(Photo B Smith/PAZ)
We frequently received emails and phone calls from people who find bikes they suspect to be stolen. Usually they’re abandoned on a rack or strewn in a ditch or trash pile. And usually they’re relatively low-dollar bikes.
But yesterday, a southeast Portland man found a high-end mountain bike stashed in the bushes near SE Division Street and now he’s trying to find its owner. The person who found the bike brought it to Brian Smith, who runs the Portland Autonomous Zone DIY workspace at SE 16th and Woodward. Smith has found and recovered several stolen bikes over the years and says it’s common for thieves in his neighborhood to stash bikes while they continue to hit other targets.
I know all about how bikes get stashed. When mine got stolen in November, I found it stashed under I-5. It was just sitting there, unlocked, with no one around.
Smith is sure the bike was stolen. He’s posted this photo to Facebook and on Craigslist hoping to find the owner.
Let’s try and get this bike back to its owner. Message Smith via Facebook or email him through Craigslist if you know anything about this bike.
UPDATE, 2/5, 4:30pm: Brian Smith said he has been contacted by the bike’s owner and he’s “super stoked”! Thanks for spreading the word everyone.
on a side note, you’re violating craigslist rules by posting stolen bikes in the For Sale section… bad community karma…
I’m curious: what’s the problem with posting suspected stolen bikes as “found” in the CL “for sale” section? It’s one if the first places people look when their bikes are stolen.
because you’re not selling them… It’s a For Sale section… there’s a separate section for Lost & Found…
craig’s site, craig’s rules…
Sometimes craig is a real dummy.
I assume it is not listed on any of the lists as stolen? (Note to self: Register my bikes’ serial numbers, etc., on Bike Index tonight!)
DO IT! I finally got around to registering mine over New Year’s eve (yeah, real party animal ;). What a relief to know my s/n’s are all where I can access them quickly and easily if I ever need to. Very easy to edit and update any info in your account. Go for it!
I’d like to see a “bikes found” section of BikeIndex. (Yeah, Bryan, I owe you an email!)
We checked. It’s not on file with us (BikeIndex) yet.
It’s entirely possible that the owner hasn’t realized it’s stolen yet, so if it comes in we’ll point them towards Bryan Smith’s posts.
I see a nice tallbike in the background….
Does it have a local store’s sticker on it?
Might also be worth calling Specialized with the serial number–they may be able to say what dealer the bike was originally shipped to and from there linked to a legitimate owner.
Is that back fender rusty? Or is that just a weird lighting thing?
Also, at what point is it not okay to assume a bike is stolen and steal it back? When does “reclaiming” a bike if you aren’t the owner become stealing?
It’s not rusty just wet. I don’t know anybody that is going to stash a 2-3k mountain bike into some bushes unlocked. What I do know is that bike thieves will stash near where stolen if still active in area or just to go back later so not seen with it right after theft. I don’t believe the neighbor that brought it to us left a number, but in past we did as almost a joke…knowing the theft would never call us. But it’s been validating to go back and find the piece of people with number crumbled up on ground.
It’s a plastic SKS Xtra Dry fender. Looks a little muddy too.
Second paragraph raises some important issues. It’s not stealing if the rightful owner takes it back. However, taking possession of an unlocked, unattended bike, and removing it, might certainly be considered stealing by some. Someone might get caught up in a bait bike sting operation doing that, although I assume the PD doesn’t set out unlocked bait bikes. Is there actually a legally sanctioned place to turn in “found” bikes, other than the local police station?
just saw a gray with red trim mtb/hybrid head down the Springwater on the shoulder of one of the local chop-shoppers…anyone missing a bike?
dibs on the tall bike in the background!
Not to hijack but my house was broken into and bike stolen on the 25th not to far from where this bike was found. Please keep an eye out for me: http://imgur.com/a/ExQ4W photo of bike and the break in.
Uhm that’s not a “high-end” or even “newer” mtb particularly with those v-brakes. 😉
Wow…way to show support BikePortland readers! Great job!
Comment was made as only “high end” bikes seem to be featured on the front page and if that’s the case, all stolen bikes should be featured. Singling out certain models seems privileged.
Regardless, glad the post helped get the owner his bike back!
Just got email from the CL post which doesn’t have pic. Owner of 10 years was able to identify stickers and etc. It was stolen last night off Clinton and 18th when unattended for 2 mins while he went through basement to open front door. I can say he’s SUPER EXCITED TO GET IT BACK…YAY!!!
Way to go!
PS, if anybody wants to build freak bikes hit us up at PAZ, we actually have a bunch of freak bikes chained up outside not just one:P
On some of my bikes I taped a phone number to the bottom of the BB shell next to the serial number. I used plastic tape and a Dymo printer and then taped over it with clear 3M packing tape. I keep photos of my bikes and serial numbers, some of which include this phone number sticker in the photo. On my beater bike I taped this in several places. Not a deterrent, I’m sure, but a possible (redundant) safeguard.
That’s funny, when I read this article this AM I was thinking that it looked like a bike that’s often locked in the basement of my office building. When I got in to work, it was there in the basement… I just figured it was an eerily similar bike…
I saw this guy ride by me yesterday as i was waiting for the bus…
Small town, i guess.
I’m sure that whoever borrowed it was just running late for a job interview across town. Sure hope they got the job!
i tried to forget that advocate’s justification for stealing bikes from the bike theft summit. thanks for bringing back to my attention (not)