Pacific Beach = Infested with bike thieves (Davis: house, buying, college)

[bloads]

I've had 7 bikes stolen in the last three years.

My roomate has had 8 stolen in the last five.

My manager has had 11 stolen in the last four.


With the police being of no help (as usual), I'm trying to figure out a way to impact these numbers myself.

[Oerdin]

You tend to have a bunch of young 18-30 year old beach bums in PB most of whom prefer partying or selling some dope to other partiers instead of getting a real job or finishing college. The result is an area with a young population, but a fairly low average income, and also sorts of partying as people's main focus in life. Nope, I can't imagine why someone would be surprised that sort of demographic might mean young punks who steal bicycles would live there. After all they have to get their beer money some where and a job is just such a drag. Heck, I've even seen self described "travelers" sleeping on the board walk there; they seem to be middle class white kids from the burps who decide to deliberately live homeless for a summer or more mooching food, panhandling for change, and probably occasionally stealing stuff. That's really the worst kind of tourist, the type who think it's cool to pretend to be poor or a dirt bag who breaks the law simply because they're bored getting high in their parents McMansions. I'd bet those types would just love to nab a bike someone left out so they could ride further up the coast so they continue their "adventure" as a homeless vagabond who commits petty theft.

On a more practical matter if you don't want your bike to be stolen first don't have a nice one and second lock it up instead of leaving it were the teenage never do wells or 20 something college drop outs with meth habits can get to it.

[bloads]

Originally Posted by Oerdin

On a more practical matter if you don't want your bike to be stolen first don't have a nice one and second lock it up instead of leaving it were the teenage never do wells or 20 something college drop outs with meth habits can get to it.

Doesn't matter where you lock it.

The only way I've avoided getting my bikes stolen from my house is by bringing them inside, not locking them up outside.

[Jenkay]

P.B. Has *always* had a bicycle theft problem. Bring your bike inside if you don't want it stolen. It sounds like you've lived there for a while, you should know the culture by now, and why you would think you could leave anything outside there (locked or not) is beyond me.

[Jenkay]

Originally Posted by Oerdin

You tend to have a bunch of young 18-30 year old beach bums in PB most of whom prefer partying or selling some dope to other partiers instead of getting a real job or finishing college. The result is an area with a young population, but a fairly low average income, and also sorts of partying as people's main focus in life. Nope, I can't imagine why someone would be surprised that sort of demographic might mean young punks who steal bicycles would live there. After all they have to get their beer money some where and a job is just such a drag. Heck, I've even seen self described "travelers" sleeping on the board walk there; they seem to be middle class white kids from the burps who decide to deliberately live homeless for a summer or more mooching food, panhandling for change, and probably occasionally stealing stuff. That's really the worst kind of tourist, the type who think it's cool to pretend to be poor or a dirt bag who breaks the law simply because they're bored getting high in their parents McMansions. I'd bet those types would just love to nab a bike someone left out so they could ride further up the coast so they continue their "adventure" as a homeless vagabond who commits petty theft.

On a more practical matter if you don't want your bike to be stolen first don't have a nice one and second lock it up instead of leaving it were the teenage never do wells or 20 something college drop outs with meth habits can get to it.

When I was working for the county a while back, we had to do some surveying along Rose Creek. I stumbled on several big caches of stolen bicycles hidden in the reeds down there amongst the homeless encampments.

[djxpress]

If you need another bike, just go into the fields. I've found several bikes thrown in the bushes before.

Again, if it's something you can't afford to lose/have stolen, then you shouldn't be buying it and leaving it outside. I went to UC Davis, #1 bike city. Everyone there bought crappy bikes, that way if they were stolen, it wasn't a big deal.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by Oerdin

You tend to have a bunch of young 18-30 year old beach bums in PB most of whom prefer partying or selling some dope to other partiers instead of getting a real job or finishing college. The result is an area with a young population, but a fairly low average income, and also sorts of partying as people's main focus in life. Nope, I can't imagine why someone would be surprised that sort of demographic might mean young punks who steal bicycles would live there. After all they have to get their beer money some where and a job is just such a drag. Heck, I've even seen self described "travelers" sleeping on the board walk there; they seem to be middle class white kids from the burps who decide to deliberately live homeless for a summer or more mooching food, panhandling for change, and probably occasionally stealing stuff. That's really the worst kind of tourist, the type who think it's cool to pretend to be poor or a dirt bag who breaks the law simply because they're bored getting high in their parents McMansions. I'd bet those types would just love to nab a bike someone left out so they could ride further up the coast so they continue their "adventure" as a homeless vagabond who commits petty theft.

On a more practical matter if you don't want your bike to be stolen first don't have a nice one and second lock it up instead of leaving it were the teenage never do wells or 20 something college drop outs with meth habits can get to it.

I'd agree but want to add that a couple of arrests were made on yard clean up crews. They case complexes during the day and return in the middle of the night. They also know when people are home and where bikes are stored.

I had a neighbor meet some guys playing pool and they stated they were new in town and wanted a place to stay for a couple of nights. It turned out their income was stealing stuff, mostly bikes. I enjoyed seeing the Cops haul them off.


Safe way to store a bike if you have to outside.

Remove wheels and seat and use a kryptonite lock. Make sure it's locked to something solid.

[Just1Lion]

or put it out there as bait for a few nights in a row.... and wait....then pounce. or call the police.

[Traal]

Here is how to lock a bicycle securely.

[1AngryTaxPayer]

Originally Posted by Just1Lion

or put it out there as bait for a few nights in a row.... and wait....then pounce. or call the police.

Oh, the stories I have

We "intercepted" a few before the PD got there It wasn't pretty.