bike thieves

After Forgetting to do Laundry, Mission Bike Thief Busted by SFPD

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

Bobby the Bike Thief, likely unrelated.

If you're not already reading SFPD's Ingleside Station newsletter, you're missing out on some seriously passionate crime reportage.  From their blotter, they were able to bust a bike thief operating outside of the 3300 Club on Mission:

Officers Morgante and Reserve Officer Martinez were sent to investigate a theft case. The officers spoke to the victim that told them that on September 8th her bike was stolen and that she had just seen the suspect who stole it. The officers broadcast the information and numerous Ingleside units responded to assist. The victim then led the officers to the location where she had seen her bike and the suspect. The officers quickly located the suspect and detained him. The officers asked the suspect if the bike was his which he replied “yes, I bought it four months ago at the San Jose Flee market”. The officers had an ace up their sleeves! The victim saw the suspect that stole the bike and could identify him as well. The officers conducted a “Cold Show” where the victim identified the suspect 100%! The victim was armed with photos of her bike and the serial number too. To make things worse for the suspect, forgot to change his clothing! The suspect should have done his laundry this week! He was wearing the same clothes on the day of the theft. Because of an attentive victim (and prepared), and fast response from the police, this suspect was arrested. Report number 110721326. This is the *****BEST ARREST of the DAY*****

On a somewhat related note, SFPD is stepping up enforcement at the 7th and Market stolen bike market.

(Thanks, Todd!)

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

Local Cyclist Thwarts Meth Head's Attempt to Steal Bike Parts

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

We all know that photographing bike thieves is nothing new.  The Mission has unmasked Bobby the Bike Thief (who's rumored to have moved to the hilltop oasis of Bernal Heights), mid-Market has its share of crack fiend and pony-tailed thieves, and this stunning beauty was recently exposed by local photographer Adumb Egan.  While SFPD might never make bike thieft a priority, it's always rad to hear about people watching out for these guys and getting people their stolen property back, as Austin Kamps was recently able to do:

Ran into this guy today. I watched him creep around Montgomery street for a while from a distance, until he found “his” bike.

He finds a bike and then pretends to talk on the phone for a few minutes, then takes his tool out and hides it behind his phone while he unscrews and yanks the seat/post. This happened about a block away. After he did that, I followed him a bit and snuck up to him/scared the shit out of him and ripped it from his hands as he was trying to put it in his bag, then i gave him a “nudge” into the street with my foot. We went back and forth for a bit then he ran off. I ended up getting it back to the owner when he came out a few minutes later.  Saddest part was that there were 4 people around him watching him do it, they knew what was happening, they did nothing. If you see something bad happening do something, put your life on hold for a second and help out if you’re able. Don’t let creeps like this ruin someones day.

Word.

[Skinny Fists | photo by Adumb Egan]

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

Castro Bike Gets Sawed in Half

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

Gotta give it to bike thieves.  They're so dedicated to stealing some parts that they'll just up and ruin the bike itself so they can flip the remaining functional parts for spare change.  And as Ice Tubes noted, this bike prompted exploded after the hacksaw cleared the top tube.

[Ice Tubes]

Bobby the Bike Thief and His Truck

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

Earlier this week, there was some concern that the “mob of folks” that smashed up a red truck during a York St. raid to retrieve stolen bike parts got the wrong truck.  Luckily an anonymous neighbor has some snaps to help clear up any future confusion:

here's some pics of his bobby, his truck with black cap, his license plate and some shithead who probably helps him steal this shit.

one of his neighbors does have the exact same truck but no cap on it. He's a nice guy and does not steal bikes or sell stolen property.

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

"Mob of Folks" Go After Bobby the Bike Thief

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

As we've talked about in the past, Pop's Bar is straight-up the worst place to leave your bike due to their neighboring bike thief.  Well, GoatLeg over at SF Fixed “riled up a fucking mob” and got his stolen parts back:

Hello, all. Tonight me front wheel was stolen while locked up outside of the Dovre club at 26th/Valencia. I was inside while some friends were outside smoking while some random local asked whose bike it was this guy stole the front wheel from. They knew it was my bike, and the local told them it was a latino guy in a red pickup truck with a black topper over the bed. Immediately we knew it was this guy Bobby who lives around the corner from Pop's. All my friends came in and told me what happened, I ran out with all my shit expecting to see him outside. Of course he wasn't there, so I ran back in, got all my homies together and riled up a fucking mob of folks 100% poised to get my wheel back. So, we all ran down to the corner of 24th/York, a few of them went in to Pop's to get some beer and not be directly involved in what was about to go down.

So from there, four or five of my friends surrounded Bobby's truck (the same red pickup with the black topper) while I ran up to the house we knew he lived at. I wasn't 100% sure which of the two doors was his, so I rang each bell. His neighbor opened here door almost immediately. I asked, “Does Bobby live here?” and she said “No” and poinetd to the other door on the left, at which point I looked back at my friends who were opening up the tailgate to Bobby's truck and grabbed my wheel out. I turned to his neighbor and said, “Cool, well your neighbor is a bike thief and we're just taking my wheel back”. As soon as I turned away I started off down the stairs and one of the neighbors yelled, “What the fuck are you doing to that truck??!” I took off running as fast as I possibly could, while my friend had my wheel in his had and everyone scattered.

Of course, stealing the wheel back isn't enough.  GoatLeg is taken his photo (above) and is “going to make it known that this guy is a known bike thief, and that I know where he lives and that he needs to stop doing this shit, or he will pay. I fullheartedly think this a step in the right direction to get this shit stopped.”  Going to poster the neighborhood?  He'll pay?  It looks like Bobby is at the end of his rope and people are done waiting to SFPD to do something.

I can't imagine this will end well.

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

"A Car Full of Thugs" Hit Cyclist, Steal Bike

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

One of my favorite things about the SF Examiner is their inspiring ability to make serious crime sound like tabloid comedy.  Take this story from the other morning:

A car full of thugs struck a bicyclist, knocking him to the ground, then stole the bike early Tuesday morning, police said.

The 29-year-old bicyclist was uninjured in the hit-and-run robbery at 22nd Street and South Van Ness Avenue around 1 a.m., police said.

Pretty crazy stuff.  Not to state the obvious here, but hitting the bike you intend to steal isn't a good strategy if you want the bike to be ridable again.

(link)

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

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