Craigslist "ads" about stolen bikes

[donnambr]

Have any of you heard about this? When people post these kinds of announcements, I never know what to think. Is this really a nest of stolen bikes or is the poster engaging in some sort of political struggle with their neighbors? I'm apprehensive because - in writing at least - some of these guys match general descriptions of our bicycling homeless, many of whom would not be involved in bike theft. Yet the ads definitely arrest my attention. Every time I see a notice about a stolen bike, I get sick to my stomach.

Do any of you encounter situations where you just know those bikes you're seeing are stolen? What do you do - call the police? Has it resulted in busting up some kind of theft-related operation or has zilch changed? What other options are there? It warmed my heart to read about the Zoobomber bike recovery committee, but it's not always possible to take that kind of risk.

Thoughts, opinions, ideas, discussion, rants, anyone?

[justuspost]

I ride the bus alot and see this all the time. What are you suppost to do? Call the cops on every toothless dude with a new bike? It angers me, right or wrong, when I see a homeless looking guy with worn out shoes on a high end bike with egg beaters on it... I am currently trying to come up with some solution so that law enforcement can easialy identify a stolen bike. If it is a stolen car, there is a VIN and a stolen report with them and a general description. If a bike is gone, all you have is one word against another. In japan they register bikes, simular to registering cars. If the cops stop you and run the numbers and it isnt your name, you go the koban (police box) for a while and you get to explain yourself.

We have to do something. I am currently mulling over the idea of a private registery to log all of your bike info. This way you can easially verify stolen bikes with pictures, serial #'s etc. I hope that this would help us to prove that it is our bike and let everyone know what bikes are stolen with pictures etc. Also it could help the police identify stolen bikes the same as stolen cars.

Of course there is alot more that needs to be worked out on this, so I am definatly open to any ideas. I am tired of seeing stolen bike adds and seeing people ride bikes they didn't earn.

Justus

[Rixtir]

The link doesn't work anymore, but I think I know which ads you were referring to. I look at it like this: If the house has a bunch of bikes stashed all over the place, and somebody claims to have found their bike there, I see nothing wrong with a little visit from law enforcement to determine if they are stolen bikes.

Maybe it's only someone harassing their neighbors, but the cops can determine if the bikes have been reported stolen. I'd rather have the cops show up and determine that it's just neighbors harassing neighbors than have the cops ignore an obvious bike theft ring.

[Medic_Pilot]

Do bikes have any serial numbers on them?

I mean, if I were to purchase a new bike today and wanted to protect that investment in case it was stollen, what would be the best way to go about that.

I can certainly take pics of it, but what else does the bike come stock with that uniquely identifies it as mine?

[PoPo]

All bicycles of any value have serial numbers--usually stamped on the bottom of the bottom bracket tube (the short tube to which the two pedal cranks are attached). The best way to safeguard your bicycle is to write down the make and model and serial number of your bike and keep that record someplace safe. Ideally, also take a digital photo of your bicycle. If you bought it new, keep the receipt in a safe place and make sure the receipt has the bike's serial number on it.

If your bicycle is stolen, you can report that information to the police. The serial number is then entered into a computer database of stolen property. If an officer thinks a bicycle might be stolen, he/she can run the serial number of the bicycle in question to see if it is listed in the stolen database.

The picture can also be posted on websites like this one so other community members can help you find it as well. It also helps to verify your ownership of the bicycle.

If you have an engraver, you could also apply something called an Owner Applied Number. Your driver's license number is a great one to use, as that is a quick, easy way for an officer anywhere to identify the owner of a piece of property. For example if you have a Oregon driver's license, number 1234567, you might engrave "OR1234567" on your bicycle someplace. Any officer could then run the number on his/her computer and have your name and address in seconds. You can do this with any valuable piece of property, not just bicycles. This Owner Applied Number can be reported and then listed in the stolen property database as well

I have been taking stolen bicycle reports for four years and the percentage of people who know the serial number of their stolen bicycle is very, very small. Let's increase that percentage!

[Medic_Pilot]

Thanks for the info. And the Owner Applied Number is brilliant. I would never have thought of that.

[Rixtir]

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/bik/206001938.html

Message from Big Willy of Sweet Rides RE: stolen bikes

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to: see below
Date: 2006-09-11, 4:04PM PDT


Hey Portland, this is Big Willy of Sweet Rides, and today I was able to return a stolen Raleigh hybrid back to its owner. I bought the bike last night from a man who was advertising a Peugoet single speed on craigslist, the ad said

Peugeot- Racing Bicycle - $200

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply to: see below
Date: 2006-09-10, 3:07PM PDT


Racing Bicycle (Single Gear)
Very good condition
$200 O.B.O.
Call me, Mr. Rahman @ 503 467 6222
Must sale tonight!!!


this is in or around Downtown PDX (Incall/Outcall)

no -- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests


So the person who bought the Peugeot single speed is more than likly riding a stolen bike. People shopping craigslist for a bike should not buy a bike from this man, He is a black male 5'10 and looks like he is on crack. Please do not buy anything from this man because you are buying stolen property. I bought the bike in hopes of returning it to its original owner, and was sucessful. DO NOT SUPPORT BIKE THEIVES, it only encourges them! P.S. If I catch up with you Mr.Rahman, I will dispense a little street justice on ya.



no -- it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests




206001938

[ben]

awesome.

Willy is a great dude.
he built my mids 80s pink peugeot mixte fixie.
along with bikes for my roommate ryan, my friend claire, and her dad.
quality stuff.

and i'm proud (and thankful) he is helping get some of these bikes back.
mr. rahman is gonna be hurtin' if he keeps up this habit.

[editrixpdx]

Sidebar: Shift had a super bike registration program at Salmon Nation last Sat. They took a Polaroid of you and your bike as you entered their bike parking, then while you were at the block party they put your reg # and some identifiers on a tag (mine included "fancy riding seat"--heee!), which you then attached to the back of the pic.

Sweet!

[BillD]

Originally Posted by PoPo

All bicycles of any value have serial numbers--usually stamped on the bottom of the bottom bracket tube (the short tube to which the two pedal cranks are attached). The best way to safeguard your bicycle is to write down the make and model and serial number of your bike and keep that record someplace safe. Ideally, also take a digital photo of your bicycle. If you bought it new, keep the receipt in a safe place and make sure the receipt has the bike's serial number on it.

If your bicycle is stolen, you can report that information to the police. The serial number is then entered into a computer database of stolen property. If an officer thinks a bicycle might be stolen, he/she can run the serial number of the bicycle in question to see if it is listed in the stolen database.

The picture can also be posted on websites like this one so other community members can help you find it as well. It also helps to verify your ownership of the bicycle.

If you have an engraver, you could also apply something called an Owner Applied Number. Your driver's license number is a great one to use, as that is a quick, easy way for an officer anywhere to identify the owner of a piece of property. For example if you have a Oregon driver's license, number 1234567, you might engrave "OR1234567" on your bicycle someplace. Any officer could then run the number on his/her computer and have your name and address in seconds. You can do this with any valuable piece of property, not just bicycles. This Owner Applied Number can be reported and then listed in the stolen property database as well

I have been taking stolen bicycle reports for four years and the percentage of people who know the serial number of their stolen bicycle is very, very small. Let's increase that percentage!

We really need to start doing these things. If we have our information recorded ahead of time, a report can be made in a matter of minutes. Here is a previous post on the subject.

Bike Theft

Bill