Bike theft + ace of spades? What's with that?

[Gnarly Cranium]

A friend of mine just got up in the morning to find his bike totally mutilated. 1990ish CB1, down on the ground, chain gone, battery gone, seat torn off, all sorts of parts missing. He stands it back up, goes to work, comes back-- to find the bike GONE, with both locks (some kind of U-lock I think) laying neatly intact on the ground. One of the locks had been locked back together, punched through the center of an ace of spades playing card.


Okay, bike theft sucks and all, but who has to be such a DICK about it? Is this some established custom among thieves, or one particular group? Why mangle the bike if you're just going to steal the whole thing anyway? Why leave the locks at the scene, when the bike is clearly unrideable and they had a truck to dump it into anyway? Why waste a bunch of time acting suspicious and raping the bike out in the open before taking it??

He said he's heard that occasionally what they do is, disable the bike, then send by the friend in the truck to get it later-- isn't that just more risky, the extra step?

If you find your bike all fucked up, any recommendations to hide/move it before they can take off with the whole thing?

 

[OldFatGuy]

If you find your bike all fucked up, any recommendations to hide/move it before they can take off with the whole thing?

I wouldn't hide it or move it. I'd camp out by it and wait for them to come back.

 

[Gnarly Cranium]

I wouldn't hide it or move it. I'd camp out by it and wait for them to come back.

Except how do you know if it's just been all mangled and they're done with it, or if they're coming back? You could sit there all week and nothing happens.

 

[Archimedes]

A friend of mine just got up in the morning to find his bike totally mutilated. 1990ish CB1, down on the ground, chain gone, battery gone, seat torn off, all sorts of parts missing. He stands it back up, goes to work, comes back-- to find the bike GONE, with both locks (some kind of U-lock I think) laying neatly intact on the ground. One of the locks had been locked back together, punched through the center of an ace of spades playing card.

So you're saying that the thief opened the locks and then closed them up again? Kinda like they had a key? This friend recently break up with a chick?

 

[NivlacYevips]

So you're saying that the thief opened the locks and then closed them up again? Kinda like they had a key? This friend recently break up with a chick?

BIC Pen trick? Was it a cylindrical lock?

 

[bunnygoat]

Where did this happen? T.I.? Must have been deserted. That's Really fucked up!

 

[planegray]

VENDETTA !

 

[rsrider]

Ace of Spades is a death card. Some one has been watching Apocalypse Now a few too many times.

 

[two wheel tramp]

Man, I feel bad for your friend. I would :cry if someone mutilated Siouxsie.

 

[Gnarly Cranium]

So you're saying that the thief opened the locks and then closed them up again? Kinda like they had a key? This friend recently break up with a chick?

I don't know the specifiic brand/type of lock, so I'm not sure if there's a trick to it (though he said it wasn't the bic pen kind) nor do I know much about his personal life, he's more of an acquaintance really, but it's a good question. He says there's also three other bikes regularly parked along the same block, too.

He's filed with the company that made the locks, although that surprised me a little since I thought you had to show proof that the lock was overcome, and if it's undamaged does that work? The bike was insured, he says he's going to get a monster next-- but the whole situation just seems so bizarre. I mean, playing cards, really?

 

[jpoppa]

I have to agree with oldfatguy camp out with a 30/06 with a scope. Oaklands bad enough a fellow rider got his 990 adventure along with the truck it was in stolen, cant take anything for granted.

 

[Lex Talionis]

Lay out a royal flush next to the ace of spades, put yourself in a concealed area with line of sight, wait for the next play, then shoot the fucker with your deer rifle. Whistle first so he turns toward you, just to make it sporting.

You do have a large caliber rifle, right?

Lex

 

[sanjuro]

Except how do you know if it's just been all mangled and they're done with it, or if they're coming back? You could sit there all week and nothing happens.

Hunting is patience.

It only took 116 months to catch Bin Laden. The CIA even knew about Bin Laden's compound 6 months before the raid. They just observed to be as sure as they could before Seal Operators could finish the job.

P.S. Kill All Bike Thieves

http://vimeo.com/6475675

 

[Shaggy]

There are a lot of tricks out there for picking:

key Master Lock

youtu.be/ipMi6ryESqk

combination lock

youtu.be/JtLQoz8yC2Q

Kryptonite U-lock

youtu.be/LahDQ2ZQ3e0

different style combination lock

youtu.be/cGkOj0W_Zbw

 

[Gnarly Cranium]

Well, the police found his bike. Or... rather, the frame. What was left of it. Dumped apparently in the parking lot at Safeway in the Castro.

 

[the grinch]

Well, the police found his bike. Or... rather, the frame. What was left of it. Dumped apparently in the parking lot at Safeway in the Castro.

There are security cameras over looking that lot.

How much interest the police have in investigating the matter is the question now.

 

[psychocandy]

wow, someone really doesn't like this guy.

 

[joe blow]

such a strange story... as a CB-1 owner myself I'm actually surprised it was stripped. CB-1 parts are next to useless!!

 

[weasel]

Weird :wtf As in how well do you know this guy? If he's making it up about the locks and card it's pretty creepy, and it does sound made up.

 

[Gnarly Cranium]

He's a regular at the video store where I work, so I see him fairly often but don't know him all that well. Pretty cool guy, phd, programs robots or something.