Cops and Robbers
So at the party on Friday my buddy Ryan’s bike was stolen from the courtyard area in front of my apartment. Talk about a downer. I did a little riding around after that talking to about 15 street people and 5 guards or so. Pretty stupid, really, considering how much I’d had to drink. Pretty terrible when someone gets their ride stolen at your own party. I rode around again on Sunday afternoon for a few hours looking for it with some friends but alas, the bike was not to be seen. It’s a sweet ride, too.
On Monday morning (today) around 8:20, as I was loading my recycling in to my car, Becca called as she was walking to work saying she was looking right at a man walking the bike down the street at 11th and Wyandotte. Adrenaline spikes and I tore off to that location futilely fighting downtown traffic at 8:30 on a Monday. After 45 minutes I never even saw the guy. John, who was also looking on foot, and I consulted and I traced the MAX route to Waldo on my way to work, but didn’t even see a single MAX or 57. We were so close! And it slips through your fingers.
Several of us had started to make plans to canvas all the pawn shops in town. Matt and I were planning to stake out the same location in the morning with 911 on speed-dial.
Until I got a message around 11 that the bike had been found!
Apparently someone from the EarthRiders forum came upon it and took it to ACME. I don’t know what shape it’s in yet, but that it exists at all is awesome.
Moral of the story: No matter where you are, lock your bike or invite your guests to bring it inside. All future parties at the apartment will have free valet bike parking, courtesy of me.
UPDATE: Apparently the guy who was spotted with the bike in the morning was on his way to ACME to sell it to them. Thank god for stupid criminals. The person who opened found him waiting with the bike when he got there. He got the bike behind the counter then confronted the jerk-wad, who took off. I honestly thought it would never been seen again.
6 Responses to “Cops and Robbers”
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Natalie
Said this at 1:29pm:Why would someone think they cannot lock their bike up? Bike theft is high here in Portland but that might be because there are so many bikes. People go to extremes to prevent bike theft here including removing wheels, buying heavy duty special locks.
Jeff
Said this at 1:33pm:It wasn’t so much that…there were close to 30 people hanging out both inside and out. I guess folks ducked inside for a bit. I popped out front later to see the bike gone and thought he had gone home, until I turned around and saw him a minute later.
Bike theft with a happy ending at KCBike.Info
Said this at 8:42am:[…] More often than not a stolen bike is a gone bike. But sometimes there is a happy ending. The bike that has been the topic of much discussion on the local Internets has been recovered, thanks to a stupid criminal and an alert bike shop employee. Local cyclist Jeff blogs about the story at Greased Melon. […]
eric
Said this at 8:44am:Huzzah! Glad to see a happy ending
Jeff
Said this at 8:55am:Bikes are the devil!!!
becca
Said this at 7:36pm:pretty stupid is right! remember, i was with you for some of that mid-night ride and i’m glad nothing happened considering that i was rather tipsy myself- although i wasn’t insistant on kicking anyone’s ass, unlike SOME people… lessons were certainly learned, in a multitude of degrees, and i’m glad everything turned out for the best.