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Where do stolen bikes go?

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Re: Where do stolen bikes go?

#31

Post by anonymouskimmer »

lucumo wrote: post #13

This is not really surprising to locals. The joke was always that if your bike is stolen when you get back, you'd just steal another one and keep the circulation going. During the 90s the stories were about heroin junkies selling bikes for 25 NLG (11.34 EUR). Clearly not the type of people with the organizational skills to set up an international crime syndicate. These were stories, and it's good/interesting to check…

> The joke was always that if your bike is stolen when you get back, you'd just steal another one and keep the circulation going.

I saw a post-War Italian movie a while back in which the main character was lucky to get a job placing advertising posters around the city. He only got the job because he had a bike. While doing the job his bike was stolen. He tried to steal another so he could keep working to support his family, but was caught in the act and thrown in jail. I can't remember the name of the movie.

Re: Where do stolen bikes go?

#33

Post by bckygldstn »

anonymouskimmer wrote: post #28
bckygldstn wrote: post #21

There's a Dutch bike company (VanMoof) that offers a Theft Recovery service for their bikes: they have teams of people that track down the bike (using GPS primarily) and basically steal it back. They used to produce monthly videos of bike recovery operations, though it looks like they've stopped the videos so you'll have to scroll past a few years of promo videos: https://www.youtube.com/@vanmoof Often they recover t…

I presume the researchers would have checked these 100 second-hand bikes for VanMoof trackers before equipping their own trackers?

Ah to clarify: VanMoof make (very expensive) e-bikes with integrated GPS that's used mostly for "smart bike" features. I doubt the researchers could afford a used VanMoof for their study, and the company only tracks their own bikes.

I'd guess part of their motivation is to dissuade theft and resale of their bikes, which are quite distinctive. Though that might be attributing too much rationality to a bike thief.

Re: Where do stolen bikes go?

#34

Post by denton-scratch »

at-fates-hands wrote: post #19
seanmcdirmid wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In Seattle, high end bikes are targeted to be disassembled for components. The components can then easily be fenced for drug money.

I remember my co-worker at the bike shop talking about this and how people in the area will sand their frames down and remove labels and anything else that would give their bike a look and feel of being expensive. Even adding duct and black electrical tape to ward off thieves from going after their bikes.

I saw a decent bike a while back that had had newspaper glued all over the frame.

Re: Where do stolen bikes go?

#36

Post by ck2 »

What's the best guess as to how many people are stealing 25,000 bikes?

100? Only takes that many to wreck society?

I mean once someone learns they are successful at stealing one without repercussions and reselling it, why would they stop and not turn it into a living?

Now do a study on that somehow because I am really curious if it is 100 or 1,000

Re: Where do stolen bikes go?

#37

Post by blamazon »

bckygldstn wrote: post #21

There's a Dutch bike company (VanMoof) that offers a Theft Recovery service for their bikes: they have teams of people that track down the bike (using GPS primarily) and basically steal it back. They used to produce monthly videos of bike recovery operations, though it looks like they've stopped the videos so you'll have to scroll past a few years of promo videos: https://www.youtube.com/@vanmoof Often they recover t…

VanMoof is also responsible for the clever hack of disguising bicycle packaging as television packaging for shipment, as US carriers are much more careful with TV boxes than bicycle boxes:

https://www.vanmoof.com/blog/en/tv-bike-box

Re: Where do stolen bikes go?

#38

Post by quacked »

isoprophlex wrote: post #10

Once I lost a bike that was parked right outside my house. Couple of days later I saw a guy ride around on my bike! I sprinted over and somewhat aggressively yelled "you're on my bike, buddy!" He got off, very politely handed me back my bike, and thanked me for letting him borrow it. Almost made me feel like I was the bad guy in the situation. Anyway I guess in some cases, a stolen bike doesn't go far at all.

> Almost made me feel like I was the bad guy in the situation.

Many people who choose to live outside square-lawed society rely on people remaining docile and sticking to principle in order to prey on them, or at least to live a lifestyle where they don't have to collaborate with larger society to reap its rewards. It took me years to un-program "assume good intent and empathy" with people I didn't know that were trying to take advantage of me.

I simply can't stand thieves. I wish that we had really great public services and transportation--not only would this reduce a huge amount of current theft, it would make actual theft obviously inexcusable.

Re: Where do stolen bikes go?

#39

Post by Straw »

anonymouskimmer wrote: post #31
lucumo wrote: post #13

This is not really surprising to locals. The joke was always that if your bike is stolen when you get back, you'd just steal another one and keep the circulation going. During the 90s the stories were about heroin junkies selling bikes for 25 NLG (11.34 EUR). Clearly not the type of people with the organizational skills to set up an international crime syndicate. These were stories, and it's good/interesting to check…

> The joke was always that if your bike is stolen when you get back, you'd just steal another one and keep the circulation going. I saw a post-War Italian movie a while back in which the main character was lucky to get a job placing advertising posters around the city. He only got the job because he had a bike. While doing the job his bike was stolen. He tried to steal another so he could keep working to support his…

Bicycle Thieves, very sad. The owner of the bike he steals lets him off the hook at the end, but he's still desolate.

Re: Where do stolen bikes go?

#40

Post by ajb »

isoprophlex wrote: post #10

Once I lost a bike that was parked right outside my house. Couple of days later I saw a guy ride around on my bike! I sprinted over and somewhat aggressively yelled "you're on my bike, buddy!" He got off, very politely handed me back my bike, and thanked me for letting him borrow it. Almost made me feel like I was the bad guy in the situation. Anyway I guess in some cases, a stolen bike doesn't go far at all.

One of my relatives bikes was stolen and then they noticed it was literally next door.

Criminals are criminals often because they can't obtain the higher return than comes from having a) impulse control and b) greater IQ than a toaster.

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