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[–] 91 points 6 months ago (19 children)

Something similar happened to me. When my bike was stolen, I notified all of my local bike shops with pics of my bike, and a detailed description about where damage to the frame was, and the numbers stamped on the bottom of the frame. Also filed a police report. I was devastated because this was a bike I built, and therefore custom. (I bought the frame, fork, derailers, chain, rims, tires, handlebar ect as separate components and put it together myself.)

The thief brought the bike into one of the local shops because he couldn't figure out how to inflate the tires through the presta valves. The bike shop recognized it, told him to wait while they took care of things, called the police and stalled long enough for the police to show up and arrest the guy.

I eventually got my bike back after it was done being evidence. Fuck bike thieves.

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  • [–] 43 points 6 months ago* (17 children)

    When was this that the police cared about a petty burglary?

    I'm not saying it didn't happen, I guess I'm still sour about when my garage was broken into, one bike stolen and another dragged out and run over (it was incomplete, they probably thought it was ready to go and left it in the road like savages)

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  • [–] 31 points 6 months ago (1 child)

    if you basically solve the case for them and all they have to do is to come, pick up the thief and improve their statistics, they might be more eager than if you want them to work.

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  • [–] 14 points 6 months ago

    Indeed. Hence, thieves pretty quickly learned to move the stolen items to other cities...

    There's plenty of examples I've seen locally where airtags and the like are indicating where the items are but have raised no interest from police, sadly (in fairness, the hidden airtags could have been removed, etc).

    Some good advice I was given was that I should claim the insurance and let it all go - stalking through sites trying to find the stolen stuff only adds to the anguish. This was from a builder who was forced to park on the street and discovered his van had been burgled every 10 months or so. He learned to stop looking for the tools online. Even when it was empty of tools people would take sunnies or a jacket

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  • [–] 14 points 6 months ago (7 children)

    I think "where" is the more relevant question

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  • [–] 11 points 6 months ago* (5 children)

    Albany, NY. This was 25 years ago.

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  • [–] 9 points 6 months ago (4 children)

    Any place that uses the term “steamed hams” sounds like a great place to me!

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  • [–] 9 points 6 months ago

    Not all cops in all places are all bad all the time. They're always part of a deeply broken system and all the other parts of the usual rant about cops, but that doesn't mean they never do a good thing.

    Most cynically: it's basically a free bump to their performance numbers.
    Most leftishly: a business called, which is closer to who they work for.
    Most probably: theif was still there and someone was close enough that they'd be doing more than taking a meaningless report to file.

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  • [–] 9 points 6 months ago (2 children)

    25 years ago. Not sure if the shop called 911 or the local PD.

    I recently had a bike stolen from where I work. I happen to work for the state government so the theft was caught on multiple cameras. State police found the guy 2 weeks later after issuing a BOLO, arrested him, and since he was already out on parole due to a previous record, the thief went straight to prison. This last incident was 2 years ago.

    ACAB, but despite that some actually enjoy solving crimes.

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  • [–] 2 points 6 months ago

    This really is amazing. I had my motorcycle stolen several years ago and couldn't get the cops to give a crap. Recovered it a month later, wrecked and abandoned in front of a house and cops couldn't even be bothered to try and get fingerprints off it. Instead called me at 11:30 at night and said if didn't get there and pick it up within 30 min, they'd have it towed and I'd be charged for it. About the same experience when I had my car broken into and stuff stole out of it.

    Glad they seem to give a crap where you live.

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