From Sarah, off the new hill east listserv
I keep my bike indoors. I carried it outside and leaned it against the fence in my front yard. Went back inside for a minute (truly, a minute) to make sure all the lights were turned off before leaving. As I was walking back out, I heard the latch on the gate, looked in the front yard, and saw a man riding off on my bike. I proceeded to chase him, but couldn't keep up.
The moral of the story/reminder: If you leave your bike outside unattended for even a MINUTE, it could get grabbed that quickly.
The ending: I got my bike back within 30 minutes. The thief's friend didn't leave the scene as quickly. I approached him asked him if he knew the guy, begged him to help me get the bike back, and said he would "since I'm a female." He handed me the bike that the thief had dropped when he took mine, and I rode with him to the neighborhood where mine had been taken (it's a long story, but I felt relatively secure doing this). He left me in a lit area, gave me his bike for collateral, and negotiated the return of my bike for $40. Yes, I had to buy my bike back. But it's worth a lot more than that, so I paid up and left quietly. I was very lucky under the circumstances, but would feel triumphant if I can get that darn U-lock back too!
The moral of the story/reminder: If you leave your bike outside unattended for even a MINUTE, it could get grabbed that quickly.
The ending: I got my bike back within 30 minutes. The thief's friend didn't leave the scene as quickly. I approached him asked him if he knew the guy, begged him to help me get the bike back, and said he would "since I'm a female." He handed me the bike that the thief had dropped when he took mine, and I rode with him to the neighborhood where mine had been taken (it's a long story, but I felt relatively secure doing this). He left me in a lit area, gave me his bike for collateral, and negotiated the return of my bike for $40. Yes, I had to buy my bike back. But it's worth a lot more than that, so I paid up and left quietly. I was very lucky under the circumstances, but would feel triumphant if I can get that darn U-lock back too!
She thinks he threw it away during his getaway down Mass, 10th and Constitution.
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