Watch out for bike theft!
An article in last week’s Tucson Citizen entitled “Tucson Putting the Brakes on Bicycle Thefts” states that the number of reportedly stolen bikes in Tucson is at a three year low. I am skeptical, however, of whether this data reflects the reality of how many bikes are actually being stolen. Perhaps this number just indicates that people have given up on reporting their bikes stolen out of the realization that the effort is futile. As far as the article indicates and from what I have seen, it does not seem that the city has made any effort to curb theft.
I was prompted to write this post after noticing a recent surge in the number of people around town talking about having their bike stolen. It seems to be a prevalent problem in Tucson, and this year Tucson ranks 5th in Krytonite’s Top Ten Worst Cities for Bike Theft (tied with Portland). It is obviously not a coincidence that the highest ranking cities also have very large bicycling communities.
Common sense would indicate that the best way to avoid theft is to bring the bike inside at night or during times when the bike is left unattended. A U-lock is not enough to deter a thief with the right equipment. During the daytime it is probably best to lock the frame with a U-lock and the wheels with a cable, and to leave the bike in a visible place.
If your bike is stolen, it will most likely be stripped of its parts and be rendered unrecognizable. However, it might be worth it to check at the police impound lot at 4410 S. Park Ave, which is open the first Saturday of each month from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. After 60 days, these bikes are auctioned off on publicsurplus.com. It is also a good idea to inform everyone you know to keep an eye out for your stolen bike around town. Though it seems unlikely, I have actually seen people recover their bike simply by telling their friends to keep an eye out.
-lauren
July 23rd, 2008 at 8:43 am
nice blog. do you mind if we link our blog to yours? check it out…www.unbreakable-bonds.blogspot.com.
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:55 am
thanks, karen…no we don’t mind…thanks for the link!
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
In Columbus, OH, the police department had a program called “bug-a-bike” where they’d place an RFID chip on your bike for free. I don’t think it was meant as a tracking device to locate your bike after it was stolen, but more similar to a pet collar for your bike. It’d have your contact information so if it was somehow recovered, the police could get a hold of you. I don’t know how effective of a countermeasure it really is, but I suppose it’s better than nothing.
July 23rd, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Eric,
I have been reading your blog for a while. I’m interested in the Tucson area and have been down for a few of the El Tours.
About 3 years ago now my wife and I had our bikes stolen right off the roof of our car while visiting a friend in Oakland. We did make a police report. We also understood that it was largely for the insurance forms to get our bikes replaced. So insurance might be a large driver for reporting theft. We also have a $500 deductable so the theft has to be ‘wroth it’.
Another reason to report is for the posibility of claiming the loss on your income taxes. Restrictions apply.
Keep up the good work. Ralph
February 15th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Greetings again yeah it’s been that long since I’ve been here so sorry!!! BUT TOMORROW IS A GREAT DAY TO BUY BIKES INDIVIDUALLY ONLINE BY BIDDING ANYTIME BEFORE THE UA AUCTION!!!
There are lots of trek, complete and in stacks and stacks of high end front wheels and tires (only locked rest stolen!) etc.
And of course it is the UA who steals most of the bikes stolen on campus especially durin the summer and evne over fchristmass. Unlike the city they at least sell them one at a time back.
[C052]
Lot # Items View
C 052 1
Description
Bicycle/Bike (1)
Carrera, 10 speed
[C049]
Lot # Items View
C 049 1
Description
Bicycle/Bike (1)
Micargi, Pantera w/front basket
C 041 1
Description
Bicycle/Bike (1)
Trek, Multitrack
Are some examples but to see many more visit
https://uaauctions.arizona.edu/public/auct_info.aspx?ID=136
via
https://uaauctions.arizona.edu/public/auct_lot_info.aspx?ID=40076
oops I mean the root is (in fact for tomorrow)
https://uaauctions.arizona.edu/public/auct_info.aspx?ID=136
P.S.
It’s unlikely even a penny on the dollar will be obtained this time for the laptops and lcd’s sold in very large numbers, one at time. You can literally buy a dozen for the price of one currently. Even after buying a new hard drive etc. this is absolutely the cheapest way to get bikes, frames, etc. The info is only up for a couple days at most prior to the tuesday, and as the quantity reveals they steal them far more often then the sell them.
So before donating your bike to bicas consider instead selling it, and buying with the proceeds the entire lot for donation for example lol…..
(anyone riding one of these suckers atr tomorrow nights ride will get extra points!)
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:02 pm
The links that worked without the sold price, on the eve of the auction but days after online bidding had commenced, no longer work….
SO, here is a photo link from the first online auction that included bikes:
https://uaauctions.arizona.edu/common/get_attachment.aspx?id=1e849139-5aad-4283-b7f4-3a9058871f29&width=400&height=400
Please note that this works in I.E. when clicked, but may not work if taped even though it did work in windows 7 from firefox though perhaps not the full size as in I.E. or no longer original as taken with multimegs of pixels (formerly known as photoreal i.e. greater then VGA even at 640×480 which is four times most cell phones lol!)
Congratulations on getting out of your trial I hope you can approve my other two comments today and if you would like audio from todays opening ceremonies re cat fitness/ curb parker in 80’s living longer then carport owners can expect in there 20’s hit me up lol.
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:10 pm
THanks also for letting my short comments get posted withotu delay while the one with the pasted in sold prices from earlier, because of that paste (over a hundred, three pages plus extra’s on th final page from
https://uaauctions.arizona.edu/public/past_auct_info.aspx?ID=136
(note the link uses a “/past_auct_info” folder (file) with dynamic indexing into it)
I do again appreciate that this clarification gets posted just as fast, assuming it as a second post doesn’t get delayed lol (because my earlier efforts didn’t even display I did try to repost them but was told I had already posted lll…… (forward this to wordpress if you have nothing better to do lol))
Bottom line is that ther are even better deals on bikes, if you don’t mind using our state as the worst fence in this hemisphere perhaps, second only obviously to our city lol, then wal worts.
February 22nd, 2010 at 2:11 pm
THanks also for letting my short comments get posted withotu delay while the one with the pasted in sold prices from earlier, because of that paste (over a hundred, three pages plus extra’s on th final page from
https://uaauctions.arizona.edu/public/past_auct_info.aspx?ID=136) hasn’t yet….
(note the link uses a “/past_auct_info” folder (file) with dynamic indexing into it)
I do again appreciate that this clarification gets posted just as fast, assuming it as a second post doesn’t get delayed lol (because my earlier efforts didn’t even display I did try to repost them but was told I had already posted lll…… (forward this to wordpress if you have nothing better to do lol))
Bottom line is that ther are even better deals on bikes, if you don’t mind using our state as the worst fence in this hemisphere perhaps, second only obviously to our city lol, then wal worts.