Topic: I've got an interesting story for you

[sirean_syan]

Well, not like Beo or GPW interesting (not even Nickclone interesting), but it's got it's high points.

About a month ago I brought one of my parent's old bikes up to the Bay Area so I could start riding my bike around town and too school and I've been locking it up near my car in the garage area. This Monday, I was getting ready to leave for school and discovered an empty space where the bike normally was and my lock broken on the ground. Sucks, but whatever. I really wasn't attached to the bike and I have a free bus pass to get me too and from school. I didn't loose any money, just some extra exercise. The cable wasn't all that great, so lesson learned I suppose.

I had heard that the Oakland Police had a stolen property report form online, so a Google search for that also brought me to the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, who has a list of stolen bikes on the site. On a throw-a-way chance that something could happen, I listed my bike.

Today, I received a call from someone who saw the listing and the bike at a local used bike store. When I first brought the bike up, I registered it with the state and had a bike license with the bike's serial number on it. So, I grabbed that and went to the store. The people there seemed cool enough and they immediately recognized the description of the bike because it was being tuned-up for sale at the exact moment I was in there. We checked the serial number and they matched. They gave the bike back to me, pretty much no questions asked saying they would handle whoever sold it them and get comped that way.

So, I have my bike back, complete with the new tires they up on and a free tune-up. Now, I'm just left to wonder how much into the racket the bike store really is. Is just the guy who handles the all the bike purchases, some of the store, or the whole damned thing. I'm assuming they gave it back without a fight because they got caught and didn't want the police involved. Supposedly, the person who sold them the bike was a regular seller, so someone probably knows. I hadn't made a police report yet because I honestly thought it wouldn't do much good, but I am planning on going back to the police to get new license stickers. I could mention what happened then and they can do whatever they want... which will probably be nothing.

[Quemaqua]

It's definitely worth mentioning.  You never know what investigations are going on and whether or not something is being looked into, and a small tip from anybody can lead to something.  Though you're right, probably nothing would come of it since the Oakland police are generally more concerned with how many of their citizens are being robbed and murdered at any given time.  Still, it wouldn't hurt to make mention of it.  Crimes committed to work a storefront like that happen a lot more often than people realize.

[Xessive]

Sweet! I imagine it felt good just to have the bike back at least.

It's good they returned the bike without any hassles but I hope all those involved get what's coming to them.

[scottws]

I always feel bad on those "Have you seen this person?" or "Lost dog" or missing property things because I have absolutely the worst short-term memory.  There is no hope for me to recognize things like that if I do see them.

[gpw11]

Yeah, it seems kind of suspect that a "regular seller" is selling stolen bikes and this would have been the first they heard of it.  Then again, why would you be a "regular seller" unless you're selling stolen bikes.