Front Range Thievery Part III

**pde20** · 10-11-2006, 04:37 PM

Every fall I am punished by the gods for who knows what and my bicycle(s) are taken from me by the (choose one villian) meth head, crack head, mexican mafia, homeless dumpster diver, pro burglar. Fall 2006 is no different, though perhaps a bit more eggregious due to the fact that my house was broken into this time and my wife's jewelry collection got significantly smaller as well.

Long story short, if you happen to come across (particularly relevant for front range mags) either a used Yeti 575 and/or a Specilalized Allez Pro road bike (pictured below) on craigslist, ebay, or in some other forum or venue I'd sure be curious to see that listing on the off chance that they could be found. I have insurance and all that and wouldn't normally bother with this as I have no illusions, except for the fact that Rontele managed to locate his stolen ride earlier this year and gain some small measure of satisfaction. The only unique features of either of them are that the Yeti has a red race face stem while the Specialized has blue Ambrosio rims and a somewhat ugly tiger stripe pattern on the top tube.

Thanks

**Hutch** · 10-11-2006, 04:50 PM

That SSSSSSSSSSSSUUUUCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !

**kidwoo** · 10-11-2006, 04:53 PM

Dammit man...........

Good luck with the insurance.

I feel for ya. I couln't imagine losing two bikes.........after having other bikes stolen the previous years especially....

**smmokan** · 10-11-2006, 08:55 PM

That's fucked up man. I remember you telling me that you got your bike stolen the last two falls, but this year too? WTF?

**Rontele** · 10-11-2006, 09:15 PM

As I mentioned to Peter earlier, don't give up hope and be vigilant--the bikes could always turn up.

Some people just fucking suck and I really hope they rot in hell.

**Dside11-11** · 10-11-2006, 09:23 PM

I found my stolen bike on Ebay, too. Keep looking.

Use the insurance money to build the sickest Intense 6.6 ever.

**pde20** · 10-11-2006, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by Lloyd Christmas

That's fucked up man. I remember you telling me that you got your bike stolen the last two falls, but this year too? WTF?

WTF indeed.

The most disconcerting thing is that i have to feel like somebody is watching/targeting me. This is indeed the third consecutive year I have been ripped off. Each circumstance has been different: first year, stumpjumper out of locked storage space in a locked apartment building. Second year, heckler torn off roof rack in front of same apartment bldg. Finally moved, got my own house in a good hood, have been hyper vigilant about keeping bikes inside where they can't be seen, house locked up, never on the car unless i can see them...and still, somebody breaks in, goes straight for the bikes, wife's jewelry seems like an easy target of opportunity. They literally stepped over a dell laptop in its case, ignored skis, stereo equip, CDs, various computer equip and made no effort to take (as far as we can tell) anything that would implicate ID theft. Moral, in my mind: this is a professional level bike theft operation. Perhaps they have inserted a tracking device up my ass while I sleep and know where me and my bikes are to be found. Only other think I can think of is that someplace that knows I have bikes...like a bike shop...sells me out?? I am not sure that this theory holds up as I have patronized multiple shops in this time span.

Originally Posted by Dside11-11

I found my stolen bike on Ebay, too. Keep looking.

Use the insurance money to build the sickest Intense 6.6 ever.

Cop that was here was undeniably an idiot, but he reaffirmed what I had learned, or at least spouted the conventional wisdom, that in Denver many nice bikes end up going to Mexico in semi trailers for resale. Given that two people on here have found stolen rides on ebay, there has to be some other pipeline or common MO of thieves that the DPD is unable or unwilling to tackle. He claimed that DPD didn't fuck around with pawn shops who are implicated in stolen property, meaning DPD shuts them down, but per Rontele's experience that is clearly bullshit.

I certainly hope that the insurance money, minus deductible, is enough to let me get two similar quality bikes but I've really got to figure out what it takes to keep my shit secure. Having to make my house a fortress with bars, alarms, whatever, lock my bike to a fucking rack or pipe in the basement, etc. etc. just really burns me, but it seems like that is what it takes.

One thing is for sure: my insurance premiums are going to be off the fucking chain come next year

**kidwoo** · 10-11-2006, 10:21 PM

Perhaps they have inserted a tracking device up my ass while I sleep and know where me and my bikes are to be found. Only other think I can think of is that someplace that knows I have bikes...like a bike shop...sells me out?? I am not sure that this theory holds up as I have patronized multiple shops in this time span.

Man I hate to say it but maybe it really is someone you know.......

Let me know if you want to build up something with borrowed parts. I could almost put together a whole bike with the shit laying around my garage........assuming you're not focused soley on skiing from here on out.

**SkiingBear** · 10-11-2006, 10:26 PM

One word...Rottweiler.

You want my bikes...you gotta get past 105 lbs of fury bitches.

In no way am I advocating raising a shitty dog; dogs deserve a good home, and that's what our's has...but you mess with our house and he'll let you know it.

Sucks about your bikes. Could have been worse...could have been the skis.

**Hutch** · 10-11-2006, 10:39 PM

cool painting of that horseshoe on the Green River - they didn't take that, did they?

**riderspro** · 10-11-2006, 11:32 PM

Denver has a bicycle recovery department. Call the non emergency number of the denver pd and ask for it. They have just one detective and he looks through thousands of bikes per year. But if you phone in your serial number, they will find it if it comes in. I got my frame back in this way earlier this Summer. They are alos checking pawn shop bikes vs the serials you phone in to this number.

**Daywalker** · 10-12-2006, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by pde20

Cop that was here was undeniably an idiot, but he reaffirmed what I had learned, or at least spouted the conventional wisdom, that in Denver many nice bikes end up going to Mexico in semi trailers for resale.

Do they really ship them to Mexico? They really get that much out of high-end bikes being sold down there? I realize Mexico's not exactly a third world country, but it seems to me that it isn't exactly a hot market for Yetis and other zooty bikes.

**pde20** · 10-12-2006, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Daywalker

Do they really ship them to Mexico? They really get that much out of high-end bikes being sold down there? I realize Mexico's not exactly a third world country, but it seems to me that it isn't exactly a hot market for Yetis and other zooty bikes.

Again, I'm not sure if this is an urban legend that even police officers believe, or perhaps there have been "famous" or multiple busts of semis loaded with nice bikes, but i have heard this cited more than once as one eventual destination of stolen bikes. Even more specifically, Mexico City. You got to figure, that is a city of damned near 20 million people with a very large middle class, so there is undoubtedly a black and/or grey market for nice bikes. I don't really know if that is the answer...simple theft for pawning, for drugs, for parts, for joyriding are all possible if not more probable.

Just got off phone with an officer in the bike unit, his number one reccommednation was to watch ebay and craigslist as these kinds of bikes tend to go through pawn shops to the online market places. He mentioned that they have a 575 at the impound right now....Rontele, what are you waiting for?!?

Squatch · 10-12-2006, 04:44 PM

it's weird here...the thieves can tell which are the spendy bikes and which aren't. i have a piece-of-shit bike that sold for $250 10 years ago, and I've been lazy about leaving it around, etc. No issues. (Of course, it's virtually unrideable by normal humans...that may help). I don't know of too many other places with such an efficient bike theft scene.

**Rontele** · 10-12-2006, 04:59 PM

I am waiting for two weeks until I come to town to retrieve that bitch.

Squatch · 10-12-2006, 05:54 PM

Originally Posted by Rontele

I am waiting for two weeks until I come to town to retrieve that bitch.

sweet. can't wait to beat up a nerd. seriously. i'll fucking eat you.

**Rontele** · 10-12-2006, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Squatch

sweet. can't wait to beat up a nerd. seriously. i'll fucking eat you.

I would break your 6'8, Max Gosey catching ass so quickly, you wouldn't even know what happened.

**reidhresko** · 10-12-2006, 06:53 PM

pete, that is super beat. i'll pass the word on and keep an eye out. at least now you can build pretty much whatever you want...

**ColMan** · 10-12-2006, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by Squatch

it's weird here...the thieves can tell which are the spendy bikes and which aren't. i have a piece-of-shit bike that sold for $250 10 years ago, and I've been lazy about leaving it around, etc. No issues. (Of course, it's virtually unrideable by normal humans...that may help). I don't know of too many other places with such an efficient bike theft scene.

So true. I had a GT STS DH, RVT Ti hardtail, and my wife's $400 KHS locked up together ($30 cable lock) in a secured garage downtown. After breaking into the garage the thieves cut the lock, ignored my wife's bike and took off with the other two. Fuckers really do know which ones to take.

pde20 - Sorry for your loss man. I'll be sure to keep my eyes open for your rides.

**JoeStrummer** · 10-12-2006, 08:45 PM

Maybe they see them on your car rack and follow you home? It definitely makes me feel less cavalier about leaving my Merckx in the open.

Dumb question - what happens when you find your own bike on ebay? In other words, what recourse do you have?

Squatch · 10-12-2006, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by Rontele

I would break your 6'8, Max Gosey catching ass so quickly, you wouldn't even know what happened.

The only thing you can slay is the toilet. Step off, bitch, before I lay the smackdown and then ride over your face on my unstolen bicycle.

**homi** · 10-13-2006, 11:05 AM

this blows

what's up with the thievery here in Denver? anecdotally seems worse than when I lived in philly.

sounds like it's time for a sting: pick a night you have free, get some numchucks, leave your door open, bike in sight, hide in dark with said numchucks, and unleash upon their asses.

I missed the framesizes - will keep an eye out

**pechelman** · 10-13-2006, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by homi

this blows

what's up with the thievery here in Denver? anecdotally seems worse than when I lived in philly.

sounds like it's time for a sting: pick a night you have free, get some numchucks, leave your door open, bike in sight, hide in dark with said numchucks, and unleash upon their asses.

I missed the framesizes - will keep an eye out

numchcuks for you, 12ga with rock salt for me