Someone tried to steal my bike today?

Question

Went to the public YMCA to see a friend for about thirty minutes. Came out and went to unlock the handlebars and the key would not go in so I bent down to look and it had been forced half way around. Had to make a police report. I could not unlock it to ride so I had to call the shop to come and get it. The mechanic said the lock was busted. He got on it and pushed one the handle bars and they went straight. The guys stealing the bike did not know they had turned it enough or I would have never seen my bike again. It is not drivable because he said one of the lock barrens could move and lock up the handlebars when I make a turn so he hauled it to the shop. It was the middle of the morning in a YMCA lot and nobody even paid any attention to whoever was stealing my bike. They had to have had a trailer close by to put it on. How would you feel if this happened to your bike?

Answer 1

Wow.....your week has been crappy hasn't it? If I were riding a highly desirable HD like yours, instead of rice, I think I would get a bike alarm. The one I have in mind isn't expensive. As long as the bike is leaning over on the kickstand all is good. As soon as they pull the bike up off the kickstand all hell breaks loose. VERY loud alarm. Hope your weekend is better. Keep your chin up.

Rider

Edit
I just released I didn't answer your question. I would feel violated. I'm sure that your bike is your baby......I would want to pour gas on somebody and light em up......but I'm vindictive like that about people who mess with my bike OR MY FAMILY.

Answer 2

Sorry about that, kid. Glad they didn't get it.
The one time someone tried to steal my bike, I found out about it the next day. I had left it in a bar parking lot for the night. (Can't ride if ya can't walk!) At first I was a little steamed 'cause the battery was run down. It was still there, they couldn't get it started. Even if they had, the next surprise would have been in exactly 1/2 mile. It would have died.(on purpose). I didn't feel too bad about the whole thing, mostly 'cause it came out ok. It may have been a piece of crap to some, but it still was MY bike. I would feel a lot worse if it were to happen to my HD, and so would they. Guaranteed.

Answer 3

I'd feel like doing something to prevent it from happening again.

Getting a less popular and less expensive bike that is not a target for theives is one option. The more popular models of bikes have their drawbacks - people want to steal them. 40% of the bikes stolen are Harley Davidson, followed by 23% Honda and 10% Suzuki:
http://home.interhop.net/agray/lostride/
It is usually so that they can sell the parts. If you ride a bike that is less popular, it is less likely to be stolen, because it will be more difficult to unload the parts.

If this isn't your scene, another option is to get a Lojack system, and plainly display that it is thus equipped on the bike so that people leave it alone.

Answer 4

Totally violated!

Someone tried to steal my husband's bike a few years ago. It was around 3am and it was - or so we thought - safely locked in the garage. It's a 3 car garage that we rent/share - the other two doors were conveniently unlocked that night.

Our neighbor heard garbage cans being moved and went on the porch to look. He saw someone pushing the bike up the alley. The thief then dropped it and ran and the neighbor woke us up.

They were two ticks away from getting away! The ignition had been broken, and it was only (so we assumed) inexperience that kept him from taking off - that and being noisy.

In the meantime, my bike had been tipped over into the wall like so much garbage. It bent the brake lever and I think a mirror broke.

So in addition to feeling violated, I was insulted that my bike was just shoved aside!

Answer 5

I would feel horrible, same way I felt when someone DID steal my car. I was 17 when I got my first car, a 1988 cadillac fleetwood braughm, it wasn't in the best shape but my mom was a struggeling single parent and she did the best she could. Plus I love the fleetwoods, my dad drove one when I was little. SO when it got stolen from my boyfriends moms apartment I was heartbroken. I would never have enough money for a new car. I had friends drive me around and look for it, but the cops said it was probabally parted out in chicago by then. It had been two weeks. Thankfully the cops found it, the emblems were gone and all my stuff was gone, including the love note my ex of 7 years sent me.

Answer 6

Heres your legal options. You could gather information upon who stole the bike, when and where. How etc.. after doing so, consult the person who has stolen your property. If he or she does not agree giving the property back willingly, you can call the local police and raise charges on them for burglery(which is a 3rd degree felony), possesion of stolen property (3rd degree felony) and vandalizing personal property (class one misdemenor). All that, yeah, they will be sitting in prison for a VERY long time. Whenever you do consult the person, by polite and not aggressive. Also politly ask them for it back, dont demand it. If they say no, tell them what you plan on doing so afterwards. Which is file a report. If they still dont hand it over, do ahead and call the police immediatly.

Answer 7

I had a $30,000 Harley stolen in Rapid city (outside Sturgis)
To add insult to injury, all my gear was in my saddle bags and we were 1750 miles from home.
We rode back to L.A. 2 up on my GF's Sportster.
Ever since then I use multiple locks so it would be a time consuming pain in theass to take our bikes.
I believe bike thieves should be shot! no kidding shot fuckndead.

Answer 8

That really sucks but it could have been worse.Just think how you would feel if it were gone.I'm sorry to hear about your bike needing fixed , but on the other hand I'm happy for you bcause you still have it.I carry a short chain to put through the back wheel and frame with a padlock on it and a lock for the front forks,If they get it, it's not going to be easy.

Answer 9

If that happened to me I'd feel like destroying somebody. And you're right about the trailors. Professional theives use them to steal bikes, the sneaky bastards.

Answer 10

a little over a week ago someone came into our yard and stole our bike .we filed reports;police and insurance.no one saw anything so we wait on insurance company.