Brooklyn Bike break-in

Hey all,

I heard while sitting at Woodwork watching the Belmont race that there was a break-in at Brooklyn bike. Sounds pretty bad. Got out like 30 bikes! Can't believe no one saw this happening. Anyone else have info?

Whoah.

What is that...a 30-person break-in? :shock:

Or one person with a nice size truck?

When did this apparently happen?

Oh right... yeah, 30 bikes.

Friday night or Saturday AM

Or 4 organized guys with truck, a bolt cutter and 30 minutes. ...professional job. $15k?

hope they're fully insured. really glad i didn't leave my bike there for a tune up!

Wow. Here's more about the break-in:

http://brooklynbikeandboard.com/

bikes are just not safe anymore. bastard thieves.

I just can't fathom that on Vandy no-one saw a thing. Honestly don't think it was an inside job... the guys in the shop seem like their job and hate bike thieves.

By the way -- as a side note, I've been working on getting the police report for my stolen bike, and would you believe BIKE is not even on the list of items on the request for the report. When will the NYPD go digital and cut out all this stupid paperwork? And I dunno maybe include bike as a item of value. (I hate monday's)

It was 27 bikes to be exact, not to mention inventory of helmets and locks.

poppy13 wrote: bikes are just not safe anymore. bastard thieves.

I just can't fathom that on Vandy no-one saw a thing. Honestly don't think it was an inside job... the guys in the shop seem like their job and hate bike thieves.

By the way -- as a side note, I've been working on getting the police report for my stolen bike, and would you believe BIKE is not even on the list of items on the request for the report. When will the NYPD go digital and cut out all this stupid paperwork? And I dunno maybe include bike as a item of value. (I hate monday's)

the city's lack of progression in terms of going digital is laughable in a pathetic way. You should see the problem with getting permits when opening a new place!

That aside...i would imagine the police have more important things to do than to worry about a single stolen bike. Yeah it sucks, but it's also reality.

30 on the other hand...

Yes, I can agree that a single bike is no big deal. But our apt building was broken into and then storage unit was broken into for the bike. The cops that came were actually concerned about this... thankfully the guy didn't try to get into the apartments.

From BK Bike and Board's website:

Somehow, the assailants came in through the front door of the building (the entrance to the apartments upstairs) and ripped the lock hinges off the door to the basement. They then proceeded to funnel 20 customer bikes and about $4000 worth of locks, lights, chain lube (?), pedals, and saddles out the front door.

We were working until about midnight last night, so it had to have happened sometime after that. The bar tenders on the block are all asking around to see if anyone saw anything. Unfortunately, no cameras on the block saw anything either.

I want to sincerely apologize to my customers below who lost their bikes in this ordeal. I want you to know that I will do everything I can to make this right with each and every one of you.

We’re currently working with detectives to nab these guys.

We’re also reinforcing all the locks, speaking with some company’s [sic] about installing our own camera’s [sic], and spreading the word via internet and phone calls to neighboring shops.

We’ll keep you posted on all the progress.

After reading this, I have to think that the person or people who did this were well aware of the shop's layout and the owners' hours. It sounds like they knew exactly when to get there, where to go, and what to do to get those bikes and accessories out of the store quickly.

I do hope that this doesn't affect BB&B's business too greatly, because it's nice to have the store in the neighborhood.

It begs a follow-up question though: are bike shops typically insured against these types of things? Does the law establish any kind of liability (or limit liability) for the shop? Should I be looking for a valid certificate of insurance when I drop off my bike for a tune up?

poppy13 wrote: Yes, I can agree that a single bike is no big deal. But our apt building was broken into and then storage unit was broken into for the bike. The cops that came were actually concerned about this... thankfully the guy didn't try to get into the apartments.

ahh, the important stuff was left out of your last post

Thought it was a bike from a yard or chained to a pole or something.

Damn this blows... bike shops were the final safe haven

poppy13 wrote:
That aside...i would imagine the police have more important things to do than to worry about a single stolen bike. Yeah it sucks, but it's also reality.

True, but when the wheels were stolen off my bike three years ago (to the day?) I brought the police security camera footage of the man doing it and they didn't even want to watch it. That was dismaying.

I did manage to turn the footage into a music video which won me $100 in a Bike Shorts film festival. Bike Community 1 - Police 0.

BTW, my apt. faces Brooklyn Bike and Board. I didn't see anything. I was out of town. But if I had, there would have been a murder for the police to investigate.

In case you missed this when I shared it three years ago:

wanna hear dismaying?

I saw a hit and run (not a person though)
Some idiot guido kid (im italian, but this kid was sporting the jersey shore/ gotti kids look) was running lights and skidding out around the block.

He loses control WITH TONS OF WITNESSES and hits a parked car and proceeds to drive away.

I U-turn myself to speed up and catch up with him to get a picture of his plate.
Which i got.

I call 911 and tell them blah blah blah, i got the license plate #. The operator was like "thats no use"

how the hell is it no use?
You werent in the accident, so you cant file the report and the police wont have any use for it.
you mean the police cant track down the owner of the car?
I forced her to take it down which i doubt she did.

Luckily 2 blocks later he had pulled over because his airbag deployed and i saw someone from the neighborhood almost kicking his ass lol

By the time i got back from doing errands, he was in cuffs.
But that operator...wtf!

Sorry for the thread hijack ;p

scene: 1:30 AM, Saturday morning, guy on Sterling Place hunched down sawing the lock off of a moped. I walk by. Guy looks up at me like, "you're not going to cause me any trouble, Right?" I walk on, out of earshot, get out my phone, call 911.

911: What's your emergency? [or whatever they say]

me: there's a guy sawing the lock off a moped.

911: please hold.

[minutes elapse]

911: hello, so someone stole the lock off your bike?

me: no, not my bike. Right now! someone's sawing the lock off a moped!

911: well, is it his bike?

me: I don't know, it just seems suspicious, like maybe the police would want to check it out?

911: but do you know it's not his bike?

[...]

poppy13 wrote: bikes are just not safe anymore. bastard thieves.

I just can't fathom that on Vandy no-one saw a thing. Honestly don't think it was an inside job... the guys in the shop seem like their job and hate bike thieves.

By the way -- as a side note, I've been working on getting the police report for my stolen bike, and would you believe BIKE is not even on the list of items on the request for the report. When will the NYPD go digital and cut out all this stupid paperwork? And I dunno maybe include bike as a item of value. (I hate monday's)

Hope you are better as it is not Tuesday.

I hate Monday's as well.

There's an article in the Brooklyn Paper:

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/33/24/dtg_tt_bikestorebreakin_2010_06_11_bk.html