Break-in attempt at Clever Cycles; reward offered

Last night around midnight, two would-be thieves tried to break into Clever Cycles on SE Hawthorne Blvd. Here’s a photo of the scene taken a few hours ago:

Front window of Clever Cycles on SE Hawthorne.
The shop is offering a $500 reward for information
leading to the arrest of the culprits.
(Photo: Tyler Robertson)

Shop manager Tyler Robertson says the incident was caught on the shop’s security cameras. Apparently, the two thieves threw a fire extinguisher at the front window of the shop and attempted to grab a new Yuba Mundo cargo bike that was in the display. Luckily, the glass was double-plated and shatterproof and the thieves weren’t able to get inside.

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Robertson says the shop is offering $500 to anyone with information that leads to the arrest of the culprits. The security video didn’t get a good look at them and at this point all they know is that the would-be thieves were wearing dark hoodies.

“We didn’t get a good look at their faces,” says Robertson, “but the cops are checking the extinguisher for fingerprints, so we’re hopeful they’ll find a match.”

The window will cost about $2,000 to replace.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Kyrstin
Kyrstin
15 years ago

oh, thats terrible! The only thing worse than a horse thief is a bike thief, and Clever Cycles is such a wonderful community resource: I have relied on them for their insight expertise, especially with regard to bike commuting with kids, and they have come to my rescue more than once with emergency bike repairs. It seems they always have time to help a cyclist in distress, and never seem to run out of patience answering questions. I hope they catch the culperates!

matt picio
15 years ago

Glad they didn’t succeed. Hopefully Clever Cycles’ insurance policy covers the window replacement. Ugh.

Xtrasue
15 years ago

Hooray for jackass-proof windows!

T Williams
T Williams
15 years ago

That bike will cost as much as a diamond ring. And jewelers remove their merch from the windows at closing.

Paige
Paige
15 years ago

Was confused when I went to pick up my new bike this morning. Glad nothing was taken!

C Mariam
C Mariam
15 years ago

T Williams, the emotions you’re looking for are called compassion and empathy. Moron.

Eric
Eric
15 years ago

At my shop, I make sure that bikes in the window are not only locked up, but that the lock is clearly visible from the outside. Even a heavy-duty cable is probably sufficient deterrent for a smash-and-grab. Even if someone decides to try it, the extra couple of minutes required to cut a cable would probably be useful. I rarely wish harm to anyone, but I hope that the culprits get nailed by a big piece of broken glass if they do manage to reach into the window next time!

Klixi
Klixi
15 years ago

That sucks! Glad they didn’t get the bike though. You have to be really brazen (and dumb) to smash a window to a business that sits RIGHT on Hawthorne!

Joe Doebele
15 years ago

It’s not like the Mundo’s that expensive, either.

On the up side, maybe this bodes well for Mundo sales. Glad they didn’t get it, you guys.

Joe
Joe
15 years ago

I’m glad the bikes stay in the window.. I love to see them and they reinforce the perception of safety on the street to see something nice as you walk by. Certainly better than an empty display case or worse yet, a blank wall with no window at all.

velo
velo
15 years ago

I saw that window getting boarded up and wondered what happened. That is unfortunate. Hopefully these jokers get caught before they succeed in stealing something. Then again, I have little faith in the PPB’s skills are priorities. Keep those bikes locked up and the cameras on.

maxadders
maxadders
15 years ago

The CCC on Alberta has taken to removing all its bikes from the window every night and locking them together on the sales floor, in addition to leaving the lights on all night– probably in response to last year’s burglary…

todd
todd
15 years ago

coffee goes wrong way when i think “diamond ring” and “cargo bike” together, as if both were shiny, anonymous objects of concentrated wealth and status, equally subject to the crow-like thievery of the hoodied classes fighting the Man.

ValkRaider
ValkRaider
15 years ago

Clever Cycles rules!

I hope you catch the punks.

Next time install boobie-traps. Claymore style.

🙂

Also, really stylish iron bars can be crafted. Maybe some cool bike design that looks more like art but functions like deterrance.

Maybe I’ll go buy something from them at lunch. 🙂