Had a friend in Philly who had his bike stolen. Custom paint job, BMX, it was his bike, no doubt about it. He knows who stole it too, sees a shady character every day, and eventually sees him riding it. He yells at the dude, that's my bike, and I'm going to get it back.

One day he sees it chained up to a sign. Happens to be right near a hardware store, and goes in, gives the worker his phone as collateral for some bolt cutters, goes out, cuts the chain off, and takes his bike back.

This all happened while we were at a party at his house, and he walks in all triumphant, it was pretty spectacular shit.

Funny that this bicycle thief still has such faith in humanity that he trusts you to not ride off with the bike

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.

Obligatory plug for 529 Garage which is a community led database for stolen bikes. Police usually know about it so if they bust a fencing warehouse and see the sticker, they will be able to find the owner.

https://project529.com/

This happened to me except that straight up told them that was my bike and said I'm taking it now. I did verify that they weren't in a dire financial state before I left though because if it meant they were not going to eat tonight, I wanted to make sure they were taken care of.

Duh, he's got another stolen bike ready to go to chase after you just in case...

Aren't bikes mass produced? Like it could be anyone's.

I just pictured a movie scene in my head where she narrowly escapes the seller, riding the bike like a bat out of hell. He pulls out a gun, starts shooting as she disappears in the distance. A cop car arrives, lights flashing. She's forced to take narrow and hazardous back alleys. Cut to police dogs barking. She fords a river while carrying the bike over her shoulder to erase the scent.
Late at night, still riding the bike, she arrives at her home, totally exhausted, covered with dirt and leeches, hair disheveled, only to find her actual bike - that looks exactly like the one she just stole from the guy, who is really poor and had to sell the bike to pay for his divorce - chained to the lamp post in front of her house, the same place where she had left it.

I had my bike stolen once because someone borrowed it to go to class and didn't lock it up.

I got it back eventually because the state required bikes to be registered, but I hate how it was found.

Some cops saw a black dude riding a nice bike and figured it must be stolen. They were right, but their justification is shit. And it wasn't even an expensive bike, just a $150 Walmart one.

Two wrongs don't make a right. /s

related song

Rabbit Junk - Death Of A Bike Thief

https://rabbitjunk.bandcamp.com/track/death-of-a-bike-thief

Technically not stealing if you’re just… reclaiming your own property 😭 brilliant move.