Question About U Locks and Bike Theft

I will occasionally read through the Stolen Bike reports to see what are the latest trends. As  was shown by a statistical report  posted on this site last  year,  the majority of thefts are with bikes locked by cable  or without a lock at all.

But I do se a disturbing number of bikes stolen that had been secured with a flat key type U Lock.  I went  through about 10 pages of the report yesterday and with one exception in all those cases of stolen bikes with ulocks  the  owner found the lock missing as well.

My operative assumption is that if somebody just cuts a lock they sure as well don't want to be caught/seen with a broken lock. And of course such lock has no value. This would explain my observation that   the reports of cut cable locks normally include mention of the cut cable left at the scene.

So this brings up a number of questions:

1) If these locks aren't being cut is there some easy way to pick them?  I assumed these locks for the last five years have required a cut to be removed.

2)  Even if the locks are compromised, why would a thief take the lock with him? Is there some way to get  replacement keys so the lock can be use?  I know with kryptonite you need  the original key number to get a replacement.

Just trying to understand what seems like strange behavior to me (writing as a non thief).

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Permalink Reply by Josh L. on May 25, 2014 at 5:13am

Nice to know they are environmentally friendly in their "work".  

Suppose you could be right if they did  their deed by car but who would want to bike around with a cut lock in their backpack?

Permalink Reply by Jaik S. on May 25, 2014 at 5:41am

I've heard a few different theories on this.

1. Bike was locked to a sign post, post removed, bike taken, lock not cut.

2. Cable locks are so cheap that you don't have to touch them when you cut them. U-Locks gather fingerprints.

3. Don't want to leave a lock when they're riding away, makes it look like the bike was stolen.

The part that pisses me off the most about the U-locks going missing is that Kryptonite would reimburse you if you had the lock.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on May 25, 2014 at 7:50am

1.  This doesn't fit the data I read. these were all bikes locked to racks or an object from which the bike couldn't be removed.  

2. is an interesting theory and makes sense. Would they run a fingerprint check for a stolen bike theft?

Not sure if I understand 3.  Assuming they cut the lock, which looks bad enough, what would it matter if they lock was left sitting there?  They are way too deep at that point to pretend nothing happened.  If stopped it's not like a cut lock would give them any kind of a legitimate excuse.  Only thing I can figure out is that some brand of lock is being cut that they are able to reuse with a substitute key.

Kryptonite point is right on. I wonder how many people fill out that registration form though. And as I recall it is only good for one year unless you renew for $.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on May 25, 2014 at 1:06pm

It would be interesting to see the results of a question regarding brand of lock that was removed (cut,l picked, etc.). Any reason you can;t do that?  The data  might highlight a vulnerability.

Permalink Reply by Nancy L. Fagin on May 25, 2014 at 4:43pm

I have found ulocks in the street - probably ones that have fallen off bikes.  I bring them to scrap metal recycling.  Scrap iron is only .12 a pound.  I don't know what steel/clean would be.

Sometimes I do see bikes on the back of scrap-metal collecting trucks and wonder where they all came from.  Part of their work is do clean out basements, yards, and garages.

Just as there are honest metal dealers, there seem to be some that will buy scrap of questionable heritage (the metal grates around trees, city street signs and post...even school buses).

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 25, 2014 at 4:56pm

Would you lock your bike somewhere there was a cut u-lock lying on the ground?

Seriously, you are way over thinking it.

Permalink Reply by Andy J on May 26, 2014 at 1:27am

I agree - leaving the cut locks on the ground would "spoil" the site for return visits.

We're all painfully aware that no lock is cut/grind proof, but seeing cut locks would make me either think twice about parking in the area, or encourage me to double down on locks if I had no choice in matter.


notoriousDUG said:

Would you lock your bike somewhere there was a cut u-lock lying on the ground?

Seriously, you are way over thinking it.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on May 26, 2014 at 3:17pm

Ha!  

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on May 26, 2014 at 3:20pm


Wow I live just a few blocks from there and have parked at that bar many times.  May have to reevaluate things...really surprised to learn that locks are being cut a) around here and b) with some frequency.  

That's not a remote area. Pretty ballsy of the perp.


h' 1.0 said:

This thief must have seen this thread.

http://chicago.stolenbike.org/node/195203

Permalink Reply by Bruce Kolozy on May 28, 2014 at 4:02am

Didn't Bicycling magazine run an article some years back showing how easy it is/was to pry open a u-lock? It seems all you need is a bar or pipe long enough to apply sufficient force to pry the "u" out of the lock cylinder.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on May 28, 2014 at 4:33am

With apologies to Archimedes, I don't know when or if Bicycling may have run such an article, but it is highly unlikely that a modern double bolt u-lock will be defeated by prying. The tool of choice these days is the cordless angle grinder. 

Bruce Kolozy said:

Didn't Bicycling magazine run an article some years back showing how easy it is/was to pry open a u-lock? It seems all you need is a bar or pipe long enough to apply sufficient force to pry the "u" out of the lock cylinder.

Permalink Reply by Michelle Milham on May 28, 2014 at 5:06am

I really wish they made the mini evo 5 inch with the double bolts :/ No leverage space AND double bolts? heck yeah. Alas, they don't. 

Kevin C said:

With apologies to Archimedes, I don't know when or if Bicycling may have run such an article, but it is highly unlikely that a modern double bolt u-lock will be defeated by prying. The tool of choice these days is the cordless angle grinder. 

Bruce Kolozy said:

Didn't Bicycling magazine run an article some years back showing how easy it is/was to pry open a u-lock? It seems all you need is a bar or pipe long enough to apply sufficient force to pry the "u" out of the lock cylinder.

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