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I've seen ads like this on here before and was hoping I'd never have to post one. Anyone in the Echo Park area beware of a band of bike thieves. I was sitting about 10 feet from my black Trek 5200 road bike at Downbeat Cafe near Sunset and Alvarado. There are about 10 kids from ages 13 to 17 in on it. They work together and are pretty quick. (2 blocked the door while the older one cut my cable.) They've taken about 10 bikes in the last 2 months the cops said. One guy got held by a few while the other took his bike. They'll do it at anytime of the day too. They don't care. Just giving a heads up so this doesn't keep happening. I had no idea how fucked these kids are. Also, if anyone has any tips on where I might find my beloved bike that would be great. Reward for anyone who knows where it is. Thanks.
course it doesnt hel that the cops took over an hour to come back after Montana Joe called them for you. The had PLENTY of time to go and hide it before the cops showed up...
good to know the 5-0 is there to serve and protect... if they were they would have done something about this shit MONTHS ago.
a ride to catch the thieves with a bike as a decoy. and i mean.. a ton of riders just waiting in the cut all throughout the echo park area. first spot should be that cafe. it happened there once... it will happen there again. bring a car if you have to... sit in it and just hide.
srsly.... lets think about using a decoy and either a)staking it out or b) putting some sort of transmitter in it.
yo im down. ive been saying it all along... we NEED to do something. this shit cannot continue to happen. count me in for whatever you need. I'm unemployed so i have time. i also have a mountain bike (which i doubt they'll wanna steal, from the sounds of it it's only high end bikes) which we can use as bait.
srsly... lets plan a meeting but through facebook. not on the walls either... private.
Yeah. Since they took it I've been fantasizing about locking a bike to the same post and just waiting. They haven't been caught so they'll keep on doing it. It would take a few people and patience.
I recommend the content of a couple of fire extinguishers and bunch of paint balls. Eggs will do nicely too (I got randomly hit by one this past Saturday night).
If there is this big of a group of kids doing this, it isn't because they think stealing is okay. Something else is driving these little bastards to their work. Remember that they are still just kids. Then smack 'em with the non-damaging funny stuff.
who said anything about violence? apprehending them and calling the police is not a violent act in itself. paintballing them... is. shits leave a mark and i've seen grown men cry (sadly, this is true)
we're just going to intervene... and intervention if you will... and try to put them back on the right path.
they're doing it cos it's an easy come-up for them. the great thing about cyclists and midnight riddazz is how chill and accepting everyone is. thing is, these kids are taking advantage because most cyclists are non-confrontational. if you roll through echo park and silverlake and are gonna lock up, bring a fucking u-lock!
if these cats every think of jacking me, you best believe they're getting a u-lock to the dome. i don't care how old they are, if they're gonna continually jack good people... then they deserve a good beat down.
WHAT THESE KIDS NEED IS TO SEE OR BE THE VICTIM OF SOME PHYSICAL BONE BREAKING. YOU LAME ASS MOTHER FUCKERS JUST DON'T GET IT, CATCH THE RING LEADERS, WITCH BY THE WAY ARE NOT 'KID'S' BUT FULL GROWN ADULTS.
BREAK A BONE, THEN CALL THE COPS, SAY THEY BECAME VIOLENT AFTER THEY HEARD YOU CALLING THE COPS, SO YOU HAD TO USE FORCE TO RESTRAIN THEM, AND IF A BONE GETS BROKEN, WHO'S GOING TO CRY, YOU? ME? NOW WAY JOSE, THEY GONNA BE CRYING, SITTING IN THE BACK OF A COP CAR.
AND FOR YOU GENIUSES OUT THERE THAT USE A CABLE TYPE LOCK, NO MATTER WHO THE MANUFACTURER IS, ARE STUPID FOR SUGGESTING AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO USE ONE.
HOW HARD COULD IT BE TO SET UP A STING, STRONG ARM THE BUILDING, THEN APPREHEND THE ADULTS?
ACT LIKE YOU HAVE A PAIR, THE COPS AINT GOING TO DO SHIT FOR YOU, AND WHEN THE COPS SHOW UP, WE ALL TELL THE SAME LIE, I'VE DONE IT, I KNOW.
SURLY THESE HIPSTER RIDING WHITE VICTEMS MUST BE TELLING THE TRUTH. --THAT'S WHAT COPS ARE GOING TO THINK.
BECAUSE IF YOUR NOT WHITE, BUT YOU DRESS LIKE A HIPSTER, THAT'S GOTTA BE MORE LIKE THE TRUTH, EPICALLY IF YOU GOT PICS, SHOWING THE THIEVES IN ACTION,
COME ON YOU SORRY ASS PAPPARAZZI, PULL OUT THAT CAMERA, AND TAKE SOME REAL PICTURES, AND VIDEO.
im so fucking in on this. i have already suggested a homing beacon/low jack decoy.
e-mail me the sting operation details. i'll use and volunteer my car too.
Thanks for the sympathy and concern but, these guys are right. I AM a dumbfuck for thinking I could sit and drink a cup of coffee for 20 mins without getting my shit taken. I was trying to save my wheels with the fucking cable. Having said that, the fact still remains that 10 other bikes in this area have been jacked by these kids (and adults). Big $.I've had enough of it. I know who they are and they deserve every u-lock, throat slap and paintball that's coming they're way.
man what a shitty scenario... but yeah cable locks are a joke.. get a big chain or a U-lock.. in regards to the kids.. anything you plan on this forum its a good chance one of the stealer crew is reading it. just somthing to ponder.
(And they're physically blocking people while they steal it? Couldn't one then grab the blocker and call the cops? Just a thought.)
And what do you reckon the blocker's friends are going to do while one is holding him? Compliment one on one's Swrve knickers?
The only time you ever put your hands on a criminal on the street, regardless of his age, is to punch his lights out. If for whatever reason you are unable or unwilling to do this, keep your hands to yourself and let the cops practice the physical violence--that's what you're paying them for.
As much as I hate thieves, most of the bikes stolen that I've heard about from Midnight Ridazz are victims of cycling Darwinism for disobeying one of the three basic rules of urban cycling. (Seriously, just do a search on "Bike Thieves" or "Stolen Bike" on here and see what the common factors are.)
1. Lock your bike to something immoveable, not just another bike. (This should be obvious, but you'd be surprised).
2. Lock your bike with a U-Lock / N.Y. Chain (PLUS a thick cable for the wheels). Make sure the U-lock runs through the frame, as U-Locking your wheel to something immoveable only means your wheel is safe (There's a sad quick release rear wheel u-locked to a post near my job that's missing the bike it was attached to.) DO NOT use a cable alone, it WILL be cut and you will lose your bike.
3. Don't leave your bike outside overnight.
You obey these three rules, and chances are you'll get to keep your bike and won't be stuck having vigilante fantasies on the internet.
Sure, it's a drag lugging 10lbs of bike locks around in your backpack, but it's a lot less of a hassle than having to buy a new bike.
I've seen them lurking outside tropical too. Beware. It was 2 little pieces of shit then when they spotted my friends bike (fixed gear shiny, nice wheels) they left then came back with 4 or 5 older kids and walked by it a couple times. I think they saw us looking at them and decided not to do it....
medieval ridazz.... you guys better take care of your bikes at that meeting place... there was an incident there about a month ago at the same location when the airborne toxic event band had their ride... some kids were attempting to take some bikes...
If you like the flexibility of a cable, try one of these.
They're segmented steel pieces that flex like a cable, but can't be cut like a cable. Werd to engineers.
LoL Indigis!
Don't let JB's negative vibes deter you; while being a vigilante is probably not a good idea, spraying some little thief with pepper spray will definitely make him and his friends think twice about their next caper. (although I suppose that it might escalate our problem)
AGAIN, YOUR FORGETTING SOMETHING, TAKE PICTURES, AND/OR VIDEO, THEN TURN THEM OVER TO THE POLICE, SHIT.
SEEMS TO BE OLNY ONE RIDA GETS THE POINT, AND THAT IS 'JB'.
1. Lock your bike to something immoveable, not just another bike. (This should be obvious, but you'd be surprised).
2. Lock your bike with a U-Lock / N.Y. Chain (PLUS a thick cable for the wheels). Make sure the U-lock runs through the frame, as U-Locking your wheel to something immoveable only means your wheel is safe (There's a sad quick release rear wheel u-locked to a post near my job that's missing the bike it was attached to.) DO NOT use a cable alone, it WILL be cut and you will lose your bike.
Eric, I got one of those cable locks in London. They seem to be the standard lock everyone uses. They can also be picked in about 15 seconds... that's the reputation anyhow.
The LAPD could do something about this, if they had the resources. What they could do is work with the community to identify, investigate and talk to the parents of the thieves for a start. Have some foot patrol in the hot spots. But this is the dilemna with city services. They are scarce. The population doesn't take care of its tax revenues nor are they spread evenly per capita. So its up to the people to fix the problem. The question is what method works best.
You can get "fuck-you" sized hardened chains at home depot much cheaper. Have a lady knit you a nice cute cover at a stitch and bitch and use a standard u-lock in conjunction..
I'm personally considering welding my allen bolts closed so parts will never disappear.
This shit has to end. I see the one little shit kid all the time, last time he was riding a really nice and shiny black frame bike w/ orange deep-v's and an orange top tube pad to match.
I'm sure the stolen bikes on the east side are clear across the county by now, being sold in Long Beach, Ventura and orange county's.
THE POLICE DO STING OPS, WHY CANT YOU, ILL DONATE MY 'SERVICES', AND 3 NIGHTS, LETS DO THIS, LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!
YOU GIVE THAT TO THE COPS, WITH VIDEO/PICTURES, AND THEY WILL TAKE ACTION. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE COULD START DOING RIDES TO THE HOMES, DEN OF THIEVES, LOCATIONS, AND JUST START CALLING (SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF OUR LUNGS) THEM 'THIEVES' IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, SURELY, SOME WILL HEAR US.
I'd recomend using a registered bike for a sting/decoy bike, so you can prove they stole the bike. Peperspray and zipties would be a good idea to detain the thieves when caught. Any violence would probably hurt your attempt to have these people prosecuted.
Despite my professor's warnings, I'm going to go ahead and give some legal advice here. Whatever you are planning on doing to these kids, DO NOT DO ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF THE LAW. It will be you that ends up in trouble, not the kids. Especially since they are minors. Please be careful.
All you can really do is beef up your security. Chains are worth every penny, and like I've said before, coupled with a u-lock, your bike will be left alone. These thieves go for what is easiest to take, make your shit hard to get to and it will be left untouched.
also, you might think about "uglying" up your bike. When I first moved out here, every brand name on my bike was blacked out either with marker or black vinyl. But I've since taken all that off because I have that much faith in my chain.
A good rule of thumb when purchasing locks: Look at how much the manufacturer insures the lock for. The more they are willing to pay you if your bike gets stolen, the better the lock is.
another plus with chains, they really expand your options as far as what you can lock your bike to. And the strength training from wearing it while riding doesn't hurt either.
exactly. an ideal sting operation would be one where we can videotape (a licensed bike) and then use as evidence with the local authorities. We could also follow the kids back to their central location and again, take pictures and video of the proceedings. this is all within the law and very doable. i say we get a collective of people to go and meet at the scene of the last crime... but somewhere in the cut or off the radar faily close, and get a well developed plan going.
I hope the end result is that you guys are trying to get to the mother load? Just tracking down the decoy bike doesn't do anything for getting to the ones running the operations. Also, unless we're talking a carbon bike, there's probably very few places to stash a tracking system on a bike.
One think very few people consider is getting is a folder. Either as their primary ride or as a "beater". If have a folder, you take it with you into a store, cafe, restaurant, etc. etc. Kinda hard to get it stolen that way yeah?
In the rare instances that I had to lock my folder, what I did was partly fold it when I locked it. I'm sure it helped in making it a less appealing bike to steal.
Spotted on the corner of Sunset & Alvarado Sunday night. Guys on fixed gears matching descriptions of people mentioned in this thread previously with multiple wheelsets. One looked like a silver deep V. The other I couldnt make out. The guy in the second picture was talking to a couple parked in a car on Sunset. I have some high res pics of the couple in the car. It was VERY shady...
Sorry for the blurry pics, cell phone quality.
unfortunately, he hasnt posted the hi res ones of the people in the car yet.
orange20 has a bunch of different kryptonite and on guard chains/locks for sale, but none of them have price tags, so you just have to ask whoever is working.
eddie, shut the fuck up.
kryptonite believes that they have the strongest locks on the market, and if the thief in fact gets through the lock to whatever youre trying to not get stolen (and youve bought a lock that has an insurance policy because not all of them do) then you can get money back from them.
they dont just make these locks for bikes either. they make them for mopeds and motorcycles and other things as well.
no price tags? so what's to keep them from making up their price? just wondering...
but thank you though.
and Eddie, I still have my bike cus I've followed the 3 basic steps you pointed out. now, I'm just beefing up security... and if it comes with a $3500 insurance plan, then that's even better. because think about it... if someone really wanted to steal a bike... they could do it. regardless of what you tie it to and tie with.
It doesn't stop it from being stolen, it just shows how strong the company stands behind the lock. If the company is willing to fork out $3500 to you for a new bike, then that is a good indicator that they put a lot of faith in the lock, which is a good indicator that it is a good lock.
WARNING: These insurance policies don't cover POWER TOOLS. (I know, right?) I didn't insure my lock for that reason. They'd HAVE to to use a power tool to cut through it and then it would void the warranty anyways. It's just a good indicator as to how good the lock is.
Also, you have to pay to insure it and you have to pay them to be covered.
@ Jazzy
I think mine was around $80. Go to the companies' websites, you'll be able to find prices and locate dealers.
well, they might have physical price tags on them now. the last time i was in there was when they had just opened the new store, and most everything was still in boxes and stuff. im going in sometime later today to get one.
They only pay out if the broken lock is left at the scene, and yeah power tools used to cut it aren't covered. ANY u-lock can be broken with a car jack fitted inside the 'u' part and cranked up.
funanu... we need cameras and video. there's a bunch of "photographers" on the rides... lets see if any of them are willing to work pro-bono for us. some pepper spray would also be nice (just to fight back in a legal manner while teaching them a lesson)
im serious though. the lock for that handcuff thing you have is one of those circular locks than can be picked with a bic pen. old kryptonite ulocks used keys like that and they changed all the new ones to keys that look like small house keys because those are harder to pick.
if you dont believe me you can watch for yourself.
Just lock your bike up well guize. Thats the only way to protect your bike. Fucking with the thieves is not going to keep your bike from getting jacked. Thieves have always, and will always be around.
I just got a huge chain from home depot. Nobody is going to break it, and if they do, they get my worn the fuck out front wheel. If they want the rest of my worn out bike, they have to go threw another u-lock to do so.
too much of a pain in the ass, they will just steal the other guy's who only has a shittyer lock.
Great. We all know what locks to use and all our bikes will be safe.
But it's about doing our duty in our local area, and having the ballz to teach these kids that they can't keep doing this shit unchecked! If it's not our bikes then it'll be our cars or our houses or they'll start jacking purses. It's the mentality of these people that needs to be challenged. Stealing will not be tolerated. That's why it's a problem. Because nobody wants to get involved.
10 bikes have been taken in the last 8 weeks. I need 2 or 3 guys to stake out an area. I've got a pretty simple plan that'll work.
jaylar111@hotmail.com
I rode right past that group of kids yesterday on Sunset/Alvarado, in front of the Burrito King around 6pm. I saw some bikes parked in front of Downbeat too, maybe even the one that was about to be jacked. Sad.
Even though most of the beat-down threats are either joking or macho posturing, any serious talk on here about violent escalation is just stupid. They're already getting more organized, getting more tools, and getting more confrontational. Don't be surprised if you soon discover that they're carrying weapons as well. Unless you feel inclined to follow suit, it's probably not in your best interest to ratchet up the violence.
so let them fuck with us... but lord forbid us to fuck with them because they're just gonna fuck with us some more?
doesn't make sense.
again, be prepared. and by that i mean have evidence. best way to handle this is to provide enough evidence for the law, yes that gang organization that's good for little, and let them fuck with them.
what if the sting goes great, but then these gangsters know your face and jump you and take your shit and beat the fuck out of you while you're riding through echo park alone one night?
As much as i hate bike thieves, not sure i wanna take that risk...
anyone have any old remote control gear lying around? i'll bet i could hide a lock mechanism in the frame - just imagine our young hooligan riding away on a bike when the steering locks 3 degrees to the right!
Thanks lance but seriously these guys are real trash organized trash to boot so we gotta think real hard about what road we should take. It sounds like setting up a bike and recording the fuckers then following to there hide out then calling the cops sounds the safest so far.
Damn Eddie, go smoke! Your all caps typing actually seems like yelling now!
I was referring to the fact of staging a sting or some sort of payback that it shouldn't be talked about on here. That's all.
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Ridazz Roulette!
man what a shitty scenario... but yeah cable locks are a joke.. get a big chain or a U-lock.. in regards to the kids.. anything you plan on this forum its a good chance one of the stealer crew is reading it. just somthing to ponder. 
MY LOCK.
COST OF LOCK : $96.00 PLUS TAX
Krypto chain rules! frame and wheels secure
PETALS.bmp could not be uploaded because it is an unsuppored file type.
I've been trying to tell ya'll !!