Bicycle Thefts at Maplewood Train Station
Sep 11, 2012 at 4:54pm Edited
andrewri said:
I wanted to let everyone know who locks their bike up at the train station that many bikes are being stolen, mine was stolen last week and I spoke to someone who had their bike stolen tonight. I spoke to a police officer who said several other bikes were stolen all using cable locks.
DO NOT lock your bike with a cable type lock, they can be clipped with bolt cutters
If your bike is new or valuable only use a kryptonite U lock or heavy duty chain
Spread the word
This is bad news. I feel bad when crimes of any type happen.
Do they have cameras at the train station. What do NJ TRANSIT and the transit police plan to do?
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/lock-strategy.html
Good basic technique. I've augmented mine with a slightly longer U-lock that goes through the rear wheel, seat tube and whatever the bike is being secured to as well as a thick chain through the front wheel.
Good basic technique. I've augmented mine with a slightly longer U-lock that goes through the rear wheel, seat tube and whatever the bike is being secured to as well as a thick chain through the front wheel.
There's actually been a problem with a lot of bike thefts from garages in Maplewood (mine was one of those in August). Filed a police report...the officer who came out said there's been quite a few lately.
Thefts will continue to occur until people change the way they do things. I don't know how many threads iv'e read about bike thefts, unopened car doors etc and things are still being stolen. Obviously the people who are being ripped off are Members of the MOL community so take what you read and change things. This isn't 1950 anymore.
"Because thats were the money is " Willie Sutton on why he robs banks . Mwood has a lot of sweet bikes rolling around, sort of like rolling Rolexs . If I had a $2000.00 bike in my garage I would have a heavy theaded eye sunk deep into the concrete to accomdate a heavy chain to secure my bike . I bet most of your garage doors are not even hooked up to your alarm systems.
MPD should do a sting operation of some sort. Or plant a small transmitter thing on the underside of the bike that'll give away its location. Or is that not in the budget?
Something as simple as taking off the front wheel or even the seat would help deter theft. I think the police would find it pretty peculiar to see someone riding around town with no seat on their bike or better yet carrying one without a wheel. Another alternative would be to purchase a used bike that doesn't cost $2,000 and chain that up at the train station and leave the expensive one at home locked up so it will be there when you want to use it.
Student_Council said:
MPD should do a sting operation of some sort. Or plant a small transmitter thing on the underside of the bike that'll give away its location. Or is that not in the budget?
Do mean like Lojack for a bicycle? why should the town have to pay for that since they don't pay for it to be installed in a car.
It wouldn't be a giveaway for bike owners. Surely MPD has a budget to buy products and services to fight crime, the cost would come from that budget.
$500 for a decoy bike (that can double as a police bike), $500 for the transmitter thingamabob (just a wild guess on that price), and MPD gonna smoke out some bike thieves.
$500 for a decoy bike (that can double as a police bike), $500 for the transmitter thingamabob (just a wild guess on that price), and MPD gonna smoke out some bike thieves.
They could plant it on one bike to try to catch a thief if it seems that there is a current rash of thefts by one person or group and THAT might be well worth it. I don't think that SC meant to suggest that the town should pay for lo-jack (or similar) for individuals.
hey guys
these are all great ideas, however my reason for posting this thread was not to solve these crimes (bike thefts is a part of life anywhere you go even in the most bike friendly towns)
My intention was merely to remind bike riders to use better quality bike locks
these are all great ideas, however my reason for posting this thread was not to solve these crimes (bike thefts is a part of life anywhere you go even in the most bike friendly towns)
My intention was merely to remind bike riders to use better quality bike locks
Sep 13, 2012 at 10:46am Edited
That's fine but why not just take some personal responsibility for your ***** so it isn't stolen in the first place. We screw up and want everyone else to find the solution or place the blame on someone else rather than ourselves.
Could we link a live feed of the NJT station bike rack to MOL so we can catch these bastids in the act? We can take shifts. I volunteer for 8 - 6.
BTW a Kryptonite lock can be defeated with the shaft of a Bic pen. Or frozen with freon spray & smashed with a hammer.
i think they corrected that bic pen issue, that was like 10 years ago.
As has been pointed out, this is not necessarily easy or guaranteed even for those who DO take what most would consider appropriate precautions. I don't think that pointing out a problem or raising the possibility of community action is the same as not taking personal responsibility.METALART said:
That's fine but why not just take some personal responsibility for your ***** so it isn't stolen in the first place. We screw up and want everyone else to find the solution or place the blame on someone else rather than ourselves.
Two locks are better than one also and is recommended to deter theft.
1981 Univega touring road bike , never cleaned but in perfect running condition . The frame is to tall for many would be thieves. It's so invisible, I've tripped over it. Thats security.
What is being done about the several bikes that are locked up there for months? Does someone come along and remove the unclaimed bikes? There are less and less locations to use under the canopy.
Too bad that we have bikes being stolen cause it is great that folks can ride their bikes to the train. I wonder what NJ Transit's responsibility is since it is NJ transit land and racks that are being used for the bike storage. Does anyone know?
http://www.njtransit.com/rg/rg_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=BikeProgramTo
they should move the creepy security camera thats in the park to the top of the hill so it can watch the train station instead of the duck pond
author said:
http://www.njtransit.com/rg/rg_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=BikeProgramTo
Thanks author, it seems they take no responsibility.
I think it is one of those law suit type things. If the RR took even the most minor measures to prevent
bike theft..........and a bike was stolen it would put the onus on them because their efforts failed.
They are exonerating themselves by doing nothing.
Im assuming this is no different than NJT not being responsible for your car should it be stolen from one of their lots.
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DO NOT lock your bike with a cable type lock, they can be clipped with bolt cutters
If your bike is new or valuable only use a kryptonite U lock or heavy duty chain
Spread the word