How would you punish a bike thief?

[Spare Tyre]

Meh, luckily my bike has never been stolen. But really if it is stolen, the chances of getting it back are nill, the chance of catching the person who stole it are nill. And if it ever was stolen, I'd just by another one for 20 euro or less from a junkie. Only thing I would be agitated about would be the lock

In other words, you'd be a buyer in the market for stolen bicyles. Probably not what the OP was hoping to hear.

My bike is nothing fabulous, but I lock it with a "D-lock" and I lock the quick release front wheel to the frame with a D-lock, chain my helmet to the bike and remove anything else I don't want stolen (computer, front light). The quick-release saddle is permanently chained to the frame.

If they still get it, good luck to 'em. They probably won't though. D-locks are pretty good.

BTW, all this locking is by virtue of experience gained over many years. About 12 months ago some neighbours brought home a couple of brand new bikes, chained them up out the back and they were stolen a couple of days later, before the neighbours even rode them. The same night the thief attempted to steal my bike (hardly desirable, a rusty 10 year old hybrid), successfully sawed through one chain (since replaced with a D-lock) and failed only because of the original D-lock.

 

[RedheadDane]

Like any other thieves. Bike thieves aren't special and shouldn't get special threathment...

 

[TheDude]

Make him ride 100 miles with seat-post but no saddle.

 

[khardung la]

I've always found the best form of punishment is something truly humiliating...pain and discomfort are temporary - getting over something horrendously embarrassing takes far longer! I remember when I was little...whenever I had done something bad my mum made me walk around shopping centres with her with a sign around my neck saying "I have been bad today"... doesn't sound too bad but i know at five years old it worked a treat as a deterrent!

Doesn't sound too bad?????? Jesus!

 

[The Devil]

I am not in agreement. The reason this guy should not take the law (Law??) into his own hands at this moment - when there is NO question of guilt - is because he might get hurt.

Since criminals are more likely to be accustomed to violent response, this outcome could be considered to have a high probability.

But if he's got a stick handy that will reach the thief's head? I say hit the epher.

And hit him hard.

It is the belief, on the part of the thief (not just bicycle thieves), that they will get away with the crime - to the thief it is low risk. So . . . increase the risk.

Now, if you don't know who it is? Then let the (sic) "Law" take over. Like Barrus said, unlikely that any good will come of any action after the fact.

Have a look at what happened when this Guy "took the Law into his own hands":

http://www.news-herald.com/articles/2010/04/30/news/doc4bd9fe8e0c7db418392785.txt

As I said "one should never take the Law into their own hands"

 

[ElChingon]

More Thievery, from a recent E-mail from the LA Po-lice on the side of Bikes, not sure if cyclist but indirectly:

------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: FW: Burglary Investigation - Bicycles Targeted

Greetings Bicycle Riders,

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has just concluded an investigation into a residential burglary crew, operating throughout Southern California. These Suspects identified bicycle riders through Facebook, geotagged photos and Craigslist. They created email accounts with fictitious names and communicated with their victims until they gathered enough information to identify their houses and bicycles. Armed with that info, they compared the photos of the houses to street view photos on the internet, and researched the victims on White Pages Online. In the middle of the night, they drove to the house, burglarized the garages and stole the bikes.

Your email address was in the computer belonging to the crooks. It appears as though they have communicated with you identifying themselves as Joe Wayne, Justin Vyor, or Mark Silverstein (both YAHOO email accounts). They may have negotiated with you about the purchase of a bike or just talked about the hobby, which they had in common with you. It is likely that you ultimately emailed them a photo of your bike.

If you were targeted during a residential burglary and your high end bicycle (or component) was stolen, PLEASE contact me immediately by replying to this email address. The information that I will need is:

Police report number (if crime was reported)

Date/Time of theft

Description of stolen property, including serial numbers


The goal is to return the stolen property to the rightful owners and prosecute these thieves, but we cannot do this without supporting documentation, so take the time to locate receipts or paperwork for your stolen property. We will ultimately have photos available. Most components have been removed and sold, however we have frames and rims/tires.

I understand that you may be skeptical about the origin of this email (considering the manner in which you have already been victimized). Feel free to call me directly and I will be happy to provide verifiable credentials, if needed.

We currently have approximately 40 bicycles and 100 wheels in custody.

Thanks for your time.

Lt. <insert blank>

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Major Crimes Bureau-Metro Detail

(left out the names/phone numbers/contacts, as I don't know if they're members)

 

[42x16ss]

By riding a fixie with a tiny gear, no brakes and razor sharp, old school beartrap pedals and leaving it somewhere that dares them to try

 

[Afrank]

I am fully and completely against the death penalty, that being said I believe the only people that should get the death penalty is bike thieves.

Also a friend of mine recently had his bike stolen on the eve of a race, the guy that stole his bike deserves the death penalty!

 

[Master50]

Make them walk.
Really can't think of worse.

 

[Maxiton]

Make them walk.
Really can't think of worse.

I can. Has anybody mentioned castration yet?

 

[Machu Picchu]

Graham Watson just posted the below, I don't see the humour in it, am I missing something?_?

Graham Watson ‏ @grahamwatson10
...it's funny if it's not your bike he stole! http://bit.ly/IYawyI

 

[Master50]

I can. Has anybody mentioned castration yet?

Thought of that but they could still ride. Just need to switch to a girls saddle. Castration only hurts a few days. Make them walk, everywhere. No bus, no car, no taxi. By foot only.
I expect the walk might give them some time to think about the value of a bike starting with range and convenience. After a while give them the cheapest working bike and I am betting a new found respect for bike ownership. If you have already made your kids you don't really need them. Your adrenal glands will make some or most of the testosterone you need and give them an excuse to take more than they made. Put it another way I'd miss my bike a lot more than the balls and I would miss them. Of course bicycles clearly do not have the same value to everyone but ....

 

[Kiara is a rational girl]

A criminal record. Further punishment is largely pointless since bicycle theft is so trivial; no punishment able to provide considerable deterrence could be considered 'fair' by normal standards, and other motivations to punish tend to stem from self-importance and fanaticism. That said, if I were feeling self-indulgent and legally-assured, I think I could be quite brutal. But I wouldn't call it 'punishment', it would just be 'fun'.

 

[Maxiton]

Thought of that but they could still ride. Just need to switch to a girls saddle. Castration only hurts a few days. Make them walk, everywhere. No bus, no car, no taxi. By foot only.
I expect the walk might give them some time to think about the value of a bike starting with range and convenience. After a while give them the cheapest working bike and I am betting a new found respect for bike ownership. If you have already made your kids you don't really need them. Your adrenal glands will make some or most of the testosterone you need and give them an excuse to take more than they made. Put it another way I'd miss my bike a lot more than the balls and I would miss them. Of course bicycles clearly do not have the same value to everyone but ....

You are right. What you say makes perfect sense. I think in a rational, compassionate world, being made to walk would be the ideal punishment for a bike thief. Punishments like this would go a long way toward making the world more rational, too.

A criminal record. Further punishment is largely pointless since bicycle theft is so trivial; no punishment able to provide considerable deterrence could be considered 'fair' by normal standards, and other motivations to punish tend to stem from self-importance and fanaticism. That said, if I were feeling self-indulgent and legally-assured, I think I could be quite brutal. But I wouldn't call it 'punishment', it would just be 'fun'.

You know, you really are a rational girl.

 

[RedheadDane]

If someone stole my bike I'd, in a very sweet voice tell them that:

"Okay. Seeing as you want it so much you can keep it. But now you're going to use it everyday! Regardless of weather or anything."

 

[MarkvW]

The best thing I can think of is a self destruct device that would destroy the fork and/or chainstays (preferably at speed).

 

[42x16ss]

The best thing I can think of is a self destruct device that would destroy the fork and/or chainstays (preferably at speed).

Just the fork would be enough

 

[Caruut]

Never had a bike nicked, but I lost a wheel once. I was 10 miles away from home at midnight. Luckily my dad goes to bed late, and could pick me up. The frame was D-locked, but I forgot the cable to tie round the wheels. I was riding a road hybrid with discs at that time, and since this was before the UCI started to warm to discs, it was frustrating getting the right wheel again.

Ever since then I just don't use QR. Hex keys and a cable. Since I don't have any spare wheels, the extra time to use a hex key compared to replacing/repairing the tube is minimal. Everything that can come off will if it's QR and it's not locked.

 

[Martin318is]

Make them a mod on CN

 

[RedheadDane]

Make them a mod on CN

Aww! Come on! We aren't that bad!

 

[CobbleStoner]

you get a chunky, two finger ring (mini-brassknuckle) with 'Thief' engraved backwards in it, find the guy and punch him hard in the forehead and cheeks.
branded

 

[Red Rick]

First, let them wash their hands, and replace the soap by potassium, so that a fire starts, when they try to stop the fire by pouring water over it, it will just burn faster.

After this, i'd dissolve them in 10M fluoric acid (alive)

On a more serious note, a good punishment would be to let them work so long that they can buy you a new bike

 

[Stradaracer]

Roshambo

If I catch them stealing my bike, then the only way we can resolve our conflict is by roshambo - and I go first http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=/&gl=US#/watch?v=WcVI64IbkIs

 

[Bala Verde]

More Thievery, from a recent E-mail from the LA Po-lice on the side of Bikes, not sure if cyclist but indirectly:

------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: FW: Burglary Investigation - Bicycles Targeted

Greetings Bicycle Riders,

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has just concluded an investigation into a residential burglary crew, operating throughout Southern California. These Suspects identified bicycle riders through Facebook, geotagged photos and Craigslist. They created email accounts with fictitious names and communicated with their victims until they gathered enough information to identify their houses and bicycles. Armed with that info, they compared the photos of the houses to street view photos on the internet, and researched the victims on White Pages Online. In the middle of the night, they drove to the house, burglarized the garages and stole the bikes.

Your email address was in the computer belonging to the crooks. It appears as though they have communicated with you identifying themselves as Joe Wayne, Justin Vyor, or Mark Silverstein (both YAHOO email accounts). They may have negotiated with you about the purchase of a bike or just talked about the hobby, which they had in common with you. It is likely that you ultimately emailed them a photo of your bike.

If you were targeted during a residential burglary and your high end bicycle (or component) was stolen, PLEASE contact me immediately by replying to this email address. The information that I will need is:

Police report number (if crime was reported)

Date/Time of theft

Description of stolen property, including serial numbers


The goal is to return the stolen property to the rightful owners and prosecute these thieves, but we cannot do this without supporting documentation, so take the time to locate receipts or paperwork for your stolen property. We will ultimately have photos available. Most components have been removed and sold, however we have frames and rims/tires.

I understand that you may be skeptical about the origin of this email (considering the manner in which you have already been victimized). Feel free to call me directly and I will be happy to provide verifiable credentials, if needed.

We currently have approximately 40 bicycles and 100 wheels in custody.

Thanks for your time.

Lt. <insert blank>

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Major Crimes Bureau-Metro Detail

(left out the names/phone numbers/contacts, as I don't know if they're members)

Herrera and mejia?

Tour de theft targets high-end racing bikes LA Times

 

[ElChingon]

Herrera and mejia?

Tour de theft targets high-end racing bikes LA Times

The story didn't mention the e-mail some people got (previous post) from the LA Sheriff's warning people which was quickly spread out to the masses.