Lakeview bike thief apparently NOT arrested

Tonight around 1:30am I confronted a guy with a battery powered grinder on a lock at the corner of Belmont and Broadway. The bike was a Lemond road bike with the number 3413 on the top tube. I walked up to the guy and asked him what he was doing and he said that he lost his key. I had some words with the guy for a few minutes and saw a guy down the block on the phone. I kept him occupied long enough for the cops to show up. They took my ID ran it found nothing I missed last call but still had time to buy booze.

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Permalink Reply by Liz on May 25, 2010 at 5:02am

The station should have a record of the responding officers. If they knew how much that bike was potentially worth, and still did not do their job then we really need to start insisting that police officers in this city don't take bike theft lightly.

Whether or not its "smart" to have a bike that expensive outside, cutting the lock off and stealing it is a crime and charges should be filed when a thief is caught.

steve rulz said:

I didn't get the cops names. I did mention to one of them that the bike was probably worth about $1500. He just made some response about how stupid it was for the owner to leave a bike worth that much outside.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on May 25, 2010 at 5:49am

I recommend going to the local Beat/CAPS meeting. I was planning on going to the upcoming one for my area of Lakeview but will be out of town. Here is a link to the website with the information. http://44thward.org/Safety%20Pages/Safety_Pages_Print/About_CAPS_Pr...

We need to make others aware of what is going on and the apparent lack of what is being done about it. I plan on going to the July one and will try to get an ‘event’ going for it to get more people to go.

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Permalink Reply by Vilda on May 25, 2010 at 2:27pm

This is a better idea then filing the complaint. ;-) Though to each there own. Don't run a red light though. :-)

Laura said:

I recommend going to the local Beat/CAPS meeting. I was planning on going to the upcoming one for my area of Lakeview but will be out of town. Here is a link to the website with the information. http://44thward.org/Safety%20Pages/Safety_Pages_Print/About_CAPS_Pr...

We need to make others aware of what is going on and the apparent lack of what is being done about it. I plan on going to the July one and will try to get an ‘event’ going for it to get more people to go.

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Permalink Reply by Martin Hazard on May 25, 2010 at 3:37pm

Once again we arrive at the bike-theft-sting idea. It is a concept I like, but have never envisioned coming to a good end.

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Permalink Reply by Ben on May 25, 2010 at 4:09pm

I had my Jamis Coda Elite stolen around the area about a month ago; heavily trafficked area, Kryptonite orange + additional cable lock. Last time I ride a nice bike in Chicago (my '94 converted Bridgestone that I rode for 12 years lives forever in my memory!).

I want the person arrested & prosecuted. I'm a bit troubled at how violent some of my thoughts have been regarding the scenario of me catching him/him/him/her in the act. I do believe the life of a person stealing bikes is pathetic, socially disconnected, and desperate. I'm not really sure what I would have done had I been there. But I know my more boyish reactions host the seed of what drove them to do it in the first place.

No answers, just thoughts.

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Permalink Reply by Sue Clark on May 26, 2010 at 9:29am

What does that say about people who park cars on the street?

steve rulz said:

I didn't get the cops names. I did mention to one of them that the bike was probably worth about $1500. He just made some response about how stupid it was for the owner to leave a bike worth that much outside.