A carbon Bianchi like this one,
valued at nearly $6,000 was among
five other bikes stolen from Lakeside Bicycles.
valued at nearly $6,000 was among
five other bikes stolen from Lakeside Bicycles.
Six high-end bikes were stolen from Lakeside Bicycles in Lake Oswego last night.
Shop owner Gordon Harber says theives took the bikes from the shop’s outside storage rack shortly before closing on Friday. All the bikes were un-locked at the time the theft occurred.
Harber has filed a police report and wants to spread word in the community in hopes of recovering the bikes. Here are the bikes that were stolen (followed by their serial numbers).
- Silver Specialized StumpJumper FSR 29er (SN-M8CK04033)
- 49cm Team color Bianchi Cross Concept Scandium (SN-H5A30199)
- 55cm Gold Bianchi Volpe (SN-HR04782)
- 59cm White Bianchi 928 Lugged Carbon Liquigas scheme, full Campy Record, extremely rare (SN-WBK569041Z)
- Dark red Bianchi Super. (Harber says this bike is “irreplaceable” because it was passed down to a customer from his late father and has “extreme sentimental value”.)
- Grey/Black Damaged Trek Series 4.
Keep an eye out for these bikes and if you see them, or have any information about them, call the shop at (503) 699-8665 and ask to speak to Gordon or Jack.
Thanks for reading.
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Wait, outside storage rack? Were they locked? Why is the shop storing customers’ bikes outdoors?
Rotten luck. Hope the owner gets the bikes back. People with the money to legally buy such beautiful bikes should be the ones getting them.
I imagine people will be wondering how this could happen when the bike store hadn’t even closed yet. Did the thieves cut through U-locks or cable locks securing the bikes to the outside storage rack? I’d be surprised if the owner didn’t have some kind of lock securing the bikes to the rack.
Someone decided it was time for the bike shop to “share the wealth”.
After hearing reports of thieves targeting all the mass urban rides to nab high-dolla rides, I’ve quit rolling bikes I don’t wanna lose.
The complacency is nothing short of AMAZING.
I doubt the thief who took them even knows what he has. White Carbon, Fully Campy Record, he’ll probably pawn it for 200 bucks. There’s no way that they weren’t locked up outside. Gordon isn’t dumb.
I worked bicycle retail and will tell you if they want to steal a bike they will.
A customer came in for a test ride, left his license and credit card and rode off on a $2500 mtn bike. The customer had reported his wallet stolen hours before and used that as an alibi to stealing the bike.
I had one taken out of the store in broad daylight. I can’t prove it but I know it was a three man team. Two in the store distracting the staff while the third grabbed it and rode off.
As a customer leaving a bike for service I expect my bike to be secure. Storing bikes outside where they aren’t in view at all times is just plain negligent.
Wow! I love Lakeside bicycles and I purchased my bad-ass carbon French Time bike there. Granted the bike is worth more than my car but I ride my bike more than I drive so it’s worth it. I love my “high-dolla ride” because it is the most amazing ride!! And I hope the person who is responsible did not do it because he or she wanted to “share the wealth” because stealing is stealing. If Afro biker feels this sentiment than explain it to the guy who’s father passed down a very irreplaceable and sentimental Bianchi that was stolen! Please PDX bike community can’t we all just get along? Who cares if you have a Huffy or a Bianchi Carbon, let’s look out for one another and make it a safer environment for all! I know I will be keeping my eyes peeled for these bikes!
Watch Craigslist!
So who is on the hook? The bike shop or the customer? I assume they would have insurance for such a event.
Good luck in the recovery. When the great bike theft of ’08 went down in St. Johns, the cops found the tweekers selling them two blocks away from the store at the buss mall. Master criminals
Well, as bad as I feel for them, they might want to be a little smarter and LOCK the bikes up that they keep outside. I have been a customer there for years, and every time I go in the back entrance, there are always several high end bikes sitting outside on a rack, and they are always unlocked. Sorry bout’ your luck, but you should have been smarter.
if the theives know what they have those bikes will be stripped and sold in different markets, someone should cross post this to all the west coast bike forums…
What am I missing? Based on the article only one bike is clearly a bike of a customer. That does not mean all of them are. Further, I would not assume the bikes were unlocked – that would be stupid and extremely negligent.
It would be nice if the story included basic details, such as the locking situation. I have to admit I am amused when bike shops often have high-end bikes outside, with nothing but cable locks and little supervision.
Would be nice to catch the thieves, but from a business perspective, this is what insurance is for. Will his rates go up for filing a claim? Sure.
NEWSFLASH:
Rich lose bikes, no one cares.
PJ #12 way to add to the conversation, nice job.
“It would be nice if the story included basic details, such as the locking situation. “
I admit the story is not as complete as I would have preferred. However, I haven’t had time to contact the owner’s directly and when bikes are stolen, time is of the essence in getting the word out… i wanted to post this ASAP in hopes of getting the bikes back.
pj #13 = fantastic. but please a gold volpe? whoever was smart enough to buy that definitely needs to get it back. also I would like to clarify, are these customers’ bikes, were they locked and with what type of lock exactly?
the bikes are always right there in the back alley…ready for the taking.
Maybe we should stop blaming the victim, keep our eyes and ears open, and help our brothers get their bikes back.
I hope the Lakeside folks have notified Seattle-area stores that deal in used bikes. They should make sure that Recycled Cycles know about those machines.
When I drop by Lakeside on my bike, I’ll park in the rack mentioned. It’s unlocked because I don’t carry a lock with me on rec/training rides, yet I’ll stop in briefly to pick up a part. Plus– It’s downtown LO. Nothing like downtown PDX.
It’s likely that the bikes’ owners were inside the shop at the time.
And several jerks, who had been watching the back of the shop, struck when the opportunity seemed right.
There is such a thing a contributory negligence. While you are the victim of a crime actions on your part contributed to the crime.
If the bike was in for servicing, the victim is the owner of the bike not the shop and the shop would share responsibility for the theft of the bike.
If there is shown that the theft was due to negligence on the part of the shop the shop’s insurance company would not make full restitution for the loss. The owner of the bike would be due full compensation for the value of the bike which would have to be covered out of the shop’s pocket after the insurance company paid a lesser amount based on responsibility.
According to the listing at finetoothcoog.com, the bikes were unlocked, FYI.
If shop negligence is to blame, I hope that bike shop gives the customers that lost their bikes any bike they wish… or burns down.
finetoothcog.com also lists all bikes as belonging to customers and being un-locked.
If the bikes were in for service then the shop is going to be out of pocket if they were sitting outside the shop, in a rack, unlocked and out of the view of the shop staff. I can’t see any insurance company paying for this loss in any way shape or form.
If the customers came into the shop and left their bikes outside unlocked, they’ll just have to see if their homeowners policy will cover the cost.
Point the finger where you wish, but these bikes were stolen and Jonathan is trying to provide some quick info in an attempt to help recover them.
The negativity and underlying jealousy towards these bikes and the shop they were stolen from is astounding – sucks to be you, I guess.
Unfortunately, it seems like more and more of Portland’s “bike culture” cares little about bike theft or maybe even where their own bike came from. Instead they simply prefer to point out any possible short comings of the bike owner/s and insinuate that maybe they deserved to lose their possession.
Stating a desire for a locally owned small business to burn down is incredible. Imagine the outrage on BikePortland if it was suggested that the ZooBomb Pile should be burned. Which is what is typically done to piles of trash…
wow…PJ…have many pent up social issues regarding money?
how exactly do you know the owners of these bikes were “rich”?
most of the owners of high dollar bikes that I know got them on pro deals or ride for teams which get substantially reduced pricing on a lot of gear..paid probably less for one than you spend on beer each year…
***I call a timeout****
please check yourself and remain considerate of the shop and fellow commenters.
feel free to state your opinions, but please do so with class.
I hope they recover the bikes, but I just don’t have much sympathy for such egregious complacency. There’s no polite way to say it, but allowing several high-end bikes to disappear during business hours is just plain stupid. Every instance of theft is a wake-up call for the cycling community. It would be so easy to put the crackhead meth junkie thieves out of business in a matter of days if EVERYONE would just make an effort to lock their bikes effectively all the time.
Both Recycled Cycles and Second Ascent in Seattle have been notified of this article and the associated info.
word.
what strikes me as amazing, is that so few of these bicycles are ever recovered, and it seems like no one is ever charged with anything heavier than a misdemeanor for such theft.
Just once, I’d love to catch someone in the act. Just once, so we could test out the U-lock enema.
FYI regarding homeowners’ insurance and bikes:
1. It is ALWAYS a good idea to check in with your insurance agent when you acquire a new bike you want protected under your policy.
2. It is also advised that you maintain a file on every bike you own, including brand/model; serial number; size and color; and any distinguishing modifications made since purchase.
You should also have a color photo of the bicycle; and update this photo whenever you make significant upgrades/modifications to the bike. Keeping this info on file will save a lot of time if you ever have to file a stolen bike report.
3. My insurance policy covers our bikes, wherever they are, as long as they are either stored inside where the public doesn’t have access, or they are locked up when left outside. Your policy may vary and you should get the details from your agent. Also, most homeowners’ policies will cover bicycles in some way, but many renter’s policies do not. Be sure to check when buying or renewing a policy.
Adding to beth h’s post #30 . . . make sure you have replacement value on the bike(s), especially on the older models. You can request a value for a bike, but your premium may go up as this may require a rider to the policy.
As for the bike’s alledged unlocked condition . . . too bad lessons must be learned the hard way sometimes!
Dennis..I’ve spoken to officers about PDX bike theft a while back. What I was told is that most of the stolen bikes are immediately trucked across state lines and either sold to people elsewhere or chopped beyond recognition..
they generally do not stay within the PDX area so recovery is nearly often impossible. As to how one sells a carbon fiber bike for meth is beyond me…seeing as most metal recyclers don’t take carbon tubing..
these race bikes are probably in California by now..
My parents were on a road trip through Oregon from California. One night, as they were staying at their hotel, their bikes were stolen from their car, probably about $6,000 for the two bikes.
ONE YEAR LATER…. police raided a believed theft ring’s warehouse in, I believe, Salem. Since my parents had given the serial numbers to their bikes, the police were able to match one of the stolen bikes to my dad’s bike, and it was returned to him. Unfortunately, my mom did not get hers back.
Moral of the story, There is hope you can get your bike back, even if it is one year later.
Remember the 4000+ bikes recovered in Toronto this year?
Almost all of them went to auction because:
1. People did not record their serial numbers.
2. People did not file police reports.
You can’t get it back if you don’t have the correct paper trail.
I also got my stolen bike back after 1 year. I gave the police the serial number and they contacted me when the bike turned up in a raid. It was also still local.
The guy at the evidence warehouse told me they recover hundreds and hundreds of (probably) stolen bikes a year… but without a serial number, the owners are SOL.
Good luck to the owners of these bikes and may the thieves get what’s coming.
We want to thank everyone out there for your support and suggestions. Our first priority has been to make the owners of the stolen bicycles whole. The bicycles are being replaced where possible. Where we can no longer get a replacement the customers have been offered the closest equivalent available without regard to the resale value of the lost bicycle.
We keep a record of the serial numbers of every bicycle we sell and all the available information has been forwarded to the authorities, to bicycle shops in Portland and Seattle, as well as to websites such as BikePortland. In addition we are regularly checking Craigs List and E-Bay.
Thank-you again.
There’s an update on KGW about this story; apparently, two of the bikes have been recovered, and the police are offering a $500 reward on the rest.
They’ve got a couple of “people of interest”, a homeless couple.
Check it out
http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_102808_news_lake_oswego_bikes.1597ceed6.html