rampant bike thieves

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

There are some serious bike thieves on or around Willow Avenue.

After parking my bike in front of the house for a year, nothing happened until last week, when someone stole my wheel. It was an old Trek, and time for an upgrade anyway, but still really annoying.

So then I got a newer bike from Craigslist. I bought a cable, which I've wrapped through my wheels in addition to the U Lock I was already using. At night I brought the bike inside EVERY night but Saturday. Saturday the downpour was so bad, and I was busy, so I flaked on bringing the bike inside.

Sunday I was ready to ride my bike to the Union Square flea market, only to discover that the seat was missing.

I understand now that I will ALWAYS have to park my bike inside at night. But I find it ironic that after living on Columbia St. in Cambridge for 4 years (an area where people shook their heads in dismay upon me telling them I lived "across from the projects"), the worst theft has happened right here on friendly Willow.

Comments

[caveatlector-09.livejournal.com]

So sorry that happened to you! I don't think it's a new problem though. When I lived on Willow Ave (about 2 years ago, my bike was taken from my front porch and then left on the bikepath! (It was amazing that I found it before anyone else did).

Willow *is* very friendly, but there are still a bunch of punk kids in the area. Good luck!

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

wow, the porch incident is good to know b/c my roommate has parked his on the porch... so freaking weird they left your bike on the path. was it locked?

i just think it's so weird that we parked our bikes for a year before any of this happened. that's why i wondered if it was someone new in the area.

it's especially frustrating since i don't have a car -- i rely on that bike almost every time i need to travel or commute!

(how can i edit posts in communities, btw? i noticed that i'm missing an end quote and it's bothering me)

[jennyelfenmass.livejournal.com]

You need to be a paid member in order to edit comment posts.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Kids in the area will swipe bikes all the time, just to joyride or in general. A friend of mine had her bike stolen off her porch and the kid's father actually tried to resell it to her.

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

yeah, that's true. i'm just noting the irony that people thought i lived in a sketchy area of cambridge before, when the problem actually seems way worse here.

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

not comments, but entries? i wanted to edit my entry after i posted it.

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

stealing a seat or a wheel is so desperate though...

[purpless77.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry this happened. Definitely keep bringing your bike in at night.
But, I'm honestly surprised that anybody would leave their bike out. You live in the city and while it's not Compton it's still a city. Don't look at any area as being "friendly". A lot of crime is hit or miss. You may have had a good experience living in Cambridge while someone else on your street might not have had such a good experience. I can't stress this stuff enough here. Protect yourself and protect your belongings. Always be cautious. It's better to be safe then sorry.

[jennyelfenmass.livejournal.com]

There should be a little pencil icon that you can click on to edit the entry. At least in the base style it's there.

[ron_newman]

Just click on the pencil icon and edit it.

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

thanks!

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Somerville has a much higher rate of bike (and car) theft than Cambridge, actually.

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

good to know. where did you read that? i'm curious.

[leko.livejournal.com]

That sucks. A friend who has been staying with me was locking her bike up out in front of my place on central street. I advised her against it, but it was fine for a while. Then last week someone stole her rear wheel.

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

jeesh. is central street near me?

i've just been biking here for years and never had this problem!

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Just out of curiosity (and to gauge the value of my own level of paranoia with regards to my bike) was this a quick-release bike seat?

[djdreilinger.livejournal.com]

I just wrote an article (http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/08/31/thieves_rack_up_bikes_locked_or_not/) on the increase in Somerville and Cambridge bike theft. To my surprise, the most recent Boston data showed that bike theft had not gone up.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

The car theft stats you can find various places, including at CityRating.com. In 2003, Somerville had 521 reports of car theft, versus Cambridge's 410 reports of car theft: when you capitate it, that puts Somerville's rate much, much higher, considering it has only three-quarters the population of Cambridge.

As to bike theft, I didn't have any stats until I read djdreilinger's piece! I just had that impression from talking with police in both communities.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Not everyone has a garage or otherwise reasonably accessible indoor space in which to store their bike. This is surprising?

[dmcgettrick.livejournal.com]

I had a quick release seat stolen at Alewife. I bought this - http://www.saveyourseatlock.com/

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Ooh. That's handy! I wonder if I could get one for my wheel...

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

yes, it was quick release. my bike is at wheelworks now having a non quick release seat installed. the bike guy said even if i bring my seat inside with me, that can pose a threat to the bike if it rains b/c it will get tons of water inside it.

wheelworks also told me to NEVER EVER park at the bike racks behind Davis Square. they said it's much better to park in front of a store b/c thieves won't know if you'll be coming out at any second. whereas with a rack by the T, they assume you're gone for the day.

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

they offered me a seat lock but it has a combination and it would mean i'd use 3 locks for my bike! seems ridiculous. i'm definitely going to bring it inside at night from now on. but the problem is, as you said, it's not really fair to my roommates (and we don't have a good storage space for bikes).

[suzybuzz.livejournal.com]

interesting! thanks!

[m00n.livejournal.com]

Just based on the number of people I've seen post here about bicycles (and bicycle accessories) being stolen from that rack, I'd say that's probably sound advice.

Still, it's tempting to use those racks because a) space is always plentiful on them, b) they're easy to lock to, and c) they're right next to the train. Rather than just having Somervillians avoid the racks, I'd LOVE to see the city and the MBTA do something to make the racks a safe place for people to put their bicycles. Perhaps by adding a single conspicuously placed closed-circuit video camera or something?