Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by heather s on April 12, 2010 at 7:52am

This really blows -- I feel badly for you guys and I hope you manage to get your wheels back.

However, I don't find this all too shocking. It takes maybe a minute longer to remove a bolted wheel than a quick-release... anyone with an adjustable wrench on them could have seen and taken this opportunity. Carrying two locks to secure both wheels isn't much of an inconvenience, nor is removing one wheel to lock together with the other wheel and frame. I'm sure on a pub crawl, if you're going to be locking and unlocking multiple times per night, it would get sort of annoying. But losing a wheel is a lot worse. This is certainly disheartening, but I'm not sure innocence has much virtue when it obscures reality. I don't mean to be a jerk, I just think this was a pretty avoidable situation.

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Permalink Reply by Lindsay E. Stout on April 12, 2010 at 8:20am

I'm sure it was planned out...No one was walking down the street prepared to walk off with 5 wheels. THat's bullshit. Someone knew exactly where we were going to be, and they knew they had to take them the moment we walked inside, before people started smoking and we all left.
That's just my suspicion...

Joe TV said:

Has it occured to anyone that the thief might be reading all these posts? Just waiting for the next pub ride to make the next heist?

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on April 12, 2010 at 8:56am

There is an equal chance it was not planned; it could easily have been two or three guys walking along looking for bikes and parts to jack or even a guy or two in a van looking for bikes and parts. Ever see a stripped bike at a train station or hear about somebody having parts stolen, do you think that was a planned theft?

Somebody was out cruising and hit the jackpot.

Lindsay E. Stout said:

I'm sure it was planned out...No one was walking down the street prepared to walk off with 5 wheels. THat's bullshit. Someone knew exactly where we were going to be, and they knew they had to take them the moment we walked inside, before people started smoking and we all left.
That's just my suspicion...

Joe TV said:

Has it occured to anyone that the thief might be reading all these posts? Just waiting for the next pub ride to make the next heist?

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on April 12, 2010 at 9:30am

The only bicycle thief research that I am aware of actually indicated 3 types of thieves:
1. Opportunity thieves.
These folks will only steal when it is very easy to do. A badly locked up bike, a wheel with a QR or simple 15mm bolts. Locking your bike up properly will almost always prevent these thefts from happening.
2. Drug addicts
These folks often specialize on one type of lock, or one specific model of lock. They can quickly disable the lock without profession tools. Using a modern heavy duty lock that cannot be defeated, except by using professional tools, will likely prevent you from becoming a victim of this type of thievery
3. Professional thieves
AKA "the guys in the white van". They do know what bikes and parts are in demand and typically have the tools or knowledge to defeat any type of lock. They also likely have a middle man to which they sell the bikes.

The research was done in the Netherlands by the University of Utrecht. They would put out a decoy bike, and when the thief showed up, they would interview him.
I can no longer find the actual research online, just a few references to the research

notoriousDUG said:

It all depends on the type of thief; here are those who choose what to take based on opportunity and ease and then those who choose to take based on resale value.

The guy stealing a Q/R wheel is the crack head selling it for 10 bucks where ever they can and the person stealing the nice wheels with bolts on them are the people selling them via e-bay and CL for what they are worth.


Chicago Bicycle Advocate said:

I have always assumed that thieves will only target easy marks like an unlocked quick release wheel. When I used to have a bike with quick release skewers I would just put a hose clamp over it believing that a thief probably wouldn't bother carrying a screw driver. Obviously, I was naive. Since hearing about this I've just been in the fetal position rocking back and forth afraid to take my bike out;-)

notoriousDUG said:

Why is this unbelievable; do you not think thieves carry tools or know how to take apart bikes?



Chicago Bicycle Advocate said:

That is just unbelievable.

Lindsay E. Stout said:

I even had a chain tensioner on my wheel!
They were stolen from next to El Mamey Lounge on North ave and Talman.
There were no bike racks, so all the bikes were locked to the gates and everyone whos bike was on the inside had their shit taken.

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Permalink Reply by dan brown on April 12, 2010 at 10:18am

I agree.

It's sad to see how humanity can sink to new all-time lows again and again.

for a quick hit.

Unfortunately...we don't make the rules (They do); so we have to play by them.

fair enough.

".......This is the end of the innocence...."


DB

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on April 12, 2010 at 11:25am

Interesting study, thanks for the info!

FWIW I am stopping on the way home from work tomorrow to check out a very suspicious bike seller with an INSANE amount of bikes...

Duppie said:

The only bicycle thief research that I am aware of actually indicated 3 types of thieves:
1. Opportunity thieves.
These folks will only steal when it is very easy to do. A badly locked up bike, a wheel with a QR or simple 15mm bolts. Locking your bike up properly will almost always prevent these thefts from happening.
2. Drug addicts
These folks often specialize on one type of lock, or one specific model of lock. They can quickly disable the lock without profession tools. Using a modern heavy duty lock that cannot be defeated, except by using professional tools, will likely prevent you from becoming a victim of this type of thievery
3. Professional thieves
AKA "the guys in the white van". They do know what bikes and parts are in demand and typically have the tools or knowledge to defeat any type of lock. They also likely have a middle man to which they sell the bikes.

The research was done in the Netherlands by the University of Utrecht. They would put out a decoy bike, and when the thief showed up, they would interview him.
I can no longer find the actual research online, just a few references to the research

notoriousDUG said:

It all depends on the type of thief; here are those who choose what to take based on opportunity and ease and then those who choose to take based on resale value.

The guy stealing a Q/R wheel is the crack head selling it for 10 bucks where ever they can and the person stealing the nice wheels with bolts on them are the people selling them via e-bay and CL for what they are worth.


Chicago Bicycle Advocate said:

I have always assumed that thieves will only target easy marks like an unlocked quick release wheel. When I used to have a bike with quick release skewers I would just put a hose clamp over it believing that a thief probably wouldn't bother carrying a screw driver. Obviously, I was naive. Since hearing about this I've just been in the fetal position rocking back and forth afraid to take my bike out;-)

notoriousDUG said:

Why is this unbelievable; do you not think thieves carry tools or know how to take apart bikes?



Chicago Bicycle Advocate said:

That is just unbelievable.

Lindsay E. Stout said:

I even had a chain tensioner on my wheel!
They were stolen from next to El Mamey Lounge on North ave and Talman.
There were no bike racks, so all the bikes were locked to the gates and everyone whos bike was on the inside had their shit taken.

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Permalink Reply by Vilda on April 12, 2010 at 11:54am

Andrew Bedno said:

Marauders rides almost always leave a guard on the bikes. Now other rides must.

More free Beer please ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Matt AKA Jimbo/BMXican on April 12, 2010 at 6:24pm

No one cruises Humboldt Park for nice bikes on a Thursday. I haven't been in the city long but the time I've been here I've lived not more then a few blocks from that bar. I'm not going as far to say that this is an inside job (at least not anyone from the chainlink rides) but as some as you know I'm not a shy guy so I started talking to people I've never seen before and some never heard of the chainlink and were more into the drinking aspect of the crawl and could care less about riding. From my understanding the west side pub thing falls out side of the chainlink community so maybe some less then reputable people could have joined the ride, got a hold of the map and planed the thing out. Again I'm not pointing fingers as I was so far gone I don't even remember much after Archies. The point I want to make is that we should really organise a locking buddy system when we branch off to more main stream rides.

notoriousDUG said:

There is an equal chance it was not planned; it could easily have been two or three guys walking along looking for bikes and parts to jack or even a guy or two in a van looking for bikes and parts. Ever see a stripped bike at a train station or hear about somebody having parts stolen, do you think that was a planned theft?

Somebody was out cruising and hit the jackpot.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan L on April 13, 2010 at 6:40am

Could someone with knowledge of our groups destination have planned this out? Sure but I seriously doubt it. I have been thinking about this whole thing since it happened and the more I think about it the more I am convinced we were just in the wrong place, at the wrong time, in an area that others know much better than us. Here are a couple of photos to help make sense of how this might have happened so fast. We all parked our bikes on the gate that was closed at the entrance to the lot (open in the picture). This was a very dark lot and although it was gated off facing North Ave., it was open at the back to the alley and Talman. I was hanging out by the bikes for about 15 min after the group went inside to deal with some crap in my bags and to make a phone call to my wife. Matt rode up and locked his bike and we both went inside for one single beer. We all came out like 15 min later and one by one discovered our wheels had been stolen.

I think what happened is that one of the local gangs saw us all lock up and called someone who does this kind of theft regularly. They probably had a van and hid it in the back of the lot, or street and grabbed as many wheels as they could before we all came out. I'm sure there was a "lookout" that whistled or something to let them know we were coming out. I'll even bet they were in or leaving the lot as we all were in a state of confusion not thinking about the fact that the thieves might be nearby. Lessen #1, don't lock your bike facing a dark empty lot especially in a heavily gang controlled area. I know I will never do that again. Although I think one of the guys that had his wheel stolen was locked to a street pole out front but I honestly can't remember since I was dealing with it in my own way, one that required immediate herbal medication.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan L on April 13, 2010 at 7:35am

No matter what the actual truth of the situation, it's definitely a lesson on bike theft issues in this city and just how many people are capable of this kind of mass theft.

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Permalink Reply by Ryan L on April 13, 2010 at 7:39am

Although, I did just realize something pretty interesting. Anyone else notice this is a lot for Wrightwood Auto Parts shop? LOL holy $&%#! Is it possible, like others said, they didn't like our bikes on their gate so they decided to grab a bunch of wheels and take em to the shop just to be dicks. If so that is so f-ed up. People are such assholes. After all, I trust an auto mechanic about as much as I would trust a homeless crackhead to watch my children. What an interesting night :)

Regardless, one thing I do know is that we need to get some kind of regulation which would require a bike rack every block or something. Since the meter issues, I have found it a very difficult task trying to safely lock my bike everywhere I go.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on September 17, 2013 at 1:26pm

*bump* it was my fault for locking the frame only I was in Aldi from 5:45 to 6:05 today and my rear wheel was stolen. Deep wall flip hub and to replace it will cost me $150. Thanks asshole.

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