GOPEZ'S (BIKE) "BLACK" WAS STOLEN
Thread started by
Eddie GOpez at 09.15.08 - 8:27 am
LAST NIGHT FROM ECHO PARK N EFFIE. IT WAS LOCKED UP TO A BLUE SWCHINN LE SPORT WITH YELLOW GRIPS. PLEASE BE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR THESE BIKES. ESPECIALLY MY BLACK WINDSOR DOVER. PLEASE BE ON THE LOOKOUT. PLEASE.
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That fucking sucks.What the fuck is going on lately is it steal my bike,beat me up,cops come fuck with me week?
blackout_blacklung09.15.08 - 8:36 am
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nooooo!!! so sorry gopez =(
tomato09.15.08 - 9:48 am
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Noooooooo! GoPez!
will keep a look out on the westend - i am so terribly sorry to hear!
F*%$ERS!
bondink09.15.08 - 9:58 am
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GODDAMMIT!
Why are all these bikes getting stolen from the nice folks?
Well, aside from the fact that these super nice folks AREN'T LOCKING THEIR BIKES TO FIXED OBJECTS before moving out of sight.
I don't want to blame the victim here, as theft sucks, and the people who keep stealing these bikes need to be found and punished harshly, but if your bike is one of your most prized possessions, as they are for a lot of us, why not treat it that way?
How many more bikes will get carried off / ridden away before people catch on to the fact that a bike is a lot harder to steal if it's u-locked to something set in concrete?
Here's what to do if you want to reduce the chances of your bike getting stolen.
http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/proplock.html
HOW TO LOCK YOUR BIKE
Always lock your bike, especially at home. More bikes are stolen from home than from any other location. Wherever you store your bike; a garage, a college dorm room, an apartment building, use your lock.
Pick a good Location. Select a location where there are other bikes. The chances are better that there will be a bike with a less secure lock -- or even without a lock -- and thieves will usually take the unlocked bikes first.
Always lock your bike in visible, well-lighted areas.
Lock your bike to a fixed, immovable object like a parking meter, or a permanent bike rack that is cemented or anchored into the ground. If you use a parking meter, make sure the locked bike can not be slipped off over the top of the pole. Beware of locking to items that can be easily cut, broken or otherwise removed.
Try not to let your lock rest against the ground where a thief can use a hammer or rock to smash the lock.
Use the lock correctly. Position your bike frame and wheels so that you take up as much of the open space within the U-portion of the lock as possible. The tighter the lock up, the harder it will be for a thief to insert a pry bar and pry open your lock.
If your U-lock has its keyway on the end of the crossbar, position the lock with its keyway end facing down towards the ground. This makes it harder for the thief to access your lock.
Always secure your components and accessories, especially those that can be easily removed, like quick release wheels or seats.
If you have a multi-speed bike, leave it in the highest gear. This makes it that much harder for a thief to shift quickly and get away with your bike.
DON’T ever leave a new bike unlocked. New bikes have the most value to thieves and they look for them.
DON’T lock your bike to small trees, aluminum or wooden posts, or to chain link fences. These items can be easily broken or cut.
DON’T lock your bike to anything posted as illegal. Check with your police department for local bicycle parking regulations.
DON’T lock you bike to itself. A thief will just carry the whole bike away!
JB09.15.08 - 10:29 am
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This trend will go on for a while. Harleys, scooters, even Nikes use to get stolen at an alarming rate at the height of their popularity. Even in Amsterdam, where bikes are so commonplace, an unlocked or improperly secured bike will be stolen. Unfortunately there is not fail-safe way to guard against thefts, if they want your bike they will get it.
Hopefully these thefts are crimes of opportunity, they look for the least secure bike.
sc_nomad09.15.08 - 11:11 am
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Noooooo! not gopez?!
Is there a way to get bike insurance, because we really need to have everyone get on a policy.
skd09.15.08 - 11:17 am
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One more thing to watch out for;
I the late 80's and 90's there was stealing trend similar to this. The thieves MO was looking for bikes listed in the Recycler and the Pennysaver (pre-Ebay and craigslist). They'll arrange to see the bikes, then they'll come back and break into your house to steal your bike. I had 6 bikes stolen at one time, close to $10,000 in value and damages(they broke the garage door). When I reported it to the police, they said I was the 3rd person in the are to report that type of theft.
Be careful when selling your bikes.
sc_nomad09.15.08 - 11:24 am
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So many people are getting their bikes stolen. this is crazy.
Joe Borfo09.15.08 - 11:28 am
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Eddie, I have my eye open for your bike.
Mook09.15.08 - 11:29 am
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sc_nomad -
Unfortunately there is not fail-safe way to guard against thefts, if they want your bike they will get it.
Me -
BS! Every bike that's been posted on MR that was reported stolen, wasn't locked properly or wasn't locked at all! JB's post above was an excellent post, I wonder how many ridazz actually bothered to read the link? Yeah there is a fail-safe way to guard against thefts, lock your F**King bike!
@Eddie, sorry to hear about your bike, I know that bike meant alot to you and treated it well. Hope the next bike makes you just as happy.
You can also register your bike with the National Bike Registry even though it has already been stolen. It's 99 cents for 6 months.
http://www.nationalbikeregistry.com/register.html
It will be the best 99 cents you ever spent.
User109.15.08 - 11:45 am
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depressing. maybe we should all just start rollerskating.
stillline09.15.08 - 12:21 pm
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"Lock your bike to a fixed, immovable object like a parking meter, or a permanent bike rack that is cemented or anchored into the ground."
I just gotta chime in that i saw one of those standard LA bike racks cut neatly in half the other day...they're really, really, really thin metal, and that's gotta be the easiest way to steal a bike from them if you really want it (cut the rack, that is). I don't trust those things so much anymore.
Lance K09.15.08 - 12:56 pm
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skd: you can get bikes added to your homeowners/renters insurance. renters insurance is usually $100-$200 a year or less. your bikes will be covered no matter where they are (at home or not), the only proviso is that you usually have to file a police report and it must have been locked securely... the insurance usually has a $250-$1000 deductable, but you can get a rider put on for the bikes that lowers the bike deductable to like $5 and also covers you for replacement cost, not the value of the bike (very important esp if you have an older bike).
but talk to an insurance agent, I might have some of the details wrong
stevestevesteve09.15.08 - 1:39 pm
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sorry to read this gopez. weve had it ruff lately huh?
mikeywally09.15.08 - 3:43 pm
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geez...sorry to hear this eddie =(
i'm not really close to that/your area,
but you know i'll keep my eyes open for ya.
me_gan09.15.08 - 4:22 pm
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I live a couple blocks from where u got jacked. eyes peeled
Debut21309.15.08 - 6:48 pm
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thank you all for your supportive and kind words. please do keep an eye out and question anyone riding it. althought since the frame was locked to another frame it is likely they have stripped it or they will if they can't find a way to saw off the u lock. the sad thing is that they also stold a blue schwinn le tour with yellow bars that it was locked to. from the front porch of the house. Please be on the lookout for my friend Llanna's bike too.
Eddie GOpez09.15.08 - 8:10 pm
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i was too trusting and stupid to not lock the bike to the gate like i have many times before at this same house. never again will i compromise security for trust in the neighborhood. no neighborhood, no matter how hipster and yuppie populated is safe. although i have a feeling the thieves are thugs or thug types. fucking scumbags|!
Eddie GOpez09.15.08 - 8:12 pm
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Eddie, so sorry to hear about your bike being stolen.
And, about the thieves: it might just be that they were yuppies or hipsters, they don't necessarily have to have been thugs. What's for sure is that they're SCRUM. Hope some news/ finding comes up soon.. Put up about 10 reward signs see if that helps the look out/return incentive.
KataCyklsLA2NY09.15.08 - 9:39 pm
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eddie, im really sorry. i just heard from mags also.. if you need comforting come over.. if you need a bike you might be able to borrow one of mine.
ninaBEEEZ09.15.08 - 9:48 pm
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I'm installing a remote-activated, explosive charge in my frame.
The thief may take my bike, but I'm taking off their nuts in return!!!
As for you Zuko, some sad shit this is.
But, I'm just tired of some people giving any sympathy to thieves of this caliber.
If you want to catch a thief, be prepared to break it like a wild-horse.
bentstrider09.15.08 - 11:04 pm
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Shit Eddie, Llanna's bike was stolen too?!! Can you post pics. We'll all keep an eye out.
skd09.15.08 - 11:34 pm
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@ User1,
You can believe all you want that a bike cannot be stolen but your only fooling yourself. All locks do is make your bike harder to steal, and less likely to be stolen. Even when you're riding your bike it can be stolen. All it takes is some punk, in a car ,to knock you down and take your bike. Even simpler still, someone pointing a gun at you.
Again I am hoping that these are crimes of opportunity and these punks hangout where y'all hangout and wait for someone to get careless. I won't be surprised to find out if the thieves are actually ridazz themselves.
sc_nomad09.16.08 - 12:35 am
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@sc_nomad
I was riding through downtown Nogales, AZ and noticed quite a few people riding beach-cruisers and packing Glocks on the hip.
With all the outlaws holding guns around here, I'm just wondering what's in place to protect whom?
A. Law enforcements ability to look "tough" all the time?
B. Criminals as a primary source of income for certain, "well-to-doers" that would otherwise die-off if said criminals were killed and no one cared.
C. Gun-Owners themselves from getting sued by criminals for wrongful injury?
Not meaning to derail the thread away from Gopez' rig, but I'm observing alot of arguments over whether it's moral/legal to pack heat.
Eh, save that shit for another time and place.
bentstrider09.16.08 - 1:30 am
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WEAPONS, ESPECIALLY FIREARMS ARE NOT A SOLUTION. let's look into homing beacons and transmitor remotes that can be activated upon locking the bike. if it moves you'll know then you follow with a gps device. eddieboy? can you rig something like this. let's set up a booby trap for these mothapluckers!!!
Eddie GOpez09.18.08 - 9:55 am
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Ridazz Roulette!