The Chainlink

Bike recovered but situation stinks

Listing and recovery story:

http://chicago.stolenbike.org/node/193546

Theft in action:

Craigslist ad:

Seller info as per victim:

Name: Kirk Gxxxxxx
Phone:             773-621-5936      
Address: xxxxxxxx, Chicago, IL
Description: white male, approx 6'0'', approx 40 YO, pony tail
(edit-- info removed-- contact me if you need it.)
My guess is that the seller hits our favorite cesspool at 41st/Ashland early and often and keeps the thieves/fences in business.
Seller gets his money, victim ends up paying buyer, no legal consequences to anyone.
Stinks to high heaven.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by h' 1.0 on November 18, 2012 at 10:05pm

I called seller to see if I could find out where he got the bike-- couldn't tell if it was a connection problem or if I was hung up on but it any event it would be great if people could keep an eye on his listings-- Googling his number brings up =a lot.=

Permalink Reply by h' 1.0 on November 18, 2012 at 10:23pm

A few more of his current listings:

1zt7hr8qm0y90Permalink Reply by 1zt7hr8qm0y90 on November 19, 2012 at 2:16am
Bicycle theft is horrible. People become sentimentally attached to their rides. I think the police detectives should buy the most expensive carbon fiber bicycle there is, lock it with a cable and padlock, or not at all and then lie in wait. Felony grand theft, bicycle. The only other deturance would be if every man, woman and child had the bike of their choice. No need to buy, sell or steal.
Permalink Reply by h' 1.0 on November 19, 2012 at 12:22pm

I've never heard of Chicago police conducting a sting (generally bike theft is not considered important enough to make the cut for allocation of resources) but UIC police have done so as have several suburban police departments.

Douglas Iverson said:

Bicycle theft is horrible. People become sentimentally attached to their rides. I think the police detectives should buy the most expensive carbon fiber bicycle there is, lock it with a cable and padlock, or not at all and then lie in wait. Felony grand theft, bicycle. The only other deturance would be if every man, woman and child had the bike of their choice. No need to buy, sell or steal.
Permalink Reply by Tim S on November 19, 2012 at 12:47pm

why not keep calling Kirk and jamming up his phone line, what an ass.

Permalink Reply by Laura on November 19, 2012 at 12:55pm
person states that he stood and watched the guy steal his bike and didn't do anything except call the cops. I don't get it.
Permalink Reply by notoriousDUG on November 19, 2012 at 1:15pm

Yeah, WTF is with that?

I would have clubbed the dude.

Laura said:

person states that he stood and watched the guy steal his bike and didn't do anything except call the cops. I don't get it.
Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio 6.5 mi on November 19, 2012 at 1:18pm

I am not trying to be flip or snarky.  I doubt many people in Chicago would do anything to try to stop someone from trying to steal anything--not just one's bike.  Unfortunately, we never know what else the guy has besides the angle-grinder.
 
Laura said:

person states that he stood and watched the guy steal his bike and didn't do anything except call the cops. I don't get it.
Permalink Reply by Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi on November 19, 2012 at 1:35pm

Gotta agree with Lisa - you don't know the thief, and you don't know what he/she is willing to trade to get your bike.  If the answer is "more than you are willing to trade to keep it", you lose.  Bringing a club to the party might just get you stabbed or shot.  Not worth it.

Lisa Curcio said:

I am not trying to be flip or snarky.  I doubt many people in Chicago would do anything to try to stop someone from trying to steal anything--not just one's bike.  Unfortunately, we never know what else the guy has besides the angle-grinder.
 
Laura said:

person states that he stood and watched the guy steal his bike and didn't do anything except call the cops. I don't get it.
Permalink Reply by notoriousDUG on November 19, 2012 at 1:48pm

I really doubt a bike thief is packing and willing to kill for a bike but even with that as a remote chance I would be willing to make them show it to me before I was willing to let them take my bike.

Permalink Reply by Juan Primo on November 19, 2012 at 1:58pm

You don't even have to physically assault the theif.  Even a loud yell, "HEY BIKE THEIF!  HEY THIS GUY IS STEALING A BIKE!"  could have done something.  Unless you're too embarassed to yell.

Permalink Reply by Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi on November 19, 2012 at 2:19pm

I was being hyperbolic there.  Maybe not shot.  Maybe stabbed.  Maybe you find yourself in a position where you have to fight, and you successfully defend your property, but you end up in jail for aggravated assault or worse.  Maybe the thief runs off.  Point is, you don't know until you get yourself into the situation.

In *your* non-criminal mind, if you were stealing a bike and someone shouted "stop thief" or showed up with a club, you might think twice.  But you're not a criminal.  That person stealing the bike in the picture is.  That automatically means they're not operating by the same set of rules, and that you shouldn't assume you have any sense of how they would react if confronted. 

Anyway, I'm not trying to judge.  Just shine some light on perhaps unconsidered potential outcomes.  At my age, I just try to avoid that kind of chaos.


notoriousDUG said:

I really doubt a bike thief is packing and willing to kill for a bike but even with that as a remote chance I would be willing to make them show it to me before I was willing to let them take my bike.

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