Tag Archive for bike theft

Alaska scumbag beats kid for bike; a call for reforming California bike theft laws

June 7, 2011 / / 2 comments

One of the highlights of last Sunday’s River Ride, for me at least, was seeing a young boy and his father stopped on their bikes to watch all the riders zip by. And the big smile on his face when I gave him a thumbs up as I passed.

Never in a million years would have occurred to me to beat the crap out of him to steal his bike.

Yet that’s exactly what a man did in Anchorage, Alaska on Sunday.

According to the Anchorage Daily News, 32-year old Edward Syvinski tried to force a 7-year old girl off her bike. When she resisted, he punched her in the head, knocking her off the bike and onto the ground, where she lost consciousness.

He then punched her several more times before rifling through her pockets — in front of witnesses, no less. Police aren’t sure if he took anything, but what’s a 7-year girl likely to have on her that’s worth stealing, anyway?

This attack came just moments after he punched the father of a 17-year old boy, who had objected to Syvinsky accosting his son and rifling through a bag he was carrying.

Fortunately, police were able to make an arrest, handcuffing his hands and feet when he tried to fight back.

And yes, I do hope they hurt him. Frankly, I almost wish they’d taken a page from the old LAPD playbook and gone Rodney King on his miserable ass.

But that’s just me.

Syvinski faces two counts of assault and one count of robbery when he’s discharged from a local hospital, where he was taken for medical clearance.

Meanwhile, his victim remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition.

I have no sympathy for anyone who tries to steal a bike, and far less for anyone who would hurt another human being to do it — let alone a child.

His lawyer will undoubtedly claim that he was on something at the time of the attack — and based on the description of the events, it’s probably true. But anyone who could do something like that, high or not, deserves to go away for a very, very long time.

Thanks to Rex Reese for the heads-up.

……..

That brings up another point.

Under current California law, which was changed just at the beginning of this year, the theft of anything valued at less than $950 is considered a petty crime.

Which means walking off with the overwhelming majority of bikes on the road would merit little more than a slap on the wrist. Even though many people rely on their bikes every bit as much as most Californians rely on their cars to get around.

And even though the loss of a bike can be severely disruptive to the owner’s life — not to mention aggravating as hell.

I grew up in a part of the West where the penalty for horse theft used to be hanging. Which was usually conducted on the spot without bothering with the formalities of a trial, let alone a jury.

While that may be a little extreme, it’s time we recognized that the value of a bike goes far beyond its replacement costs. And change the law to reflect the seriousness of the crime and the effect that theft can have on the life of its owner.

Because it doesn’t matter whether a bike is worth $400 or $4000 if it’s your primary means of transportation.

Or simply your primary means of maintaining your health and fitness.

……..

In upcoming events, the L.A. Bicycle Advisory Committee holds their bi-monthly meeting tonight in Hollywood, and CicLAvia is holding a meeting on Wednesday to discuss expansion into Chinatown.

The L.A. Sheriff’s Department Cycling Team is hosting the R2R LASD Cyclefest this Saturday, June 11, with rides of 17, 34 and 62 miles. The ride supports Road 2 Recovery to benefit the rehabilitation of wounded veterans, and starts at 8 am at Malibu/Lost Hills Station, 27050 Agoura Road, Agoura, 91301.

And the OC Wheelmen’s annual Ride Around the Bear Century rolls this Saturday.

……..

Mark your calendar for the weekend of July 15th, when life as we know it will end for many Angelenos, as the 405 freeway — the main artery connecting the Westside to the Valley — will be closed for construction.

While news reporters and city officials are treating this relative non-event with the same sort of frenzy that preceded the non-rapture last month, many cyclists are unlikely to even notice.

However, KCRW chief engineer Steve Herbert offered a great suggestion.

Since July’s planned CicLAvia has been cancelled anyway, why not take advantage of the closure and allow bikes to ride the 405 as sort of a mini-cicLAvia?

Why not, indeed?

I mean, other than the risk of things falling onto cyclists from the Sunset Blvd bridge they’re dismantling. But that could be avoided by keeping bikes away from the actual construction zone.

……..

Safe Routes to School recaps their recent meeting with the L.A. Unified School District. KABC-7 looks at Sunday’s successful L.A. River Ride, while LACBC offers photos and Will Campbell provides a timelapse of Saturday’s route marking. The Bike Plan Implementation Team (BPIT) meets Tuesday at 2 pm. LADOT prepares to finally close the bike lane gap on Reseda Blvd. The Times’ Steve Lopez asks if newly appointed LADOT head Jaime De la Vega — aka the Hummer Guy — can fix L.A.’s transportation problems; Damien Newton wants your questions for De La Vega for an upcoming interview. Rick Risemberg notes that bikes create community; a writer on Risemberg’s Bicycle Fixation blog offers a truly in-depth look at bike parking. Distance cyclist Matt Ruscigno offers great advice to riders trying to get in the habit: just go. Claremont installs new bike racks and sharrows to make the city safer and more inviting for cyclists. A volunteer bike valet discusses what it’s like to park 1200 bikes a day. Long Beach launches the nation’s first Bicycle Friendly Business Districts; might be a great idea to revitalize troubled L.A. neighborhoods like Westwood. Remarkably, Corona del Mar’s Bike Safety Committee steps up to protect the biking and motoring public from sharrows. Seismic retrofit work is about to make the Golden Gate Bridge dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians. Is it time to replace bicycle advocacy with marketing?

Bike/Ped spending is expected to increase in the Senate Transportation Bill, despite GOP opposition. U.S. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood bikes to work; maybe he read Andy Clarke’s eight-step guide to getting back on a bike as an adult. Bicycling offers an interesting look at bike helmets, saying current models may not offer as much protection as you think. Commute by Bike reviews the odd Strida folding bike, calling it the Ethiopian food of bikes; don’t worry, it makes sense once you read it. Chicago will get its first protected bike lane; maybe L.A. will get one soon. The crackdown on scofflaw cyclists moves west, as Chicago becomes the next city to tackle law-breaking riders. The New York Times discovers Randonneuring. A look at NYC’s three-way streets. A DC cyclist is beaten when he attempts to call police to report an altercation involving another rider and a group of motorists. Sometimes two tubes and three air cartridges aren’t enough.

A Toronto writer asks if cyclists are being selfish and rude. Academics say separated bikeways are the key to getting more Brits on the road; most consider bikes children’s toys or something for hobbyists. Meanwhile, a survey say UK residents want more questions about cycling on the drivers’ test. A look at London’s biking paramedics from a medical perspective. Accused doper Riccardo Ricco is cleared to race, though a long way from the top tier pro tour he used to ride.

Finally, the Atlantic demands that Lance Armstrong’s lawyers apologize for holding the collective intelligence of the American public in such obvious contempt. And Sarah Palin’s bus nearly hits a cyclist as they routinely speed and blow through traffic signals, while crotch-tweeter Congressman Anthony Weiner’s prospects of ripping out all those New York bike lanes looks a little dimmer this morning; Grist says his position on bike lanes makes him more than one body part.

Category: Advocacy & Politics, Violence & Crime / Tags: , ,

A hero rides the bus — DWP employee Chris Bolivar stops a thief and saves a $2500 bike

February 10, 2011 / / 20 comments

Dan McLaughlin at the Tour de Palm Springs with his boss Andy Leeka; Dan is on the left

When Dan McLaughlin rode his bike into work on Wednesday, he never thought it would be stolen before he could get back home.

And he never thought a total stranger would run to his rescue, retrieving the bike almost before he knew it was gone.

According to Dan, he tries to ride his bike into work at least once a week. But the two-hour, 25-mile ride each way to his job at Good Samaritan Hospital is too much to sandwich around a full day at the office, so he usually takes the Commuter Express bus back to his home in Palos Verdes.

Wednesday night, he placed his $2500 Trek Madone in the rack at the front of the bus, and settled in to check his email in the back of the bus.

He barely noticed when the bus pulled over at a Downtown bus stop — it was somewhere on Flower, might have been at Washington Blvd, maybe Pico or Venice. What got his attention was the angry honking of the driver; soon everyone was standing, and someone yelled out “Your bike!”

He looked up to see his handlebars moving out of view through the windshield; by the time he got to the front of the bus, the bike was gone. He could see a young man struggling to hop on and ride it off, possibly because of the clip-in pedals.

As he stepped off the bus, though, he saw someone holding his bike. In the excitement, he ran towards him, only to realize that the man was walking back with it.

The other passengers were more than happy to fill him in.

When the bus stopped, the young man got off and immediately started to remove Dan’s bike from the rack. The driver, Pat Kesvy, started honking to stop him, but the thief kept going.

Thanks to DWP employee Chris Bolivar, this bike made it back home Wednesday

That’s when Chris Bolivar flew off the bus in pursuit of the thief. Bolivar, on his way home from his job with the Customer Service Department at DWP, quickly caught up to the struggling thief, scaring him into tossing the bike aside as he ran off down the street.

Bolivar picked it up and walked back, still shaking from the adrenalin rush.

Dan thanked his rescuer, and placed the bike back onto the rack. As they entered the bus, the passengers broke out in a spontaneous round of applause, applauding again when Bolivar got off at his stop.

And despite all odds, Dan McLaughlin made it home with his bike; as he puts it, it would have broken a roadie’s heart to lose a bike like that.

Meanwhile, one of the other passengers sent out an email telling the story, describing Bolivar as a gentleman who typically gives up his seat when the bus is crowded.

I’m told that email made it’s way to Chris Bolivar’s boss at DWP. And when he arrived at work Thursday morning, his co-workers stood up and applauded, as well.

McLaughlin is planning to take him to lunch next week to show his gratitude.

Maybe we should all thank him, in whatever way we can. After all, it could have been your bike. Or mine. And a total stranger cared enough to keep it safe.

It’s not every day you find a real hero riding the bus.

Update: A couple people have contacted me to point out that Chris Bolivar will honored at this year’s Blessing of the Bicycles at Good Samaritan Hospital on Tuesday, May 17th.

And am I the only one who sees a wonderful symmetry in a good Samaritan being honored by Good Samaritan?

Category: Best of, General / Tags: , , , , ,

Stolen bike alert — black Schwinn Frontier

January 1, 2011 / / 3 comments

What a lousy way to start the year.

Word came this afternoon of yet another bike theft here in L.A. And this time, from someone devoted to helping L.A. cyclists.

Rick Risemberg, fixie aficionado and one of the city’s leading writers on all things bicycle, sent word that a bike belonging to Harv of the Bike Oven was stolen from in front of the shop today.

According to his email, Harv was just about to lock his bike when he saw someone he needed to talk with and walked away for just a moment. When he turned back around a few seconds later, his bike was gone; speculation is that someone passing by must have walked off with it, and chances are, it’s still in the area.

So be on the lookout for a black Schwinn Frontier just like in the photo, except with blackwall Continental tires and without the orange box or U-lock at the time it was stolen. The bike is all black with “Schwinn” on the down tube; the top tube is covered with rubber, but reads “Schwinn Frontier” underneath. It has a flat handlebar with a large chrome bell, 5-speed Shimano thumb shifter and no front derailleur, and BMX downhill platform pedals; serial number SJ 003920.

If you see it or if someone tries to sell it, contact the police as soon as possible; you can contact Harv at the Bike Oven, 323/223-8020.

This bike, with black tires and minus the orange milk crate and U-lock, was stolen from in front of the Bike Oven on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the L.A. Times reports that a new state law that went into effect on the 1st raises the threshold for grand theft from $400 to $950.

Which means that the theft of many bikes will now be taken even less seriously than before.

Category: Stolen Bikes and Bike Crime / Tags: , , , ,

Be on the lookout: Updated information on stolen Orange Salsa Las Cruces

October 26, 2010 / / One comment

Frame on stolen bike is identical to this one.

Just got a little more information on the bike that was stolen in Santa Monica last night. Keep you eyes open — someone will either ride it or sell it soon. Every stolen bike matters, but this one belongs to a friend. Let’s get it back.

Based off of the way this bike was built up, repairing and removing many components is extremely difficult without proper tools, or simply near impossible. Because of this there is a chance that the thief will try to take it into a local shop and/or workshop to ‘get help’ in removing the wheels (or saddle). If you spot this bike, or perhaps a sign of someone coming into a shop trying to remove the saddle from the seatpost, please either alert myself or the SMPD. The police report # is 10-112875.

I’ve been asked to provide a photo of the bike… and unfortunately I’m unable to find one. What I could do, instead, was provide a photo of the exact same frame model (and paint job) found off the ‘net, as well as a very thorough description of the bike’s characteristics which is below.
Reward available.

Basically there are only two main colors for the bike: a bright orange frame surrounded by all black components. No fancy flames or color fades, just a few simple double black stripes around the tubes with silver in the middle.
Quite hard to miss.

This is the parts list:

. Frame Salsa Las Cruces, 53cm, Orange Aluminum, very subtle indentation on underside of downtube.
. Handlebars Salsa Bell Lap Drops flare outwards 27.2mm size
. Stem Bontrager black
. Brakes Avid Shorty 4 black cantilever brakes
. Fork Winwood Carbon Cantilever bosses, carbon fork aluminum steerer
. Seatpost Real Design Carbon 31.6mm size. Titanium Bolt for seat clamp is severely damaged, the head is cracked & split, making seat removal near impossible.
. Seat/Saddle Specialized Toupe 130mm size, no padding
. Shifters Shimano 105 Right-shifter is missing dustcap
. Front DR Shimano 105 Silver cage
. Rear DR Shimano Deore Long cage mtb derailleur
. Crankset FSA Gossamer Cyclocross gearing
. Pedals Shimano A530 have small ‘protoype’ stickers on interior of binding mechanism.
. Wheelset “Leo” Rims are black, approx 28mm deep, bladed spokes. Hubs etched with “Leo Wheels.”
. Tires Michelin Pro Race 2 Very, very used tires. I’ve basically been riding them until I get down to the kevlar layer or a blowout, which ever comes first. Still hope I can get to that point.
. Skewers Pitlock The pitlock system uses a special encoded CNC milled key to open the locks, and it is impossible to open the skewers with any other tool. Since the thieves do not have the key nor know which code# would be used for a replacement key (which takes 2-3 months in replacement), the wheels are not able to be removed from the frame nor fork. This makes tire changes, flat repairs, or any thing wheel-related impossible.
. Lock/Chain Abus Steel-O-Chain 880 A really heavy and thick chain covered by a burly fabric sleeve, labeled with “Abus” all around. Chain was through frame & front wheel. It may or may not still be on the bike.

 

Category: General / Tags: , ,

Hot bike alert: Orange Salsa Las Cruces stolen in Santa Monica Monday night

October 25, 2010 / / One comment

Just got word from a friend and fellow LACBC board member that his bike was stolen tonight in Santa Monica:

My Salsa Las Cruces was stolen this evening in Santa Monica, at some point between 8:00pm and 10pm. It was parked & locked on the south side of the street between 6th and 5th streets.

Description: Orange Salsa Las Cruces cyclocross frame. 105 Drivetrain, XTR long cage rear dérailleur, Avid Shorty 4 brakes, Leo wheels. The wheels were locked using the Pitlock system, so the thieves will have a hard time removing the wheels at all. The bolt on the seat was also stripped & split, so it is impossible to remove the seat. If they didn’t cut the heavy-ass German Abus chain & lock on it, the bike is also unridable.

If you see it, contact the Santa Monica police department at 310/458-8491.

Category: General / Tags: ,

15-year old Lincoln Heights boy murdered anyway after surrendering his bike

August 29, 2010 / / 9 comments

Sometimes, the news just doesn’t make any sense.

It just too tragic to contemplate, too senseless to comprehend. And this is one of those times.

According to the Los Angeles Times,  two men approached a pair of boys riding their bikes on North Mission Road near North Broadway in Lincoln Heights and demanded their bikes. And even though 15-year old Miguel Machuca complied with their demands and surrendered his bike, they shot anyway, killing him and injuring an 11-year old girl.

Both were taken to L.A. County ­– USC Medical Center, where Machuca was pronounced dead; the girl is reportedly in stable condition.

This comes just four months after a pair of cyclists narrowly escaped death at the hands of pair of Koreatown bike thieves. In that case, the cyclists fought back; this time, Machuca did exactly what he should have done by giving up his bike.

Yet they shot him anyway. And a young life is ended for no reason.

There’s just no excuse.

And no words to describe someone who could do something like this.

Anyone with information is asked to contact LAPD’s Hollenbeck Homicide detectives at 323/342-8957.

Update: The LAPD Blog adds a little more information. Miguel Machuca was at Lincoln Park with a friend  when they were approached by two suspects; one described only as a male Hispanic fired several shots with a handgun, striking Machuca; however, the report only describes a single wound to the upper torso. The 11-year old girl, who apparently not with the two boys, was hit in the back by a stray bullet.

Police ask for the public’s help in identifying a suspect.

Anyone with information on this crime is asked to call Hollenbeck Homicide Detectives Chavarria or Rios at 323-342-8957.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7.   Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477).  Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.” Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on “webtips” and follow the prompts.

Update 2: Carlos Morales indicates that this killing may have been gang-related, rather than a random bike theft as it originally appeared. Easier to understand, perhaps, but no less tragic.

………

Mark Cavendish jumped to an early lead on day one of the Vuelta, as HTC-Columbia takes the team time trial. Day two saw Cavendish keep the red leader’s jersey, despite being outsprinted for the stage win by unknown Belorussian Yauheni Hutarovich; American sprinter Tyler Farrar took third. Frank Schleck says he can win it all this year.

In other bike racing news, Nino Schurter finishes second in the final race behind Jarolslav Kulhavy to win the 2010 UCI Cross-country Mountain Bike World Cup.

And former rising racer Saul Raisin makes a comeback of a different sort, hosting a fundraising bike ride and working towards a degree in physical therapy or speech pathology, four years after suffering a nearly fatal brain injury while riding in Europe.

………

An “avid cyclist” says Dan Maes, the Colorado GOP gubernatorial candidate/conspiracy theorist, is right, and that Denver’s new bike share program is nothing more than European-inspired politically correct window dressing that hurts local businesses, and masks more serious problems — like the birth rate in developing countries.

Or maybe it’s just a way to get more people on bikes.

………

Russ Roca, one half of the Long’s Beach biking expats touring the country for the past year, eloquently explains the beauty of riding without set deadlines or destinations. Photos from Friday’s Critical Mass. The L.A. Times looks at entrepreneurs catering to the urban cycling craze. Will seems to like the new Give Me 3 posters, but would like it more if drivers could see it; I saw several posters on the Westside over the weekend, most of which faced oncoming traffic. Pink rides through Venice on a red bike; doesn’t that clash? The designer of the proposed Agensys offices says a planned bike path across the Santa Monica property would “bring vehicles and cyclists in conflict;” yeah, like that never happens on the streets. Venice’s one-woman bike-riding anti-crime task force hangs it up and moves back to Boston. Missed him by that much…evidently, I shared the bike path on the beach with Zeke’s brother Dave on Thursday and didn’t know it. Evidently, bike lanes do make a difference. How to train dogs and cyclists to share a bike path; if you ask me, the dogs are easier to train. When his mom says he can’t have a BB gun, a 10-year old has a temper tantrum that ends in throwing his bike at a police car, resulting in $1300 damage; link courtesy of Tucson Velo. Albuquerque cyclists get a new $6.9 bike bridge over the Rio Grande. New Mexico authorities remove a ghost bike for a 19-year old cyclist killed in June. Oklahoma considers a new law to protect cyclists based on the Colorado Bike Safety Act; California could do a lot worse. Over 300 cyclists lead a funeral procession for a rider killed raising funds for cancer research. A Georgia cyclist’s life is going to be very different after he’s run down on a Okefenokee Swamp black road by a driver high on drugs and alcohol. Maybe those bike tubes I traded in awhile back will end up as a dog collar that doubles as a bottle opener. Bikes have replaced sports cars for middle-aged Kiwi men. Bike advocates call for bike lanes in Abu Dhabi. After a broken leg shattered his teenage dream of becoming a bike racer, leading designer Sir Paul Smith completes the circle by designing a new line of bikewear for Rapha. A Leicester cyclist rides down and tackles a bike riding burglar.

Finally, Nik Wallenda, 7th generation representative of the famous Flying Wallendas, set a new record for the highest high-wire bike ride at 260 feet above ground.

Without handlebars.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Notes from the Bike Task Force: reporting bike theft, news on the Hummer Incident

June 27, 2010 / / One comment

Now that the excitement of Friday’s Critical Mass is over, let’s catch up on a few more interesting items that came up during last week’s Bike Task Force meeting with the LAPD.

First up comes news that California has an existing system to register and identify stolen items — such as bikes, for instance. All that’s necessary to have a stolen bike entered into the system is to provide the police with a serial number or other unique identifying number when you report your bike missing.

That’s why you should always record the serial number of your bike somewhere safe, as well as noting any other identifying information.

Personally, I always keep current photos of my bike, including a close-up photo of the serial number. However, since thieves will often remove a bike’s serial number, it also helps to engrave your name or ID number in a hidden location on your bike; some cyclists slide their business card inside the seat post since thieves seldom check there.

And always report a bike theft to the police as soon as you notice it missing.

That doesn’t mean the police will respond right away. Limited resources mean that they can’t always respond immediately to less urgent calls that don’t involve immediate danger. But they do take bike theft seriously, particularly since it’s one of the few types of crime that’s going up in Los Angeles. And a fast report can greatly improve your chances of getting it back.

Which also brings up the question of what number to call when you do.

According to police officials, call 911 anytime there’s an actual emergency — as they put it, if there’s blood and guts or a crime in progress. Otherwise, call the citywide 311 help number and they’ll direct your call to the appropriate agency.

Or as an alternative, call the front desk of your local precinct; if you don’t get what you think is an appropriate response, ask for the watch commander.

One final bit of news from the task force meeting. It appears that the long-delayed report on the infamous Hummer Incident in Downtown L.A. that occurred back in April 2009 has finally been approved by the Police Commission, and forwarded to the City Council’s Transportation Committee.

When or if we will get to see it is yet to be determined.

And speaking of long-delayed items, I’ve been informed that the proposed anti-harassment ordinance isn’t dead yet, despite the long lack of news. At last report, it was still working its way through the City Attorney’s office and may resurface in the hopefully not-too-distant future, though in what form is anyone’s guess.

………

A bike thief is caught in the act — possibly in Long Beach — and no one seems to care. Police look for a cycling Santa Monica groping suspect. Reed Bates, the Texas cyclist repeatedly arrested for riding a bike in Ennis, TX, is back in jail yet again. A Virginia Beach bike path turns into a corridor of crime after dark. A Montpelier, VT cyclist competing in a 2700 mile cross country race is killed in a head-on collision in Colorado; first link courtesy of No Whip, who could have been there. An apparent drunk driver refuses breathalyzer and blood tests and assaults a police officer after killing a cyclist near DC. Build it and they will come, which applies to bike lanes and cyclists, as well as the thieves that follow; heads-up courtesy of Bike Blog NYC. Cyclists shouldn’t take the Black Hawk, CO bike ban sitting down; turns out, city officials may not have been entirely honest about the studies showing it isn’t safe. The incomparable Jeanie Longo wins her 9th French national time trial title at age 51, bringing her total to 57 national titles, 13 world championships and four Olympic medals. The fallout from Mark Cavendish’s crash in the Tour of Switzerland continues as pro racers Heinrich Haussler and Tom Boonen will both miss this year’s Tour de France. An international team of researchers develops a mathematical formula to explain why you don’t fall over when you ride. After her husband is killed while riding, a mother of three says more could be done to protect bicyclists. Why aren’t bikes allowed on trains in Ireland? An Aussie grandmother’s wrist and elbow are shattered in a collision with a cyclist.

Finally, when the sidewalks are closed on both sides of the street, where exactly are the people supposed to go?

Category: General / Tags: , , , , ,

Cyclists shot in Koreatown bike theft; LAPD didn’t think you needed to know

April 30, 2010 / / 5 comments

Evidently, “protect and serve” doesn’t necessarily mean inform.

As in giving us the information we need to protect ourselves — like the fact that there’s a potentially homicidal thief targeting cyclists.

Just when you think the LAPD’s relationship with the cycling community has finally turned the corner, comes word that two cyclists have been shot by a bike thief in Koreatown.

Almost a month ago.

At a time when many cyclists have had enough and have begun fighting back against bike thieves, the Los Angeles Police Department has known for nearly four weeks that at least one thief was willing to kill in order to get away with his prize.

The incident occurred at about 3 am on April 4th when two cyclists stopped at a catering truck at the intersection of Pico Blvd and Westmoreland Avenue, and left their bikes unlocked and unguarded while they bought food. Two thieves walked up and grabbed the bikes while they were distracted; the police have surveillance video showing one of the thieves snatching the bike.

When the cyclists tried to stop them, one thief pulled out a handgun and shot the first victim twice, then fired at the second rider as they rode off on the victims’ bikes, hitting him in the shoulder.

The L.A. Times writes that the first rider suffered life-threatening injuries that kept him hospitalized until last week.

“They nearly killed him,” said LAPD Det. Dennis Bopp, who is investigating the shootings. “It was a crime of opportunity that turned to violence.”

According to the LAPD blog —

Both suspects are described as Hispanic between 17 to 19 years of age.  The first suspect stood between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 140 pounds.  He was last seen wearing a black shirt and blue jeans.

The second suspect stood between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 150 pounds.  He was last seen wearing a blue or black baseball cap, blue sweater with white long-sleeves with the letters ‘LA’ on the chest and blue jeans.

Video footage of one of the suspects was captured on tape and is available at www.lapdtv.org.

Anyone with information regarding this crime is urged to call Olympic gang detectives at  213-382-9430.

So let’s be careful out there. No matter how much you love it, a bike can be replaced.

Your life can’t.

And let’s hope that next time, the LAPD tells us when there’s something we need to know.

………

In better news, police arrested three bike thieves at Sunset Blvd and Figueroa Street in Downtown L.A. when they attempted to steal two bikes while detectives were setting up a bicycle-theft sting operation. And in a final ironic touch, one of the bikes the thieves rode up on had been stolen from an L.A. County sheriff’s deputy in 2004.

………

In weekend ride news, Flying Pigeon rolls to the Eagle Rock Brewery on Saturday, while Will Campbell kicks of the first ride in his Bike Every (Satur)Day in May with the 10 Bridges Ride. Saturday, May 1st also marks the beginning of Bike Month in Glendale, L.A.’s increasingly bike friendly neighbor to the north; city officials visit Berkeley for inspiration. And Sunday is your chance to celebrate the one year anniversary of Bike Day LA.

Meanwhile, Green LA Girl offers to help with the fund-raising for this year’s Brita Climate Ride for one woman who’s already registered.

Here’s your opportunity to Ride Like the Dutch at the upcoming Long Beach Bicycle Festival in the self-described most bicycle friendly city in America, May 7 – 9; I’d be happy if Los Angeles just aspired to be the most bike friendly city in the county, though that would require asking Long Beach to move to Orange County first.

And the next Streetsblog LA fundraiser rides June 18th starting at Flying Pigeon in Highland Park and following the former Red Car route.

………

L.A. Mayor Villaraigosa says L.A. needs to walk and bike more. LADOT celebrates the council’s unanimous vote in favor of the city’s first bike corral. Semi-bike-friendly Santa Monica has big plans for more bike parking. A cyclist rides the Long Beach Bikeway Route 60 at the same time his biking brother gets hit by a car in San Diego, while a San Diego triathlete says cyclists need to embrace their vulnerability and stop blocking the lane. A non-standard — but clearly better — Share the Road sign appears in Tucson. Bike-friendly Salt Lake City gets a promotion. The bike lane that spurred the infamous Tony Kornheiser rant hits the street. New York authorities seek the identity of a cyclist killed in a collision with a car; a reminder to always carry ID when you ride. Starkville MS cyclists ride to protest a mandatory helmet law. Cannondale comes up with a very cool limited edition graffiti-style bike to benefit the Bahati Foundation. Ottawa needs to close car lanes to encourage cycling; well, who doesn’t? Eight Brit cyclists are fined for riding their bikes on a bike path. English footballer Frank Lampard — that’s soccer on this side of the pond — backs his Range Rover over a 14-year old’s bike, then hands over twice the bike’s value, in cash.

Finally, Traffic-meister Tom Vanderbilt says a drivers license is 2 easy to get, 2 hard to lose. I couldn’t agree more.

Category: General / Tags: , , , ,

Trying to reason with bicycle theft season

October 2, 2009 / / 6 comments

Maybe it’s just a coincidence.

But it doesn’t take a lot of research to get the feeling that bike culture and bike thefts are following the same upward curve. The more popular biking gets, the more popular bikes do — to thieves as well as legitimate riders.

Joe Linton, one of L.A.’s leading bike and environmental activists, had his stolen off the street the other night. Mikey Wally had his stolen recently. Dr. Alex was lucky, he only had his lights stolen.

Meanwhile, theft reports are up from Downtown to the Southbay, and points in between. Even Lance had his bike stolen in California earlier this year. Though thankfully, not when he was visiting L.A.

Of course, this sort of thing tends to bring out the worst in people, understandable though that may be. Personally, though, I prefer prevention to retaliation.

That’s one reason my bikes sleep inside at night.

A large corner of my office is devoted to keeping them safe — from insects, bad weather and various nefarious critters, including thieves. After all, I’d no more leave my bike exposed to the elements than anything else I love.

Like my wife, for instance.

And my bike never complains about how much time I spend cycling.

I used to carry a heavy cable and lock on my old bike, when I rode my little blue Trek everywhere. I’d always park it in some highly visible public place, and strip off anything that could be easily stolen. And I’d lock it securely — through the frame and both wheels — to some large immovable object, since bike racks were even harder to find than they are now.

When I got my new bike, however, I did a simple financial calculation, and determined the cost was equivalent a decent laptop — and there was no way I’d leave my laptop laying on the street, even if I could secure it to a lamppost.

So I saved myself the extra weight, and left my lock at home.

Which means I now use the same technique employed by Catholic school girls attempting to maintain their virtue, and keep it clamped tightly between my legs. Whenever I stop for awhile, I keep it right next to me or maintain a tight grip on it. Or if I want to go inside somewhere, it either comes in with me, or I don’t go.

Which severely limits my options. But it keeps my bike safe at a time when I can’t afford to replace it. And I plan to make that old Trek my town bike, complete with lights, reflectors and multiple locks so I can ride it anywhere, anytime.

Of course, there are other techniques. My friend Tim — subject of a recent Page 2 profile in the Times —  forwarded a story on how to deter thieves by uglifying your bike awhile back. And judging by the photos, they did a pretty impressive job of turning a beauteous Bianchi into a turd-tone junker.

Problem is, thieves seem to target crappy bikes just as much as decent ones these days.

Most people prefer the more traditional approaches to theft prevention, though. And there’s no shortage of advice on how to keep yours safe. Or safer, anyway.

Because there’s no guarantee.

Someone could break into my home and ride out on my bike, with our meager possessions tucked under his felonious arms. Or your bike could be jacked at a red light or an off-road bikeway.

All you can do is take reasonable precautions.

Register your bike. Lock it securely. And make sure it’s covered by your homeowners or renters policy.

It’s not as expensive as you might think. And it’s a hell of a lot cheaper than a new bike.

Even a crappy one.

……..

As I was writing this, I got an email from Erin about yet another bike theft:

These bikes were stolen Tuesday night, September 29 from Hollywood Blvd at Gower, outside the blue Palms. We filed a police report Wednesday morning.

My bike: Black Soma Double-Cross, 52cm frame, 2005 model. I bought it at Free Range Cycles in Seattle; their sticker is yellow featuring a chicken riding a bicycle, placed just above the bottom bracket. Shimano components (mix of Deore and Tiagra). Black plastic toeclips. Black rear rack. Black bar tape (messed up on the left bar). Black saddle. Photo attached (the bike is as pictured, except I removed the fenders when I moved down here from Seattle). They stole my red and silver helmet, too.

Nick’s bike: Green/silver Trek 1200, 56cm? frame. Mix of Shimano and Campy components. Clipless pedals. Black rear rack. Drop bars with black bar tape. Black saddle. They also stole his blue helmet. No photo, unfortunately.

I just listed it in the Stolen Bikes database at totalbike.com, which really seems like it could use some advertising around LA, so anybody buying a used bike knows to ask to see the original receipt or else check the database. If we can find a way to make bicycle theft harder to profit from it will benefit everyone by getting more people on bikes and keeping them on their bikes! I know whatever bike I end up on next will have as many anti-theft devices as I can put on it, but it seems like we should all work together to shift the burden of thievery to bike thieves instead of making it practically a tax on cyclists.

erin-bike

……..

Dr. Alex responds to Green LA Girl’s recent criticism of his call to extend the deadline for comments on the new L.A. Bike Plan, and calls on cyclists to support for the Cyclist’s Bill of Rights at tomorrow’s Neighborhood Council Action Summit — your chance to help spread the CBR throughout the city. As traffic gets heavier, drivers seem to get more careless or aggressive; Will Campbell gets right hooked three times on a single ride to work; at least he figured out what was causing that annoying thunk. Gary reports on Santa Monica ordinances that seem to ban riding through the city with an unlicensed bike — even though licensing isn’t required in California. Stephen Box morns the loss of a genuine bike supporter from the Caltrans regional management; hopefully Caltrans loss with be Metro’s gain. LAist reports distracted drivers left nearly 6,000 Americans dead — and over a half-million injured — last year alone. Finally, an anti-bike rant from an Aussie “comedian” ends with a call for violent assaults on cyclists; related coverage tells of a cyclist who may lose a leg after being struck and dragged under a truck. Yeah, pretty funny stuff.

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