Thieves hit WTF Bikes just days before opening – UPDATED

UPDATE, 2:30pm: Tom says he’s raised all the money he needs to replace everything! Thanks to everyone for helping him out!

Tom Daly-1

WTF Bikes owner Tom Daly.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Remember Tom Daly, the guy who offers bike-alongs to make sure you get the right used bike off Craigslist? He was all set to open his new shop, WTF Bikes (which stands for Well Tuned & Fast), this week, but unfortunately some nasty criminals decided to rob his shop in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

Daly says he lost over $1,100 worth of tools and bikes (see full list below). Here’s how it went down:

“They came over the fence at the south side of my lot, through the neighbor’s yard… They then clipped the lock that holds my chain link gate shut, helped themselves, and left the way they came in… They must have waited for me to get set up, because I brought all that stuff over there yesterday morning.”

Daly reports that he’s already well on his way to recovering much of the cash value of his stolen goods and he still plans to go forward with his grand opening party Wednesday night. Through the whole ordeal, Daly has kept a smile on his face.

“I’m trying to keep my head up, it’s tough, but I’m gonna be fine.”

Hit Daly’s donate button and read the latest at WTFBikes.net. Also, check out more about the theft and the response from the community on The Oregonian’s Hard Drive blog.


Here’s what’s missing. Keep your eyes open!

a small novara piedra MTB,

Iron Horse triumph 5.0, white with dirty white bar tape. Stock crank bros. pedals, missing a screw on rear rack, frayed front Derailleur cable, frayed rear brake cable. Right brake lever turned slightly from what looks like a crash, with bar tape separating below it.

park tools:
cable clippers cn-10c
master link pliers mlp-1c
crank bolt wrench ccw-5c
chain tools, shop(ct-3) and compact(ct-5c)
cone wrenches-15, 16, 17, 19mm
freewheel tools:
FR-1
fr-2
fr-3
fr-4
fr-6
fr-7
Bottom bracket tool, bbt-22c
campy BB tool, bbt-5c
BB pin spanner, HCW-4
BB cup spanner, HCW-11
saw guide SG-1
brake wrenches, cbw-1c and cbw-4c
frame/fork alignment tools ffg-2
spoke wrenches sw-0black sw-1green sw-2red
small allen wrench set aws-3c
pin spanners, SPA-1c and 2c
P-handle HEX wrench, 4,5,6mm, ph-4 ph-5 ph-6
chain wear indicator, cc-3c

misc:
Topeak joe blow max II floor pump
icetoolz 4x headset wrench
icetoolz shimano BB tool
pedro’s BB socket tool
ice tools Y allen wrench and 3 way socket wrench
Hozan lockring pliers c-203
hozan lockring spanner c-205
claw hammer
hack saw
needle nose, slip joint, and channel lock pliers
clipper pliers

merch:
kryptonite keeper u-lock
planet bike blinky 3 lite set
planet bike economy lite set
wellgo resin pedals
cyclone tri-lock grips, 2

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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Tom Daly
14 years ago

Thanks for the post jonathan! I’d like to offer something of an uplifting update. As of this morning, I’ve raised enough money to buy both of my customers new bikes and get about half of my tools! Not to mention a couple awesome tool donations from the community. I estimate that I need to scrape together about 275-300 more dollars to break even! So thank you to everyone in PDX who thought kindly, donated, or offered sympathy. You’ve really turned this around for me!

bahueh
bahueh
14 years ago

I swear…I’ve heard so many similar stories from people moving into new places…I have to believe your neighbors are your greatest freaking enemy in a move…I think many watch what you bring into/out of your home or place of business. I know 4 people who have had break-in’s within the first few days of living/working in a place…

KWW
KWW
14 years ago

You DON’T steal a man’s tools. That is downright wrong.

kiwimunki
kiwimunki
14 years ago

Stealing from a brand-new small business in the middle of recession? The karma payback on this one’s gonna be a bee-otch.

Good luck, Daly. Better things will come your way soon.

Annie
Annie
14 years ago

I wish you the best. And to those losers who climbed the fence, may a 1000 years of bad luck be your reward!

Joe Maddon's Rays
Joe Maddon's Rays
14 years ago

Tom, do you have a PayPal account set up that folks can donate to?

tomisutra
tomisutra
14 years ago

tom if you need to borrow any tools i’m not using mine for a while. email me at moistknife@gmail.com. soon, cuz i’m leaving town for a bit.

scotth
scotth
14 years ago

We hang people for that around here, don’t we?

Edwin
14 years ago

that is jacked. I’m glad your keeping your spirits up and I love how the community is coming through for you. I have a few extra cone wrenches that I can donate edwin@aconvenientcycle.com

middle of the road guy
middle of the road guy
14 years ago

You people sound like you almost want the Portland Police to find these guys.

Must be a moral conundrum.

Duncan
Duncan
14 years ago

sure would be nice if the PoPo took abreak from shooting unarmed minoritties, pepper spraying babies and beating people to death for alleged public urination and solved some crimes…

Afro Biker
Afro Biker
14 years ago

Duncan, do we really need to turn this into a childish police bashing site?

David Feldman
David Feldman
14 years ago

I have a bike repair business in Vancouver. People sometimes call offering to sell me bikes–due to space and business plan, I never buy. Call me or email me if you have any descriptions and serial numbers, please, Tom.
Feldman’s Bicycle Repair
360-694-4228
feldmanbike@yahoo.com
Repatriating stolen bikes is BIG fun!

middle of the road guy
middle of the road guy
14 years ago

Yeah, Duncan,

that is ALL they do….all day. It’s amazing that there are not 100 casualties a day.

Eric in Seattle
Eric in Seattle
14 years ago

Wow, this sucks. All you bargain hunters be careful what you buy. The only reason people steal stuff like this is so they can sell it. Buyers are the ones driving this kind of activity.

PS: Jonathan, I’m not sure if you write your own headlines, but this sounds like it was a burglary, not a robbery. Maybe I’m nit picking, but stuff like that can make an otherwise wonderful news source like this seem much less professional.

Eric in Seattle
Eric in Seattle
14 years ago

Wouldn’t it be cool if he goes on a ride along with someone looking at a Craigslist bike and finds his stuff!