Stolen Bike near Tufts

[http://users.livejournal.com/_saint_cecilia_/]

Combination warning and plea for advice / consolation - My bike was stolen from Bromfield Rd in the early hours of Tuesday morning.  It was a lovely new 2010 Trek Soho S.  Yes, it was locked up out front (which it rarely was) and it was locked up with a cable lock (which it rarely was - my old bolt had just broken.)

As a bike commuter it is as destructive to my life and livelihood as someone stealing my car, especially since my insurance fell through.  More than that though, I really hate that now every bike I see is potentially MY bike, and all of my neighbors feel like suspects, and I feel the need to check craigslist every 20 minutes even though I know that even if it ends up there eventually (which it probably won't) it wouldn't be there today.  It's just so invasive.  I've had (old, beater) bikes stolen before- even from a U-bolt - but to have my new bike stolen feels especially bad.  I have a better sense now of why societies used to cut thieves' hands off.

I called Somerville PD; I asked advice of several bike shop owners and friends.  Flyers were suggested, but that's about all.  Realistically, it's gone for good.

So, yes- perhaps with the return of the students, the thieves are back. Whether they ARE students or are here to prey on them.  Lock up your stuff out of site.

Meanwhile, if you have suggestions for great bike locks / thoughts on what to do next / insurance solutions (renter's insurance was a scam) / gig work for extra cash / cheap ways to console myself - please please share!

Thanks!

Comments

[alphacygni]

I'm curious what the problem with the insurance was, if you're willing to share.

[ron_newman]

Me too. When I had a bike stolen, the renter's insurance paid off, though only after a deductible.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_saint_cecilia_/]

I should have said, my plan to get insurance fell through. A friend's experience of hidden fees and failure to insure various important things had me thinking the whole business of renter's insurance is a racket. Not to mention it was one more thing to pay for. I'll probably look for insurance sometime soon, but that's another post :)

[nu-luba.livejournal.com]

not that this is going to help you now but when you do get renters inusrance make sure to specify large items such as a bike specifically and fax them copies of the receipt. I just did that for my engagement ring.

[lunarcamel.livejournal.com]

1. I'm so sorry to hear about your bike. That sucks, and I hope you find it.

2. To that end, I don't know how much it'll help but it'll make you feel like you're doing something: The Stolen Bicycle Registry. (http://stolenbicycleregistry.com/)

3. I've had renters' insurance through these guys since I moved here in 2007: Fucillo Sasso Insurance. (http://www.fucillosassoinsurance.com/) Thankfully I've never had to submit a claim (knock on wood) but they were super easy to set up with, they've patiently answered my goofy questions when I called ("I'm moving to Asia for four months, will you guys still cover my stuff?") and it costs about $150 a year. They're on the up-and-up, but like nu_luba said, best to flag your specific expensive important items so they know they're there and you know they're covered.

[xuth.livejournal.com]

I can't help you get your old bike back, and I agree that losing your bike absolutely sucks.

My only real advice is that when you replace your lost bike, you not trust cable locks. I can unlock the worst of them as fast as someone who already knew the combination before hand. I can cut the best of them in a few seconds with the right tools. Their only useful purpose is to repel some strictly opportunistic thieves and to keep someone from accidentally taking your bike (ie they have a bike that looks just like yours parked in the same lot and accidentally grab yours instead (and when someone is drunk, two very different bikes might look very much alike!)).

I personally lock up my bike with two different types/brands of u-lock. This does many things:

• It allows me to lock both wheels to the frame of the bike and lock my bike to something stable and do so relatively quickly.
• Many of the exploits against u-locks are specific to the brand, type or position of the lock. Most thieves won't be carrying the tools to break both of my locks.
• Having two different brands of locks means that I can tell the difference between the keys of the two locks without any problem.

Note that none of this keeps people from stealing components off of your bike or a dedicated thief from taking your bike. Hopefully it deters them enough to move on to your neighbors though.

And again, it really sucks that you lost your new bike.

[squirrelitude]

I talked with the campus police at Northeastern University when I was commuting there by bike. They confirmed that (at least for that area) a u-lock securing the frame to the bike rack combined with a cable securing both wheels to the frame was sufficient. They said it was *extremely* rare for anyone to break a u-lock, and that no one would steal normal wheels that were protected in any way. Of course, campus is full of cable-locked bikes and unsecured wheels, so perhaps this was merely a matter of relative difficulty.

This really sucks and I'm sorry, but you really need to replace those "rarely"s with "never"s

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I had a cable lock securing the front wheel of a bike to the frame and I lost the combo. Before running to the hardware store I decided to give it a solid tug--it snapped.

I WOULD post photos here and on craigslist on the off chance. Can't hurt.

Re: This really sucks and I'm sorry, but you really need to replace those "rarely"s with "never"s

[http://users.livejournal.com/_saint_cecilia_/]

Lesson learned. Never again. At least not at home or at work. Trouble is, of course, that having a bike means taking it into the world. A good lock and insurance are the closest I'll get to a sense of security, but I fear my peace of mind will be all busted up for quite a while.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_saint_cecilia_/]

Yes, I'm definitely investing in U-bolts! Thanks to your post I think I will eventually (i.e. two paychecks from now) get two, although for starters I can only afford one. It's interesting that tools are specific to the brand- not something I would have know, thanks!

And just to hear "that sucks" over and over again is surprisingly, wonderfully helpful- Thanks.

[ron_newman]

Absolutely it sucks. It's my main way of getting around. The one time it happened to me, it was my own stupidity, though: I had left it unlocked in a storage room that was supposed to always itself be locked.

[squirrelitude]

I'm so sorry to hear it.

When you get your next bike, buy a u-lock/cable combination (at least.) Make sure that the lock comes with a guarantee that covers the price of your bike. (The guarantee might only be redeemable if you can produce the broken lock. Oh well.) Use the u-lock to secure your frame (and maybe a wheel as well) to the bike rack, and thread the cable through your wheels and attach to the u-lock. A cable is generally enough for wheels.

[squirrelitude]

By the way, were there any identifying markings or serial numbers?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_saint_cecilia_/]

It is a very unusual (and attractive!) matte black and has a Schwinn cupholder I attached to the bottom of the frame. I did take note of the serial number, and it has a Wheelworks sticker on it.

[pekmez.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry that your bike was stolen. We try to keep bikes indoors even though it's a pain in all kinds of ways.

Since we live down the street from you on Bromfield - I will pass on your warning to our tenants too.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_saint_cecilia_/]

Thanks. I usually keep mine in the basement- this was an exception since I got in late and expected to head out early. That'll learn me.

Thanks for telling your tenants! I went around and told a bunch of my neighbors who I know keep bikes outside.

Incidentally, there's nothing quite like a great landlord- My landlords live downstairs from me and when they heard I was short a bike they said I should borrow theirs. Maybe something about Bromfield Rd makes people extra awesome.

[milan27.livejournal.com]

I live on Bromfield as well, I think with the students returning the thieves are out for the opportunity. Tufts did a good job of stuffing mailboxes this year for students to look after their belongings and warn neighbors of parties.

[geekpixie.livejournal.com]

Something people often say is make sure you check the wanted ads on craigslist. People often see wanteds and go out out and "find" the bike they are looking for to sell. also check local bike places that do trade ins or buy. The place on Somerville Ave buys bikes, not sure about the guy near the porter square plaza that randomly sells bikes in his yard, and ACE only does trade ins to deter theft.

It's sadly just a crime of opportunity, good luck!

[somervilleguy.livejournal.com]

This won't make you feel any better but I would doubt that this was anyone who lived directly in your neighborhood. I've lived here (Tufts area) since 1969 and its been my experience that people troll neighborhoods looking just for opportunities such as this. I've had cars stolen from my driveway, bikes stolen from my back porch GPS and stereos stolen from locked and (I'm not proud to say) unlocked cars. It's been my experience that most are people looking for quick and easy drug money and even a junkie will often not "shit where they eat". Some do of course but for me anyway that hasn't happened since the 70's when Somerville was very different than it is now. So I wouldn't go looking at your neighbors with suspicion but I would look at CRAIGSLIST with vigilance. .

[grapefruiteater.livejournal.com]

This sounds about right to me too. Any bike that's outside is a target, too. A former roommate had her bike stolen from the back of our house in Porter Square. It was not visible from the street. Whoever took it had some tools with them, because the bike had been locked to the porch railing, and the just cut off the railing and took the whole thing—railing, bike, AND lock. Clearly a prepared opportunist.

[twinbrutes.livejournal.com]

I'm baffled by the question of where all these bikes are ending up. There can't be that big of a market for so many used bikes which, to any reasonable person, would be of suspicious origin. I have a view of the Davis T station racks and I've seen many attempted and successful thefts and it is always boys, 13 to 15 yrs old. Aside from their friends, who would buy a bike off them? I wonder if sometimes they are stealing just for kicks, then ditching the bike.

And to make it unanimous, bikes with cable locks are usually the target. These kids seem to always have bolt cutters -- which are probably stolen as well.

[doerofnone.livejournal.com]

No way-- a used bike at a good price goes FAST on Craigslist. Most people (students) are not asking where it came from.

[ron_newman]

If you see teenaged kids walking around with bolt cutters, please tell the police.

[elements.livejournal.com]

So sorry to hear this! As someone who thought my bike was stolen earlier this summer I deeply sympathize! On the off chance that the DPW might have taken it, it's worth giving them a call too - that's what happened to my bike, even though it wasn't in violation of anything.

I did a lot of research on locks, and can rec the Kryptonite "New York" line. I have a standard size one but I wish I'd gotten the "fugghedaboutit" which is small and so harder for thieves to crack. I just didn't think one small one was practical given the shape of my bike (cargo trike) and sometimes difficulty finding a close enough place to lock it.

[ron_newman]

There's a house on Elm Street next to the Shaw's shopping center that always has a few used bikes out in front for sale. I hope they're not a fencing operation, but I've often wondered....

[milan27.livejournal.com]

I've seen this too and wondered myself...