on the street in an isolated area will also get stolen. The risk reward  ratio is high enough in these situations that people just cruising by will come  across the bike and grab it.

+   I know  there are exceptions to what I've written above. My point  is  that  statistically for most bikers with middling obviously used bikes your changes of having a bike lock cut in a well trafficked  area  is low.

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