(Photo © J. Maus)
Once again bike theft seems to be on the uptick in the Portland region. In August we had a record 109 stolen bike listings and we’re on pace for a big increase in September (52 listed already). This morning I learned of two thefts over the weekend from local bike shops — both of which came during test rides.
Lakeside Bicycles employee Robert Shigeta reports that two men came into their shop around noon on Saturday. After looking around at bikes and talking with sales people, one of them asked to test ride a Lynskey cyclocross bike (see the listing here).
As collateral for the bike, the man offered up a Florida driver’s license. Unfortunately it was fake. Shigeta says they’ve given the fake ID to the Lake Oswego Police and the theft is currently under investigation. (Shigeta describes the man as a white male, about 5-foot 8-inches and around 30 years old.)
And yesterday, a similar thing happened to Citybikes on SE 8th and Ankeny.
According to a shop employee, a man asked to test ride a Surly Long Haul Trucker. As collateral, the man left behind a bag. Unfortunately, “[the bag] was worthless” says the employee. Citybikes has listed the stolen bike and they’ve offered a $100 shop gift certificate for information leading to its recovery. Keep your eyes peeled.
Thankfully, at least at Lakeside, this type of theft isn’t common. Shigeta says he’s worked there since 2009 and hasn’t experience it and it’s only happened a few times in the shop’s 14 years in business. Even so, if you work at a shop, let these recent thefts be a reminder to stay vigilant when sending bikes out on test rides.
— For more on recent bike thefts, watch the KGW-TV news tonight at 4:45, 5:00 and 6:00. Also check out our Stolen Bikes page for tips on prevention and recovery.