About Those Portland Bike Thefts (2015, crime rate, neighborhood)

[Raisinet]

I forgot to include the issue of bike thefts in my "what I've learned list" from this past year that I've spent in Portland.

"Police may have stopped these individuals, many of them homeless, on more than one high-end, carbon-fiber bike with clipless pedals and disc brakes. But their court records often don't reflect a pattern of theft convictions."

"Prosecutors routinely dismiss the theft charges that police lodge against them. Most frequently, prosecutors say, that's because there's not enough evidence."

Bike theft booming in Portland: Even in Bike City USA, thieves are rarely caught, data show | OregonLive.com

This is an important issue to know about for you newcomers that think you'll just show up here and ride your bike everywhere.

It's a pretty shocking issue that really impacts people. I literally go on my walks each day and pass endless states of bicycle carcasses on things like light poles and bike racks that have been picked nearly gone, or see pieces of bike locks laying on the sidewalks.

Memo to those that like to downplay this stuff as old news: this is a 2015 news story. These bike thefts are as relevant right now as they were when this news story was posted.

Walk across the Hawthorne Bridge and check out all the very expensive bikes sitting outside the shanty tents of the homeless there. I witnessed that yesterday.

[borntorun1180]

I always laugh when I see stuff like this knowing some moron who bikes around was dumb enough to have their bike stolen. We need more bike lanes for those idiots that are just gonna get their bike stolen from the homeless anyway.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Seems to me that if bikes were registered they would be easier to recover. Also, a small registration fee would help defray the costs of building bike paths and bridges...

[Nell Plotts]

I agree. Also more cyclists should use 'bike vaults' for parking.

[PDuckX]

With all the car theft going on in my neighborhood, I think car owners should be required to park their cars in their garages. When I see those parted out cars on the side of the road I just have to laugh at those moron car drivers who let their cars get stolen.

See the stupidity in those statements? The problem is theft is a big issue right now and it not much is happening about it.

[Nell Plotts]

I am not aware that car theft is a problem in Portland metro. Where are you seeing parted out cars on the side of the road?

[Raisinet]

It is not only a very real, but rampant problem, especially in the downtown area.

About ten days ago I was walking across the Hawthorne Bridge and there were three, young bicycle riders coming in my direction, pedaling like crazy.

But it wasn't their speed so much that got my attention, even though it was way higher than normal. It was the fact that they had their faces covered up in these burlap looking scarf things to hide their identity, because each one of them was hauling a bunch of bike parts. Rims etc.

Looked like something out of a Mad Max movie.

[CanuckInPortland]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

I am not aware that car theft is a problem in Portland metro. Where are you seeing parted out cars on the side of the road?

It's a problem in my neighborhood and adjacent areas--mainly easier to steal cars like pre-2005 Hondas and Subarus. I see a lot every week on postings on NextDoor recently with people getting their cars stolen right out of their driveways.

Of course bikes are easier to steal, though considering the relative cost of a bike they're never going to be investigated by the police for the most part. There's just not enough cops to even start to deal with bike theft in this city.

[PDuckX]

In the Hollywood/Laurelhurst area there is at least two car thefts a week. This from two neighbors and posts on the nextdoor forums. Right now there is a parted car sitting on the west side of MLK just North of Columbia. Essentially I'm just making a point about theft in general. It isn't just bikes. In NE you can't leave anything on a porch without it walking off. It seems to spike on trash and recycle days when you have the can gatherer's going through the recycle bins. It's amazing what people will steal. Old nasty knee pads, hiking boots, corn hole bags etc. Not to mention packages from UPS and FedEx. Also, it is getting a bit tiring see all these anti-biking posts. I'm a two day a week rider for mostly exercise reasons and I can tell you there are far more problematic car drivers out there than bike riders. Yes, I am aware there are idiot bike riders as well, but the number of people driving while talking on a phone, eating breakfast, reading the paper, applying make up, etc is staggering.

[AndyAMG]

Petty theft has always been an issue in the NW in general. Violent crime is pretty low. But rates theft, vandalism, and burglary have always been high and make our overall crime rate worse than many similar sized cities. It's best to remain proactive, people get lulled into a false sense of security after moving from larger cities. It's a city of 1.5 millionish people (2.3M is the CSA) it's not Mayberry.