A not-so-scientific study of crime... (Chicago: skateboarding, houses, college)

[Jandur]

Car broken into. I had to think about it though.

[mjtinmemphis]

I've never been a victim of crime other than CTA stealing my tax money and not giving good service. I want a refund!

[Lorielicious]

I've only been here for a little over a year, so there's still time. I just know my bike is going to be stolen soon. I've had it for too long. I'm due.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by Lorielicious

I've only been here for a little over a year, so there's still time. I just know my bike is going to be stolen soon. I've had it for too long. I'm due.

Get a kryptonite u-lock!

[Lorielicious]

Are those really any better than other bike locks? They cost more, but they're not pick-proof. Can't they be hacked with a Bic pen? That's what I saw on the internet, and the internet wouldn't lie.

[emathias]

In 1995, I had a laptop stolen from me by a roommate.

In 2010, my condo association discovered massive fraud on the part of our manager, totaling no less than $59,000 over ten years for a 14 unit association. My portion of that would have come to something like $2,500. He also was ripping off much larger associations - I never heard the official tally, but I'd guess it's north of a million across all his customers based on their sizes. He died shortly afterwards (natural causes, I'm told).

Neither of these are exactly the kind of crimes one thinks of when you read crime stats.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Lorielicious

Are those really any better than other bike locks? They cost more, but they're not pick-proof. Can't they be hacked with a Bic pen? That's what I saw on the internet, and the internet wouldn't lie.

Earlier models could be. New ones haven't been shown to have the same vulnerability. Even with the old ones, it's not generally as universally easy as the videos made it seem.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I've never been a victim of crime other than CTA stealing my tax money and not giving good service. I want a refund!

I don't know what CTA you're riding, but the CTA of 2012 is a phenomenal agency compared to the CTA of 1995, and a pretty damn good agency compared to most other big-city agencies in North America, too.

[jonnynonos]

Originally Posted by emathias

Earlier models could be. New ones haven't been shown to have the same vulnerability. Even with the old ones, it's not generally as universally easy as the videos made it seem.

They are generally perceived as being better than the competition. I currently own a $40 Giant u-lock that I can tell you is not only the worst lock, but the worst product, I have ever purchased.

The bottom line is that with the right saw anyone can cut through any lock.

Can they be picked? Maybe. But not easily. Unless you have a really expensive bike you plan on leaving in a bad area overnight, it will probably not happen.

If you don't have a u-lock, and are just using a cable you are inviting your bike to be stolen. They can do it in broad daylight with a small tool.

So, get a u-lock. And if you're gonna get a u lock, yes, I would invest in a kryptonite. I had my last kryptonite for 8 years or something and it was 100 times better than the POS Giant lock I have now.

[Lorielicious]

Yeah, those wire locks are more or less the equivalent of a "Steal Me" sign on your bike. I have a Master Lock U-Lock which I suppose is fine (no theft... yet). My friend, who is a total bike nazi, recommends the Kryptonite, but if I buy one I'll have a lock more valuable than my bike!