seattle thief gets caught [Archive]

ORMojo

08-16-2012, 11:17 AM

I like that it made it to the front, top of NBCNews.com yesterday.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/15/13301578-portland-man-travels-to-confront-alleged-bike-thief-succeeds?lite

MattTuck

08-16-2012, 11:31 AM

rwsaunders

08-16-2012, 11:39 AM

Enjoyed the video immensely.

cfox

08-16-2012, 11:49 AM

I'm glad that the guy got his bike back. But it is a pretty sad commentary when people have to resort to this type of vigilante justice. Perhaps he could have waited until the cop had arrived to initiate the meeting. It just makes me scratch my head if this is the best way to get results out of law enforcement.

I agree. The hipster justice is cute and all, but what if the perp was a meth head with a switchblade? I wonder if anyone has ever done this to get a stolen $2,500 tv back.

binxnyrwarrsoul

08-16-2012, 11:50 AM

"Take my bike, and I'm fanatical about it, it's my favorite thing in the world, I'll do what ever it takes to get it back."

+1

binxnyrwarrsoul

08-16-2012, 11:56 AM

I agree. The hipster justice is cute and all, but what if the perp was a meth head with a switchblade? I wonder if anyone has ever done this to get a stolen $2,500 tv back.

Well put. I had something similar happen to me, stolen cell phones from my work truck in Queens, NY, hunted the thief down (took me to a real seedy neighborhood, a drug infested area in Brooklyn, NY) and got them back. After the adreneline rush died down, and I calmed down, I realized that it was a really stupid, and risky move. We're all tough, until the other side of the door you're kicking has a drugged out nut with a shotgun behind it.

azrider

08-16-2012, 01:15 PM

Like Fire's signature: "everyone has plan till they get punched in the mouth"

What i don't understand was why they let the cat outta the bag without waiting for cops to be on scene or nearby.

rugbysecondrow

08-16-2012, 01:18 PM

Don't steal bikes bro!

cnighbor1

08-16-2012, 01:24 PM

I live in walnut Creek, CA and once while looking for bikes on CL Seattle I came across a woman was looking for her high end road bike that was stolen. I suggested use one of the many CL search engines to look all USA she did that and after 6 months it turned up in AZ. Has she had filed a police report in seattle she got a AZ detective to go to sellers home. There it was with better wheels. the seller had gotten it of CL. he was out one nice bike has it was taken away and sent to her in seattle
Motto is always file a police report and search CL once a week USA wide
charles

cnighbor1

08-16-2012, 01:27 PM

Your bike gets stolen. Your walking about there is your bike leaning against a wall unlocked. You get on ride it home. So how could you get in trouble if you have proof at home its is yours?

67-59

08-16-2012, 01:30 PM

I agree. The hipster justice is cute and all, but what if the perp was a meth head with a switchblade? I wonder if anyone has ever done this to get a stolen $2,500 tv back.

+1

Bad idea that just happened to have a good result.

Bob Loblaw

08-16-2012, 01:41 PM

I like it. He had friends with him, they met the thief at a crowded Starbucks. I admire the guy's fortitude and determination.

Relying on the police to get a stolen bike back is pointless. They already processed and released the guy.

BL

krhea

08-16-2012, 01:45 PM

i like it. He had friends with him, they met the thief at a crowded starbucks. I admire the guy's fortitude and determination.

Relying on the police to get a stolen bike back is pointless. They already processed and released the guy.

Bl

+1

bart998

08-16-2012, 04:32 PM

Your bike gets stolen. Your walking about there is your bike leaning against a wall unlocked. You get on ride it home. So how could you get in trouble if you have proof at home its is yours?

Aside from getting beat-up for "stealing" a bike... nothing. If you have the proof, the bike is yours. The quote on the video, "I put on these wheels, these tires, this seat" etc. won't cut it. Photograph your bikes (really, all your valuables) and record their serial numbers. If there isnt a number... put one on... not your license# or ssn (ID theft is rampant), maybe your street number, employee # from work, graduation date, wedding date... etc. File a police report as soon as it's stolen, it's part of your proof for later.... and for insurance.

Alchemy Rider

08-16-2012, 05:44 PM

This looks like a good way to "register" bikes and create an online record that can be shown to the police if need be.

http://www.myassettag.com/bike/

Ahneida Ride

08-16-2012, 06:05 PM

+1

Bad idea that just happened to have a good result.

All it takes for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing.

Now the perpetrator needs about 5 minutes with Uncle William out
in Uncle William's Woodshed.

JRY

08-16-2012, 06:20 PM

[/QUOTE]
http://www.myassettag.com/bike/[/QUOTE]
Good start until the thief scans and comes to your house.

Then, you're missing your bike, other bike from the house and LCD TV.
nice idea though.
worried for the guys safety in Seattle. this bike reclaim shown on ABC news tonight with Diane Sawyer tonight.
Stealing bikes must be big biz and increasingly popular

Wilkinson4

08-16-2012, 06:36 PM

That must be the dumbest thing I have seen. Today. There is no proof he stole the bike. Hell, there is hardly any proof it is the vigalante's bike.

Arrested but I wonder if he was convicted? That is just a risky thing to do, your bike is not worth your life imo. This guy could have been a meth head, career criminal or just a b.a.m.f. and it could have went south quick.

mIKE

NRRider

08-17-2012, 10:20 AM

The guy should be arrested just for leaving his friend (accomplice?) behind. Wonder what was going through her mind when the guy ran off.

sc53

08-17-2012, 12:43 PM

I'm really surprised the police did anything at all. If the perp hadn't started running he probably could have brazenly bulled his way out of any trouble. "What are you talking about? This is my bike! My friend here knows where I bought it! Officers, this man is a crazy ass MF who is harassing me. Please arrest him!"

cmg

08-17-2012, 12:51 PM

"I'm really surprised the police did anything at all." yep, surprised they didn't get in the way. Probably looked in amazement, wondered why the owner bothered. and that's what really sad about this hold story. getting the authorities interested enough to do something.

gavingould

08-17-2012, 01:05 PM

kind of dumbfounded that the whole plan was to not mention the cops, stall the guy etc... and then as soon as he starts talking to him he lets the cat outta the bag. could've saved a lot of chasing the guy around and scufflin' if they had just stuck to their plan.

play dumb. take a few pictures with your phone, tell him you're "sending to a friend who knows about bikes" so you can "see if it's a good deal" and stall...

when someone brings an obviously stolen bike in to the shop, usually it's got a flat and locking skewers but no key... or they want to sell it to us. we stall 'em by checking it out in the stand while another employee checks the local stolen bike database and recent "keep an eye open" emails from other shops and locals.
if we can't find any direct evidence that it's stolen, there's nothing we can really do. if there's a match though, we just stall 'em until the police visit.

helps to get license plate numbers of any vehicle they show up in too...

noel

08-18-2012, 10:53 AM

I thought it was weird that the guy just started pointing out the parts on the bike saying he put them on there as proof.

I'm going to start pointing out parts on some nice bikes with police around then they'll all be mine I guess.:banana:

Futchgator

08-18-2012, 11:23 AM

I say good for him, it's about time we start standing up to scumbags and not letting them take whatever they feel like... It definitely could have gone wrong quickly but thankfully it didn't. Why he couldn't have simply said "let me take it for a quick spin around the parking lot" and then throw it in the car on the other side of the lot and see ya later douche bag... I will say that it looks like the thieves in the NW are a little higher class than here in FLA...

GuyGadois

08-18-2012, 12:18 PM

Awesome video. I bet the guys had a PBR before heading back to Portland.

Futchgator

08-18-2012, 12:20 PM

Also, I hope he didn't pay $2500 for that because if he has than he's been ripped off twice...

Marcusaurelius

08-18-2012, 12:35 PM

I think it's great. Bike theft is very, very common and very big business. The police in my neck of the woods do absolutely nothing. The do all sorts of bait cars but for bicycles--nothing.

benitosan1972

08-18-2012, 12:41 PM

re: confronting bike thieves

good idea... poor execution
vigilantes came across way
more douchey than the
supposed thief/lacked any
real evidence... and lol @
"citizen's arrest," they got
lucky the cops even came at all.

Jaq

08-18-2012, 02:06 PM

Also, I hope he didn't pay $2500 for that because if he has than he's been ripped off twice...

/win

harryblack

08-18-2012, 10:15 PM

1000% agree-- the self-aggrandizing vigilante came off as complete douche and he's lucky to have gotten away with such a stunt. He SHOULD have been grateful just to get the bike back OK but now, he has to make a movie about it... for what purpose? You want attention, fine you got attention-- myself and 1000s of others thinking "what a schmuck." No one here condones bike theft, of course, but it might help to know a LITTLE about the law before pulling out your "citizen's arrest" card for the world to see.

re: confronting bike thieves

good idea... poor execution
vigilantes came across way
more douchey than the
supposed thief/lacked any
real evidence... and lol @
"citizen's arrest," they got
lucky the cops even came at all.