The Chainlink

"With all the stolen bike posts lately (and no one thinking "I wonder if there's something under Useful Links for this."), I think it's well past time to make a sticky about the Stolen Bike Registry"

 - Tank-Ridin' Ryan

 

Well said Ryan.

 

 

http://chicago.stolenbike.org/

 

Done and done.

 

And sticky too.

 

 

Cheers - Lee Diamond

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He did. Right at top.

For now.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Seeing as how I asked Lee to create this thread to alert people to the Stolen Bike Registry, I really hope you've submitted a report there.

Marty A. said:
Shit damn fuck. We had our first bike stolen today less than 30 min. after returning from BTD; and it was stolen from our garage. It is a Dolce Elite, white with clipless pedals, black seat and black bar tape (non standard)

I went to Maxwell market street Market a few weeks ago and it seemed like a "normal" street market. no bikes. I think Swap-O-Rama is more shady and the place to look. (see the event page, we are going there this weekend)

Marty A. said:
Not to sound dumb, but what are the details on Maxwell Street Market? I have *heard* a bit about it. . . . but know no real information. Is it on tomorrow? Today?

Peter Muller said:
Did you go to the Maxwell St Market this morning and try to find it???
At Maxwell Street two weeks ago, a friend texted me a picture of a 2009 Orbea Onix that sells for $2000 and the man was asking $1200. The man was legit with reciept. ext. I guess it depends on the day..
My friend used to oversee vendor operations at Maxwell Street Market. The official policy was/is that whenever confronted with a legitimate claim that items for sale were stolen (photo, serial #, receipt), police would be summoned and the vendor would have to surrender the items to the claimant. Vendors were made to understand this. This probably moved sales of stolen bikes elsewhere. I'm not sure if there is any such policy at Swap-o-Rama (presumably not).
So my wife and I each carrying a toddler stepped off the train at Irving Park Blue line station and walking from there I noticed two guys turn and walk away, one of whom then proceeded to place the 2' long bolt cutters he was carrying into a hold all. I then saw that various bikes chained to the racks were all lying on the floor.

Mentioned it to my wife and kept an eye on them whilst looking for a patrol car. As the two suspicious guys crossed the road we informed the station attendant who told us that a couple of bikes had recently been stolen.

We noted where the guys were headed and phoned the police when we got home 5 mins later. They said they would send someone. Then Sarah called them again as the two suspects walked past our porch but this time with a bike. They said they were sending someone. I jumped on my bike, kept my distance and followed the guys into a dead end and noted where they went.

Can you find a patrol car when you want one? I even went to the diner and Dunkin Donuts - what are the chances of no police cars at either. I stood on the street or 15 minutes but saw no help from those in blue.

Someone is going to get off their train this afternoon expecting a nice little ride home in the sun and will be very disappointed.

So, I am guessing we should be extra vigilant when locking bikes up, especially around the Blue line up here. Also if you see someone walking around with bolt cutters it is something the police should like to be notified about - it is not normal behaviour and any innocent mechanic or construction worker will have nothing to fear.

So details, if anyone feels like keeping an eye open.

White guy around 6', very stocky, cropped ginger hair, white t-shirt and black shorts. Carrying a black hold all and 3' long bolt cutters.

African American guy around 20yrs old(?), maybe 5'9, cropped black hair, red basketball vest with number '00' in white on back with white side panels containing stars, long black shorts.

Last seen reaching the end of Lowell Avenue as it dead ends one block north of Irving Park with a black coloured bike - possibly not theirs.
Just trying to help.

Could I have done more when I saw them being dodgy - sure but as I said I was with my wife and two two year olds - we are talking bikes here not worth risking any injury, especially not to a two year old. I do not have a cell phone and was not carrying a camera - so no photos. I can do a quick sketch if you like!!?

Just wanted to say of you are locking up around Irving Park and the Blue line there have been a few thefts - keep it in mind.
Simmer down. It was a request for future occurrences. Thank you for reporting this incident.

Steve Dennis said:
Just trying to help.

Could I have done more when I saw them being dodgy - sure but as I said I was with my wife and two two year olds - we are talking bikes here not worth risking any injury, especially not to a two year old. I do not have a cell phone and was not carrying a camera - so no photos. I can do a quick sketch if you like!!?

Just wanted to say of you are locking up around Irving Park and the Blue line there have been a few thefts - keep it in mind.
I've tried to write out what's most frustrating about this but i think it best if I just bite my tongue from here on out. I would just ask that you take a look at this thread and look at a few pages of the Chicago Stolen Bike Registry, and especially of the map view.

It is very useful to have this information. Of note:

-I've heard from a cop that "a 24" bolt cutters is the item most often found on a bike thief."
(never mind the fact that very few cops in this city have ever done more than yawn and scratch themselves upon being confronted with a bike theft in progress.) Your bolt cutter changes from 2 feet to 3 feet in your account but a 2-footer is more than adequate to snip most cable locks easily so I'll assume 3' was a mistake.

-There is a total of exactly one reported bike theft from that location recorded at the registry.
Maybe it's time for stickers? Could you estimate how many bikes you saw laying on the ground?
It would be useful e.g. in bringing up to the city at a MBAC meeting-- maybe get the registry URL included in the basic bike rack sticker?

-Good info to hear that these two guys were working together as a team. I don't think I've ever had a witnessed theft account that involved more than one thief.



Hate to pester you, but again:



I jumped on my bike, kept my distance and followed the guys into a dead end and noted where they went.


So does this mean you know "where they went?" Is there anything there you'd be able to share, maybe offline?





Steve Dennis said:
Just trying to help.
Could I have done more when I saw them being dodgy - sure but as I said I was with my wife and two two year olds - we are talking bikes here not worth risking any injury, especially not to a two year old. I do not have a cell phone and was not carrying a camera - so no photos. I can do a quick sketch if you like!!?
Just wanted to say of you are locking up around Irving Park and the Blue line there have been a few thefts - keep it in mind.
>>
Sad that this is a common occurrence but I can imagine with the economic climate + popularity of biking it will only get worse. Thank you for the link and a place to put information in case of a theft.

Is the site on the honour system? i.e. I post the bike & serial # in hopes that a vigilant individual or Police Officer finds it?
In a hurry, but in brief my hope was simply to make us smarter and make it easier to connect the dots, and maybe get some stolen bikes back to their owners.
I could probably generate a long and fairly useless list of benefits I was hoping for, but the biggies:

-make it much harder for a thief to use the internet to fence bikes-- hoping community-minded cyclists could connect the dots at 2 A.M. in their underwear and alert owners to matches on craigslist, eBay, etc.

-document the bike theft problem, show where it's happening and how

-provide an edcuational tool to help cyclists make the best choices to avoid theft.

The use of this resource to go on missions to flea markets and attempt mass-recoveries was not specifically foreseen-- I'm thrilled and grateful that that's happening.

We don't get much help from police within Chicago city limits where the bike theft problem is concerned-- pretty much on our oen there.

Tim S said:
Sad that this is a common occurrence but I can imagine with the economic climate + popularity of biking it will only get worse. Thank you for the link and a place to put information in case of a theft.

Is the site on the honour system? i.e. I post the bike & serial # in hopes that a vigilant individual or Police Officer finds it?
Anybody ever come up here in Wisconsin and check Seven-Mile Fair to the north of Racine? You could get lucky up there.
My specialized allez was stolen last week friday at 14th and State out of my garage. It is exactly as the pic except in dark grey. I replaced the seat and it now has a bonrtanger seat. I also just put on brand new michelin city tires. The bike has a little damage on the right grip (If sitting on the bike)where the specialized allez plug goes into the bar. Has the carbon fiber front wheel wishbone. There is also a sensor on the front wheel that i left on after removing the computer. It might have 2 stickers, one on the front where the fork attaches to the frame, It says Trinidad & Tobago. Also a sticker of a blue lion on the frame close to the top connection to the steering column. Have a under seat pouch and had a holder for my bike lock on the seat shaft infront of the rear tire. added a pic of a bike similiar to mine except mine is dark grey also a pic of the sticker on the bike.

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