Walking around Lakeview with an angle grinder

On Friday afternoon someone cut through my U-lock with an angle grinder!

In the middle of the afternoon!!  

 

Right after I got done warning someone about locking up with a cable lock.  

 

BYE BYE bike #2 to Chicago bike thieves. Great way to start the summer.

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Permalink Reply by Dr. Doom on May 3, 2010 at 2:44am
I'd definitely be up for this. If nothing else it might just stop people from using Swap-O-Rama as the Stolen Bike Mart, which might affect the economics of bike jacking a bit.
Permalink Reply by Ron on May 3, 2010 at 2:48am
Cool, that's 3 so far. Who else? I got really good coffee..
Permalink Reply by Reddog (Cliff) on May 3, 2010 at 3:19am
That really sucks! I hope you can get another ride soon. I have had bikes stolen in this town as well. It really makes the blood boil.
Permalink Reply by heather s on May 3, 2010 at 3:34am
What do you use, a chain? I used to use the Kryptonite New York chain and mini lock, but then once I needed to get a locksmith to open it, and it took less than a minute, so I figured it wasn't necessarily better than a U-lock. Except that it looks tougher and therefore might discourage thieves altogether.

Ron said:
Sorry for your loss. I agree, U-locks suck and don't use one myself. It takes about 25 seconds to the models you have pictured, so perhaps no one actually saw the thief jack your bike.
The Flea market at 43rd and Ashland is littered with stolen shit. Some guys wait 6 months of more to put a bike out for sale. Easy to do since inventory cost is really cheap.
Permalink Reply by Allie O on May 3, 2010 at 3:35am
Laura, the same thing happened to my boyfriend's bike last Friday. We both locked up on George at Sheffield. His Ulock was cut right through, bike taken with the cable lock still attached. They left my bike, and many others on the street, untouched.
Permalink Reply by Laura on May 3, 2010 at 3:39am
had to be the same guy! That is less than 1 mile from my apt.

Around what time? Was his bike nicer than the other ones around it?

What is even crazier is this was the day of a cubs game, when people are all over this part of town. how does no one see or stop this?

Allie O said:
Laura, the same thing happened to my boyfriend's bike last Friday. We both locked up on George at Sheffield. His Ulock was cut right through, bike taken with the cable lock still attached. They left my bike, and many others on the street, untouched.
Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 3, 2010 at 3:53am
Ron, great idea.

Ron said:
Sorry for your loss. I agree, U-locks suck and don't use one myself. It takes about 25 seconds to the models you have pictured, so perhaps no one actually saw the thief jack your bike.
The Flea market at 43rd and Ashland is littered with stolen shit. Some guys wait 6 months of more to put a bike out for sale. Easy to do since inventory cost is really cheap.

Perhaps a ride of about 40 or so people that visits this market every Saturday for a few weeks in row would reclaim some of these bikes. It would help if folks take and post pictures of their bikes especially the serial #. I'd be happy to sponsor coffee for the early morning ride and serve as a meetup place. I've gone to markets before and reclaimed property that I knew belonged to others. Trust me, they will very easily let you take it back. If there are 40 people staring them down, they may actually shit their pants. Have fun and reclaim other cyclists property. That's a win/win. Now who's in?
Permalink Reply by Allie O on May 3, 2010 at 3:56am
Laura,

He rode a nice Jamis. The police were alerted to suspicious activity, but by the time they were there [within minutes of us finding it], the suspect was gone. The call to the police described the suspect as a woman. Apparently she jumped into a cab and took off with the bike. There were lots of folks about--bouncers at Mad River and smokers stand right across from the spot our bikes were. We locked off Sheffield so the drunks wouldn't kick them. Instead, his got stolen.

Laura said:
had to be the same guy! That is less than 1 mile from my apt.

Around what time? Was his bike nicer than the other ones around it?

What is even crazier is this was the day of a cubs game, when people are all over this part of town. how does no one see or stop this?

Allie O said:
Laura, the same thing happened to my boyfriend's bike last Friday. We both locked up on George at Sheffield. His Ulock was cut right through, bike taken with the cable lock still attached. They left my bike, and many others on the street, untouched.
Permalink Reply by Bob Maher on May 3, 2010 at 4:07am
Allie O said:
We locked off Sheffield so the drunks wouldn't kick them. Instead, his got stolen.

Hmm. I never considered bike-kicking drunks as a theft deterrent.
Permalink Reply by Allie O on May 3, 2010 at 4:08am
sorry, it was about midnight that it happened.

do you have insurance on your lock?

Allie O said:
Laura,

He rode a nice Jamis. The police were alerted to suspicious activity, but by the time they were there [within minutes of us finding it], the suspect was gone. The call to the police described the suspect as a woman. Apparently she jumped into a cab and took off with the bike. There were lots of folks about--bouncers at Mad River and smokers stand right across from the spot our bikes were. We locked off Sheffield so the drunks wouldn't kick them. Instead, his got stolen.

Laura said:
had to be the same guy! That is less than 1 mile from my apt.

Around what time? Was his bike nicer than the other ones around it?

What is even crazier is this was the day of a cubs game, when people are all over this part of town. how does no one see or stop this?

Allie O said:
Laura, the same thing happened to my boyfriend's bike last Friday. We both locked up on George at Sheffield. His Ulock was cut right through, bike taken with the cable lock still attached. They left my bike, and many others on the street, untouched.
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 3, 2010 at 4:08am
I'm down for a recovery ride, call the date and I will do everything I can to be there. Somebody should bring their trailer in case we reclaim a few.

FYI: In the day of the cordless angle grinder there is NO method of locking your bike up that can not be defeated in a a minute or two. Period.
Permalink Reply by RyanG on May 3, 2010 at 4:39am
That's horrible to hear, I'm very close to George /Sheffield.

I guess the ultimate lesson is that no bike is safe, and locks are just delay mechanisms. Also, insure it and have a junker bike for backup.

Has anyone ever had a junk bike stolen? Is the common theme newer bikes with clean paint jobs?

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