SF Bay Area: Keep an eye out for stolen bikes please

[echappist]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Really sorry to hear this Ryan. Unfortunately, the problem is widespread. Two of my best friends got their bikes (including a Potts) ripped off from their garages. Whomever is doing this clearly knows what they are looking for, and are scouting/surveying the area.

My solution: I moved my bike(s) out of my partner's house in the East Bay hills from the garage. It is now in my apartment. Up four flights of stairs. Locked in a closet. Locked inside of the closet to a 75 lb medicine ball rack.

I mean, if they get to your apartment (as opposed to merely within a garage), you'd have bigger issues to worry about than merely losing valuable bicycles

Fwiw, always prudent to have renter's insurance. One can have the coverage even when paying no/nominal rent.

[weaponsgrade]

One of the things I did to help prevent garage break-ins was to zip tie the engaging/disengaging latch for the garage door opener. This makes it a lot more difficult for someone on the outside to fish a coat hanger through and grab the pull cord for the latch.

[dyerwolf]

Sorry to read this and the violation of your home and hobby. Certainly will keep an eye out for these amazing bikes.

[slowpoke]

Originally Posted by weaponsgrade

One of the things I did to help prevent garage break-ins was to zip tie the engaging/disengaging latch for the garage door opener. This makes it a lot more difficult for someone on the outside to fish a coat hanger through and grab the pull cord for the latch.

To illustrate weaponsgrade's point, this is what happens when you don't secure your garage quick-release latch: https://www.instagram.com/p/BfRMUP5FoiF/


While bike theft by drug addicts are rampant in SF, I want to emphasize that in grnrcr's case, these were probably professional thieves--not a crime of opportunity done by randoms considering the neighborhood and how the bikes were stolen. Most bikes stolen by lower-level thieves are usually done by angle grinders on locked bikes, or snatch-and-grabs from unsecured office parking. The bikes are then quickly turned around Civic Center, SoMa, or around Cesar Chavez for less than $100.

There's probably a higher chance of bikes stolen by lower-level thieves being recovered because they almost never leave the city. However in OP's case, his bikes are most likely in a van headed out of the city to LA, Portland, or somewhere further.


Required reading:
SFBG: Chasing My Stolen Bicycle, Justin Jouvenal
SeattleMet: This Is What Happens to Your Bike After It’s Stolen, Casey Jaywork

[Bostic]

My checklist:
Change programming on garage door and all remotes associated with it from defaults. Change again from time to time.

Use sliding bolt on inside of garage. Hopefully yours doesn't have a mail slot like that Instragram video. Or add a second one on the other side at a non-standard height. This makes Costco runs a bit longer to unload the vehicle since you have to go in the house to undue the bolts before you can open the door.

Two different length cable locks looping through bikes as well as other immobile object with different locks on them. The bike that isn't on the outside that is the preferred ride of the day means some work of removing the cables from both wheels from each bike in the way. Also means after coming home spent from a ride is more involved than lying bike against the wall or in a stand.

Security cameras at every entrance and inside as well.

Bikes have non-descript names on Strava.

Privacy zones enabled for all locations that should be private

Don't post photos on Strava or Instagram of valued equipment and link to account.


When I was living in an Apartment I brought the bikes up a few flights of stairs every time and kept them in the bedroom.

[XXtwindad]

What a depressing article. I could barely slog my way through it. And it was written in 2007 (Chris Daly!). Things have gotten much worse since then, I'm sure. But here's a question: if indeed the higher end bikes are headed out of town, who is selling them? Clearly, someone with enough bike knowledge to answer any questions about cassette range, tire choice etc. That's disturbing. And, as a buyer, how do you know that a bike hasn't been stolen?

[KJMUNC]

Ugh....humans. Never ceases to amaze me how low we'll stoop to do terrible stuff to one another.

re: the question above: I always do a fair bit of research on any bike I buy and like to think that I'd find out if someone had mounted any kind of internet plea for a lost bike. I always ask for serial numbers and google those, plus I'd guess there would be some red flags with a stolen bike that you'd eventually uncover (e.g, if it's too good to be true.....)

I have six bikes hanging in my garage but I also have two long padded steel cables threaded through the frames and wheels and then locked to hardened padlocks at two different points that are both anchored to the structure. Sure, given enough time and effort someone is going to find a way to get around that, but it sure should prevent any snatch and grab jobs.....take my unsecured beach cruiser sitting 5ft away all day.

+1 on Strava privacy zones.....no reason for anyone to know where my house is within a mile of starting.

[sethjs]

I live by Dolores Park. All my bikes in the garage. Had a Tern GSD stolen off a bike rack with an angle grinder. Now use two ubolt locks that each require two cuts.

For the garage I've had the automated dead bolt system installed. Have gotten rid of the dangling string. But now realizing I need to zip tie the mechanism. We have the easily opened mail slot.

I know another technique is to use an angle grinder to separate the plate the garage arm attaches to the door with. But the dead bolt theoretically would defeat that.


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[54ny77]

ugh!



hope you get them back. that compact sl....ouch. what a ballbuster to see that stolen.