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Bicycle thief captured on video, but not yet in person
By adamg on Thu, 08/11/2011 - 11:29am
Chris reports this video shows a guy in a delivery-type uniform checking out bikes at 99 High St. downtown last Thursday, then making off with one - unfortunately, his.
He reports it's a black Novara Express, with a custom leather seat, SPD pedals, black gear bag under the seat, a pump and two water bottle cages mounted on the frame. There's a paint scratch on right side of the top tube in line with the brake lever. If you spot it, drop him a line at [email protected].
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Comments
Chris, sorry about your loss.
Chris, sorry about your loss. What kind of lock did you use?
I would like to know too
That is all.
Used a cable lock, so lesson
Used a cable lock, so lesson learned...double up with a u-lock too. Mine was the second bike recently stolen from that location, I found out. Also the stink of it is, I walked by there not more than 10 mins earlier.
Don't mean to pile on your bad time but...
People, don't spend $1000 in bike and parts and then think you should leave it laying around with a $15 piece of metal cable and a $5 master lock.
Get a chain and a U-lock. Spend $100-200 on them. Get something like a Kryptonite or OnGuard that comes with anti-theft reimbursement in case anyone is crazy enough to hack through one of their locks instead of the guy's next to you and make sure you follow all of their requirements for meeting the anti-theft protection (sometimes requires homeowner's insurance on the bike and to mail in part of the broken lock).
Chain locks
They make sense for scooters.
They are really heavy for bikes. I use a u-lock and a high grade cable to secure mine - and I've taught my kids that a solid locking job means both wheels and frame are secured to something that a thief can't slip the lock over.
perspective
'sorry about your loss'? It's not a human being, it's a bike.
Clearly not a cyclist
UUs light candles of concern for their cats with digestive problems. A biker with a friend in the guise of frame and wheels does not see things as you do.
Treat him like a horse thief
Treat him like a horse thief.
Hang the bastard from the nearest tree.
Now I know why
So many people who don't work in my building seem to think it is okay to come down into the garage and hog up all the spaces that are deeded to the tenants.
Also why I bought a hardcore cable and shackle lock when I started working in the city. Cable locks are too easy to cut.
Are they deeded?
I saw a map somewhere, maybe on the city's website, that some of the garages are opening to public bike parking. Is yours one of those?
Ours Isn't Open
In fact, the garage had no bike parking until we insisted on it - at least no racks (people locked along the guard rails on the walls). But people still come down and use the racks that were bought when tenants started demanding bike parking in their leases. We have six spaces in our lease - some days I'm lucky to find one when I know only two of the other bikes are from my firm. Most people are reasonable and pack in, but I have been known to remove front-wheel only locked bikes and set them against the guard rail if they take up half a rack for their special selves.
The real problem: Boston needs to require ALL parking garages to provide spaces, as well as put in more than a few more racks around to meet the demand.
The real problem: Boston
I assume you mean that Boston should pay for all garages to provide spaces.
What a nice problem to have!
Can we at least agree on that. I don't think developers will have a problem with including a couple thousand dollars worth of bike racks in their parking garages. Especially with LEED credits for green buildings.
not really
Pretty much all new development is required by the city to pay for the creation of minimum car parking- minimum bike parking should be required as well. That parking doesn't have to be free of charge to use, but it has to be available and meet minimum requirements (i.e. you can't have 6' wide, 12' long spots for cars).
In terms of paying for parking, I think that there are a fair number of bikers without secure parking who would be happy to pay a reasonable* rate for good** indoor parking, but many parking garages refuse to put in parking, or even allow bikes in the garage for bogus "safety" reasons.
Landlords are WAY behind the curve on this- a lot of businesses (like mine) would see bike parking as a big advantage in leasing space, but facilities are way behind demand.
*And by reasonable, I mean if you can fit 10 bikes in the space for one car, you should charge 1/10 of the market rate for a deeded parking spot.
**And by good, I mean covered, secured (either by a cage or proximity to a guard) and with a good rack, not one of those crummy "wheelbenders" that doesn't allow you to lock both wheels.
That's why I always put a car
That's why I always put a car boot on my bike. Kidding.... but sounds like a good idea except for the fact that I'd have to lug it around.
Chris, I am sorry that you
Chris, I am sorry that you were robbed.
As a former cyclist, when I was younger, I recall occasionally biking to a job from the suburbs in a company at that building. I believe that I used one the early U-Locks to lock to a street sign, but was always very nervous about theft and vandalism. Glad to see that there are dedicated racks there now. However, building security should be on top of that, it's simply a matter of having someone monitor the camera.
Back in the early 80's, bike commuters were clearly on their own. It's high time that the city require building owners, parking garages and other public organizations that accommodate the public to install and maintain good bike parking.
Even though I spend a good bit of time on this board teasing the self-righteousness and piety of some cyclists, they are a part of the local transportation mix, help reduce car congestion as well as open up seats on the MBTA. As such, they deserve more consideration than a wing and a prayer when it comes time to park their bikes.
Landlords, it's time that you stepped up and do the right thing.
Watch the video
Then tell me how building security is supposed to have a clue that this guy wasn't the bike's owner. It's not like he pulls a giant crowbar out to leverage a U-Lock or 3-foot arm bolt cutters from a shotgun case or something. He takes something out of his backpack, goes to the lock, stands up and bikes off.