The Toronto Sun has dug up the perennial "bike theft is rampant" story. The reporter, Brett, did some quote digging at the Community Bicycle Network where mechanic Dave confirmed that theft is a "really big problem" (CBN actually refurbishes used bikes but only accepts donations to help reduce the chances of getting stolen bikes). Sean Wheldrake of the City's Bicycle Promotions office counters this perception of an epidemic with the fact that though bike theft may be in the range of 12,000 per year, it is still far less than the million cyclists that live in Toronto. Toronto's not even in the top 10 of North American cities in terms of bike theft.
The juiciest quotes, however, go to Igor Kenk, who runs a little bike shop (or "chop shop" depending on who's perspective) down at the base of Trinity Bellwoods. A very common rumour is that he is a major buyer of stolen bikes. But could all these rumours be wrong? Is Igor being discriminated against because he's a bit messy? I don't know for sure, but I do have stories, some from friends with personal experiences. One friend's bike was stolen from in front of her apartment on Queen West and she immediately went down to Igor's and found it inside his little hole in the wall, mere hours after its theft. She reported to me that Igor gave it up without protest.
Igor's take:
"I'm a thief, I'm the darkest nightmare in the western hemisphere," says Kenk, again sarcastically, poking fun at his own dubious reputation.
The truth is -- and Kenk acknowledges this -- some of the bikes piled up in his backyard and in his store are most likely stolen. Some, not all. The same thing would be true for every pawn shop in the city, he says.
But according to both Kenk and Richard Mucha, the city's manager of licensing, Kenk is operating legally and doing everything by the book.
Kenk keeps the city-issued registry book -- second-hand shop owners must fill it in every time somebody sells them a used item -- near the door of his shop when he's working, and says he always asks for two pieces of ID from would-be sellers. Any information about the bike, including its serial number and physical description, is logged, along with the seller's information. The information is relayed to police frequently, Kenk says.
Just perhaps with every bike that the cops track down to Igor's shop and he has to give up there are a few more stolen bikes whose owners have no idea of how to recover or never even registered in the first place. This is what allows Igor to operate within the limits of the law.
Comments
Joel
Whateverman
Fri, 07/18/2008 - 19:45My bike was stolen in the middle of the night from our front porch, approximately 6 metres from where I sleep, where it was locked up (2 thick cables secured with ULock, which was clearly a mistake but, still, not insignificant security).
I didn't wake up. If I had woken up, I'd have been confronting, unprepared & naked, a bike thief on my front porch wielding a reasonably large pair of bolt cutters. Maybe they would have run away, maybe they would not have. In what way was I not "powerless, unable and at risk"?
Yes, clearly people should report bike thefts that they see happening in front of them, and it's important to use good security, but in spite of that, motivated thieves will still steal bikes. In the light of this, complaining about police inaction on bike thefts and the industry that encourages them is entirely reasonable.
Anonymous (not verified)
Whateverman strikes back
Sat, 07/19/2008 - 00:31Joel,
I like the new moniker you've labelled me with. "Whateverman". I'll wear it proud.
How many of you dumbasses sleep naked without a pair of shorts and a shirt close by? Ski suit in the front closet? Ever wonder what happens when your smoke detector or fire alarm goes off in the middle of your sleep? You put on the first available clothing, and get out! And guess what, that would also proactively prepare you for buddy on the front porch, to throw on the lights, grab a baseball bat or frisbee or camera, and ask in a loud voice, "hi, can I help you?" I betcha he'd run. I betcha you could hit him hard enough with the frisbee to buy enough time to slam the door shut. Wimp. Leaving clothes by your bed won't earn you a scolding from your mother. They just might save your life, and your property.
how many of you web savvy tech heads backup all your data to a portable hard drive? Just after donning clothes on your way to escape, you grab the HDD. All your docs, emails, photos, porn, mp3s you've ripped; safe, with you, as your home is filled with smoke, water, flame. Learned that one after my laptop got stolen with two years worth of my life onboard the internal hard drive. Never again. Call me certifiable, but at least I'll be the one with soft copy documentation of that.
Who keeps their passport near the door? And, perhaps, for those of us who are truly mindful of our health and dont' own drivers licences; the Health Card? It's photo ID, you know. Kinda helpful when proving your identity after everytthing you own has burned or been obliterated beyond recognition. Do you carry your health card on you? How will paramedics and doctors know who you are if you cant' tell them? Huh?
none of this is heroism, it's just common sense preparedness. we should be teaching it to grade fivers, so they can help their helpless, SUV driving soccer moms and their Crackberry-addled power daddies coming home from the golf course. no, wait, we should be teaching grade fivers Highway Traffic Act. yeah. and then maybe they'll get it straight that bicycles are vehicles, and stealing a vehicle is a big no-no, because we all have to get somewhere, sometime.
wake up, put your clothes on, and help yourselves, you excusionist apologists.
Whateverman
toroadie
Investigation by frerangeradio
Fri, 07/18/2008 - 21:27Thank you FRR!
That was the best work of journalism I've heard in years!! It takes a bit of time to listen to the entire two parts, but it has a lot of info.
In Part 1 freerangeradio interviews Bike store owners (Jacob & Igor) Igor mentions two cops who did "arrest pretty much everyone" and put a serious dent in bike theft about a decade ago.
Part 2 is an interview with one of the officer mentioned by Igor, and that officer reveals a great deal of info about bike theft. Summarized in the following 4 points.
1) Bike registries usually did not (and may still not) go outside of the city limits. So many bikes just get shipped to the next nearest city. (The officer being interviewed gives a lot of credit to another officer who has since "worked his butt off on a new registry" so maybe the new registry go beyond the
current city limits)
From what I gather, the best defense is to engrave (weld) onto every part of your bike, your drivers license number (or that of someone you trust who drives). That advice is not given in the audio interviews but seems better than a serial number. Serial numbers are apparently all over (head tubes, bottom bracket, seat stays, sometimes just painted on). When they are on the bottom bracket they are often covered in filth. In short it's a pain to check for and difficult to read the serial numbers so they are rarely consulted.
2) Do not give your address or phone number to bike stores. In the officer's experience dishonest employees or just dumpster divers, have, in the past, made lists from addresses they collected of people who bought high end bikes. Then thieves worked from these lists (or sometimes they just drove around at night) and they checked what bikes were visible at night. The thieves then recorded the locations and tools required to steal the bikes, and later came back and stole multiple bikes at once. Other thieves were less organized opportunists.
3) Judges often let thieves get off free, whereas they're often more harsh on thieves who take car radios. This "let the wind out of his sails", after a great deal of investigative work.
4) To the general public don't buy stolen bikes. If it's too good to be true, it's likely stolen.
Antique (not verified)
Revenge / Return
Sat, 07/19/2008 - 08:33The most fitting way anyone could rally against bike chop shops like Igor's and Uncle Jacob would be to just steal the bikes back. I'm thinking like the same wild group that blocked up the Gardener last month would be perfect. All these bicylced wild men & women could bust into the shop late at night and liberate all those damn stolen bikes, a la the ALF. Return of the stolen goods could then be orchestrated calmly as it isn't like Igor can necessarily prove he owns those bikes. If it's got a serial number, then just file it off.
Luke Siragusa
Re: Whateverman strikes back
Sat, 07/19/2008 - 11:46Since you've embraced the title I'll address you by it. Whateverman, your digressions about backing up HDDs, data loss, "Crackberry-addled power daddies coming home from the golf course" and baseball bats and frisbees notwithstanding you've little if nothing to offer in the way of insight or practical advice.
The fact is, his inclinations aside, Joel couldn't help himself because he was unaware of the theft as it occurred. Since he took the effort to secure the bike before the fact he WAS helping himself, that is, taking measure and responsibility for himself. Apparently that's not enough though: now it's your fault that you didn't have enough locks, or that you were sleeping while the bike was stolen, or that you lack the wherewithal to convene a nocturnal welcoming committee and swat the felon upside the head with a frisbee.
Whateverman, try a little empathy on for size: a middle aged woman living alone has justified apprehensions in confronting a criminal under such circumstances. But then, she's a wimp, probably doesn't back up her data either -- what a waste of skin. Right.
Ironic though, I lived your advice back in the day: during my courier days I beat the living sh_t out of a couple of crackheads pinching bikes. Didn't accomplish a thing; the next day they were again liberating bikes from their owners. I shirk at the liabilities and costs of such behavior practiced on a regular basis; such a creed adopted at large tends to create more problems than it solves.
So Joel what are you to do? Since Whateverman is not advocating "citizens arrests, drug users, or busting [suspect] premises", what's left? How about engaging the police? I mean, this is, after all, their raison d'etre. "coward. pussy. You're one of those typical Torontonians who would avoid getting involved in any problem. Don't help, you might get hurt yourself. Selfish. Dishonourable. At least I'd try to help. But not you. That's what your tax dollars pay police to do. Not your problem. But it is. Hypocrite." Joel, looks like you're SOL. I suppose for some it's too difficult to apprehend that expecting the police to do their job is not synonymous with rolling over and doing nothing?
Strange, the police actually doing something about bicycle theft is taken for granted in Japan. Expecting the police to treat a crime against you seriously IS both taking and expecting responsibility; if you don't agitate for action on their part you ensure that you've no recourse other than your own resources in such cases.
But what do I know? Call me a wimp. I don't sleep with a set of clothes beside my bed in the expectation that I might have to dress hurriedly in case of fire. Under such circumstances I don't give a f_ck if I wind up on the street in my birthday suit, as long as I'm in one piece and my bike is where I left it.
Gotta go now, time to back up my HD.
jamesmallon (not verified)
Get your bike back!
Sat, 07/19/2008 - 13:41http://torontoist.com/2008/07/recovering_from_clinical_depression.php
The cops have the bikes at one location for a look-see. Take some kind of proof.
I took photos of mine, and registered them today at: http://www.bikeregistrycanada.com/registerbike.html
1/2 price if you use 'MEC' as the promotion code (Mountain Equipment Co-Op).
Anonymous (not verified)
Igor maggot
Sun, 07/20/2008 - 12:30Igor is a maggot, if we all took his cue and sold drugs/ripped off bikes for a living, wouldnt we like in a Eutopia. Igor, what goes around comes around, now its your time to bend over for the soap in the Don jail. fuckface.
Anonymous (not verified)
Stolen Bikes sent in industrial containers and shipped overseas
Sun, 07/20/2008 - 16:20Alleged criminals like Igor Kenk support international crime syndicates. From what I have observed, crackheads and other bums steal bikes in large volumes. I suspect that through this shop he sells a few to walk-in business and the rest go into large industrial containers that get shipped overseas - Eastern Europe and maybe even Asia. If this is so, he deals with ciminals that ship drugs, stolen goods and human trafficking (sex and other labour). This shop used to be under the radar, but recently ramped up business (gained a new market) and this neigbourhood started to gentrify.
Igor lives in Yorkville on Berryman Street. I suspect that the most expensive bikes get sold locally to enthusiasts (some as expensive as $5000) and the rest go on a cruise.
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/85-563-XIE/85-563-XIE2004001.htm
Joel
Kathie are you there?
Sun, 07/20/2008 - 17:19Of the 228 bikes on display, 31 have already been reclaimed and 10 more have been identified as stolen.
http://www.torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/07/20/6209676-sun.html
That means at least 17.9% of Igor's stock was stolen. It's likely to be much higher - one presumes that only a small proportion of people who've had a bike stolen in Toronto have gone down to the warehouse so far to look for their bikes.
Do we get to call Igor a nasty names yet or are you going to continue sticking up for him? More importantly, are the police going to get their cake and cookies (or were those 31 bikes all planted in his shop?)
Whateverman (I'm pleased you like the name) - you might be confident that every time you swing a baseball bat in someone's direction, they will run away, unfortunately, I'm not. I'm sorry that you think that makes me a wimp, I think that it makes me realistic. And anyway, the point is that I'd like to live in a society which reduces bike theft without expecting its citizens to have to resort to (threats of) random acts of violence.
Joel
PS I was amused that the main thing you picked up on was my literal nakedness and not the unpreparedness and the danger of confronting an unknown person in the middle of the night.
Anonymous (not verified)
Whateverman checks the evidence
Sun, 07/20/2008 - 18:51You typical Torontonian accusers. Holier-than-thous. WASPs never rode bikes so slickly lubricated with their own spittle. Where is your patience, tolerance, and complacency? Oh, it's absorbed by the Sun and CP24, where you get fed the same fast food news you've been nurtured on since the 80s. Dimwits. Imbeciles. Opinionated narrowminds.
Igor has not been convicted of anything yet, (not that I'm defending him, either) but ppl still accuse him blindly, and sling personal epithets towards him. Prejudicial cowards. I went down to 9 Hanna Avenue today, there's a lot of seized bikes there. I was surprised at how many high end bikes were there. Who would be so stupid to leave a valuable bike like that unattended anywhere!?! wow!? But anyhow...
I personally saw one elated cyclist reclaim her vehicle. So far, that's one strike. One piece of proof that I have seen that proves to me he's been caught in possession of stolen goods. Illegal? yes. Deserving of justice? Sure. But wait - it also proves...he's done more than you apologists ever have : he developed and sustained a niche business, he maintained an inventory and provided on-demand service, and he promoted an environmentally-friendly, congestion-solving mode of transport. Aha, there's many sides to every story, hey!?! huh!?
I've never swung a baseball bat at anyone. I havn't had to. Because I don't make, or label myself, a victim. I diddn't complain to anyone when my bike got stolen; it happened, I reported it, and I did immediately go and check a few suspect places in the downtown core, including Igor's. And guess who suggested I go check Igor's? The police. Great help that was. I still havn't found my bike; moreover, I'm okay with that. It's just a thing. I hope the person using it is enjoying it, accomplishing good things and exercise with it, and is getting out of it what I would have. Peace be with you. Does that sound like violent heroism? Wake up. Put your riding shorts on.
What I was getting at, about taking responsibility, is the same as living in that utopian society you yearn for, a world without violence. But we rarely help ourselves or actually do anything to achieve that goal. That's why Anthony Robbins is doing so well. because we complicate our lives and invent excuses for not doing things, to the point where we become brainwashed, dependant, and helpless. Your literal nakedness, Joel, is your choice - you chose to be that way. Confronting an unknown person is not dangerous; it's a part real life, it's how we make friends, there's little we can do to prevent it.
Oh wait, there is. Lock ourselves in a small room. Which is exactly what some of the eager posters on this forum intend for Igor : jail. He should be so lucky. I kinda envy that, he'll finally be absolved of real responsibility - no rent, no grocery shopping, no fretting over whether the debit card will work, no filling out tax returns in april, no avoiding loser classmates on facebook, and no dodging City of Toronto trucks on the busy streets. Sounds like the perfect ending, a great retirement.
Keep creating excuses for someone else to solve your problems. And until you actually speak with Igor, hear his story, live in his shoes, see the evidence...shut up. Opinions are like genitals : everyone has them; but they tend to be used without consideration or regard for others.
I'll be checking in to 9 Hanna Avenue later this week, disguised as a mild-mannered cyclist.
Whateverman
Joel
Whateverman fails to check the evidence very well
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 00:02According to the Toronto Sun, after one day of being on display, we know that at least 41 of the 228 bikes the police recovered from Igor's are stolen. 31 have been reclaimed, 10 have been identified as stolen based on registration information.
That's already a large proportion of bikes that were definitely stolen. In the half hour that my girlfriend was there, she saw about 30 people (how many did you see?). Assuming that that's representative of the numbers who attended throughout the day, only a small percentage of bike thief victims have been down to look for their bikes, so we should expect that many more bikes on display are actually stolen.
Now, I didn't see this with my own eyes and so we could start talking about how much we trust the Toronto Sun and the police and my girlfriend, but that would be bullshit scraping of the barrel, so I won't. He's a thief.
We get other people to solve our problems all the time. I didn't build my own house, I wouldn't self-administer a root canal, I don't make my own clothes. The reason is that there are other people who do all these things much more safely and efficiently than I could manage. Similarly, the police are capable of performing some crime prevention techniques (like arresting people who launder stolen bikes) and repairing the effects of crime (like raiding that person's shop and recovering the stolen bikes) much more safely and efficiently than I could do too. This isn't utopia, it's the real, modern world, where, like it or not, each of our quality of life depends on the specialised skills of many other people.
So when the police don't act, I complain. And when they do act, I applaud them. And because I let specialists deal with problems that I'm unskilled to tackle, I have more time to spend doing things that I am capable of doing safely and efficiently. Like responding to dimwit internet trolls.
PS "Opinions are like genitals : everyone has them; but they tend to be used without consideration or regard for others". Err, no, not me. Did you actually think about that, or did you just write it because it sounded cute?
pissed off (not verified)
FUCK YOU IGOR You sold my
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 01:26FUCK YOU IGOR
You sold my bike two weeks after it was stolen.
Anonymous (not verified)
Great Contributors to the theft scheme
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 09:20Canadian Tire and similar box stores contribute to these thefts, all the locks sold in their stores are grossly inadequate to secure a bicycle for even 5 seconds, and they know it.
Also why aren't the stores selling bikes make registration part of the bike sale process, then provide the police with the list weekly or montly.
Anthony Reinhart (not verified)
Igor Kenk
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 11:32I am a reporter at the Globe and Mail in Toronto, and if anyone out there is willing to talk about direct dealings they've had with Igor Kenk, feel free to contact me by e-mail today. Thank you.
Anthony Reinhart
The Globe and Mail
areinhart@globeandmail.com
Anonymous (not verified)
Interesting debate. One side
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 12:14Interesting debate. One side has factual, firsthand, eyewitness information, and the other insists on conjecting, supposing, assuming, trusting media, and still calling names. Very Torontonian. And now the newsmedia are getting in, because they smell...OPINIONS! ooh! I'll touch on those in a minute.
Taking responsibility for ourselves includes understanding what we're buying from those specialists whom we so dearly depend on to build our lives. If you dont' know how a shirt is made, or where those shorts you're wearing were stitched together, how can you know that you're not supporting criminal sweatshop operations? If your builder buys lumber for your house that comes from clearcut BC forest, but doesn't tell you, isn't that aiding and abetting, or is it convenient ignorance? Huh? If you buy a really good used bike for a cheap price, how do you know whether that bike is stolen? You trust the word of the vendor. So easy.
So many Torontonians aren't aware, don't have relationships with the people they depend on. How many of you know and interact with your local precinct police officers? And how many of those coppers would you trust to respond as quickly as you "expect" them to? If you knew how much you could do to assist them, wouldn't you be doing so!?! It's common sense! Oops, sorry, that excludes those who can't afford common sense. My apologies. NOT. So many Torontonians excuse their responsibility because they assume to "trust" and depend on others. It's a fallacy.
Speaking of phalluses, my point about opinions and genitals was bang on. They are both purposely designed and used for self-aggrandizement, or waste elimination. Nature pulled a really good joke on us by situating a sewage plant right next to a playground. Some ppl don't know the difference.
A troll, am I !?! Trolls are akin to giants; remember we had a moral leader named The Friendly Giant!!? Nothing like the noble Hunchbacks you purport to combat. Igor was Frankenstein's faithful servant, doing the Doctor's bidding, collecting the parts needed to build the Monster. Read the whole story. Our Igor fulfilled a demand, took care of himself, and in the end is accused and labelled guilty even before justice has followed it course. But wait, here's a question that the Court and Igor's jury of peers should ask : if ppl hadn't wanted to buy cheap, sed bikes, where would Igor be today? Supply and demand, my friends and opponents. How convenient. Seek and ye shall find. The inconvenient truth is out there. Way out there.
Whateverman
Anonymous (not verified)
re "it's infuriating"
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 14:37I hate to blame it on crack heads, linda - but it's hard not to. I've had countless bicycle sellers tell me it is exactly that.
However, I was also told that said 'crack heads' are always looking for the easy target. Please make sure you're using new generation locks with double bolting, etc. It's very difficult, if not impossible to get those off without an electric saw - something only the very serious thieves generally have.
At least so I'm told. I'm not trying to say you're negligent with your bikes. It's just that you've had so many stolen this year that I'd be negligent myself not to pass on this info.
Anonymous (not verified)
My Igor Experience- no thanks to the police
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 15:26I had my bike ripped off near Igor's. He was closed, but I called the posted number. Sure enough he had my bike. I was lucky enough to have the original receipt and serial number. When I went to claim my bike, the cops were waiting. He called them to cover his ass, as he likes to operate on the margins of the law (but apparently also crosses the line). He had stripped it down, so it cost a few bucks to get it back in shape.
I asked the cops (who were in charge of bike thefts) why they didn't shut him down. The cops response? "Well this way its easier because we know where to find the bikes." I guess Igor and the cops had a cosy relationship.
Anonymous (not verified)
I had a similar response as
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 16:10I had a similar response as those cops when they finally took him down. "aww, now where do we go to look for our stolen bikes? Igor was like the stolen bike depot!"
Anonymous (not verified)
Please don't judge a book by it's cover.
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 22:28Igor is my friend, you shouldn't judge him unless you know him. He's really a good guy. He doesn't send anyone out to steal bikes for him and that's the truth.
I can't believe what I'm reading, except the person/s who wrote about Igor that really knows him has the details about who he is pretty close.
If you're nieve enough to leave your expensive, new, shiny bike unattended or lock it up with a cheap lock then you're only adding yourself to the victim pool instead of helping to fight crime. Yes, crime is out there but don't welcome it with open arms. Be smart and prevent the theft. Yes it's more work but that's life. Maybe buying a recycled bike that no one else wants but runs way better than the new one you just bought at the store is a good way to help the situation and the environment as well!
If Igor is sent away, where will you find you're stolen bike? where will you learn how to fix your bike?, where will you pay such good prices?, where will you get such an honest, straightforward answer?????
They've got the wrong charge against this person!
If you don't know him, don't judge him.
jamesmallon (not verified)
1500 bikes
Mon, 07/21/2008 - 22:39Never met him, so I can't use his 'cover', whatever that means. I'll judge him by the more than 1500 stolen bikes on his properties, and the fact that I can't ride my bikes anywhere in this city except for training, since I can't leave them locked outside. Can you shut up now?
DDK (not verified)
"If Igor is sent away, where
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 01:16"If Igor is sent away, where will you find you're stolen bike? where will you learn how to fix your bike?, where will you pay such good prices?, where will you get such an honest, straightforward answer?????"
i hope you're being sarcastic. or i hope you're just really dull and stupid.
Anyone with a brain who can assess the situation and charges against Igor can come to the natural conclusion that he is scum and is a criminal.
If you want to vouch for his character, I suggest you continue to do it as "anonymous".
Idiot.
whackojudger (not verified)
"Be smart and prevent the
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 01:23"Be smart and prevent the theft. Yes it's more work but that's life." thats the most absurd thing to say and everything about recycled bikes would never cross a normal, proper thinking, human. You are a freak to give these stupid advise to us. Igor sounds more like a sick person when it comes to hobbies and personality but if you really think he's a 'really good guy' , thats what you think. You sound more sick and stupid.
Grant J. Downey (not verified)
Judging Igor
Wed, 08/06/2008 - 13:44WHAT AN IDIOT YOU ARE !!
Igor's your friend?
Well, I suggest you get a new friend !
If you're so PROUD of him, publish your NAME, like I did !!
(1) Igor doesn't send people to steal for him ?!!
The how do you explain the police catching him IN THE ACT of instructing his worker Jean L. to cut a lock?
(2) Why r u Blaming the Victims, instead of the purpetrators?
My $3,000 Italian racer was stolen from my "secure" locked bike room, which requires a swipe cardto acccess. AND, my bike was locked ina cage. It wasn't locked in front of the Eaton's Centre .... It was found 3yrs later, in IGOR's possession !!!!
(3) "where will I pay such good prices?" .... Well, no shit Sherlock, his stuff is cheap b/c quite often it's STOLEN !!
(4) "where will I get such an honest, straightforward answer?"
Obviously NOT from Igor, since he's a proven thief & can't be trusted.
Joel
You should pick your friends more wisely
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 01:52Anonymous. On the first day that the bikes were on display, 41 of the 228 being shown were identified as stolen. That's despite only a small proportion of the victims of bike theft having attended to look for their bikes, so we should expect that many more of those 228 will eventually be identified as stolen. But in spite of that, that's probably at least $10000 of stolen property. Since then the police have recovered 6 times as many bikes from his property. The only question now is whether Igor is just a small time bike thief (for which we have irrefutable evidence), or is he running a huge bike theft racket, (for which we have some very suggestive evidence)?
In answer to your questions:
Q: If Igor is sent away, where will you find you're stolen bike?
A: When I went to ask Igor whether he'd seen our stolen bike, he was rude and unhelpful. However, the main point is that hopefully by removing Igor from the city for a while, it will be a little more difficult for addicts to turn bikes into cash and so they will I'm a little less likely to need to look for my stolen bike in the first place. There will also be fewer Igor's directing people to steal bikes, which is what the police claim he was doing when they arrested him.
Q: Where will you learn how to fix your bike?
A: At any of the legitimate do it yourself bike clinics around town (they're mentioned elsewhere on this website), or from a book or the internet or by chatting to the technicians at the urbane cyclist, or by just working it out.
Q: Where will you pay such good prices?
A: I won't, because I won't be buying a stolen bike. I will sleep better, though.
Q: Where will you get such an honest, straightforward answer?????
A: Not sure what you're getting at here, but, as I say, when I asked Igor about our bike he was anything but straightforward. It's yet to be seen whether he was honest.
On my front porch are some garden tools, a small barbecue, several large planters and a bag of potting compost. None of these are locked up and none of them have been stolen. Our bike was stolen from the front porch, despite being locked up. The garden shit has not being stolen because no-one would give a thief any money for it. The bike was stolen because people like you will give people like Igor money for a bike because it's "such a good price".
Here's my question for you:
I'm assuming by your third question that you bought a bike from Igor. It's now clear that Igor was selling stolen bikes. When you bought a bike from him, you encouraged him to keep stealing bikes. Maybe you weren't aware of this at the time, but that's the consequence of your actions. Given your shaky ethical position, rather than accusing the victims of bike theft of being naive, wouldn't it be better to just apologise for your mistake?
Whateverman - sorry, I've given up. But, anyway, I thought you'd like this post because I talked about taking responsibility and consequences.
Anonymous (not verified)
Whateverman Calls the Jury To Order
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 11:36You narrowminded opinionists.
This forum is worse than China. Democracy -hah! You've already acted as victim, police, judge, jury, and corrections officers. Shame on you. I'm ashamed to live in this supposedly-world-class small town. You citizens are embarrasing. Shut up. Go hide under your beds. Don't help. It's not your problem. Pathetic. Typically Toronto.
Everyone on this forum that has judged Igor should sign up for jury duty. It seems there are a plethora of citizens eager to apply justice blindly. Go for it, kids. I dare any of you to go to Old City Hall and sit thru a few hours of Ontario Court. Learn something about justice before attempting to drive it. Idiots.
AnonymousIgorsFriend is right. If you're stupid, naieve, thoughtless enough to leave a high-end bike unattended after your training laps, then you get what's coming. I got it, I was stupid, I learned. But you "ooh, I should be able to leave my Birks Diamond necklace on a ttc bench and come back to find it..." you're stupid. That world exists only in your feeble little minds. Go buy a beater, leave it unattended and care free like the rest of us street-savvy riders. But leaving your Cannondale or Ellsworth or Opus or Cervelo locked outside Downward Dog will only earn you a long walk home, and days wasted on the phone with your insurance company. If you have insurance. Congrats, stupid. Dream on.
Go look at the bikes at 9 Hanna. They clearly reflect the stupidity, self-indulgence, and foolishness of the "victims". That's one side of the story. That Igor could carry on his business so successfully speaks volumes about how careless, ignorant, and anti-social some of our citizens are in buying used "recycled" bikes. "Who cares? it's a cheap, good looking, high end bike! I got it for $50 dollars! hahah!" Those are the kinds of comments that make me swing a mic stand...at my own friends and coworkers! Wake up.
I give up too, clearly most ppl here are not ready to learn new things and change a pattern of behavior. Good luck Joel. Keep your shorts unknotted and ready to go, you'll remember me the next time you have to escape a fire alarm in the middle of February. And don't forget to lock your expensive bike and leave it unattended! Do your part to help Toronto maintain its "Bike Theft Capital of Canada" title! Woo, we're soo world-class! Yawn.
Whateverman
Grant J. Downey (not verified)
Hey "Anonymous" (..... funny
Wed, 08/06/2008 - 14:00Hey "Anonymous" (..... funny how everyone's so opinionated when they don't leave their names ... coward)...
You're almost as bad as Igor's buddy who posted earlier, blaming the Victims.
Read my posting. My $3,000 racer was stolen from a locker in a condo, not on the street (..I'd NEVER leave it on the street, fortunately it's for racing, not commuting...)
Many other people have had their bikes stolen from their garages, porches, etc.
Sometimes they have no choice.
And yes, True, justice must take it's due course.
However, police found 100's of stolen bikes in Igor's possession.
It's only natural for victims to blow off steam on forums like this.
I for one would like to see Igor do maybe 2-4 yrs in the joint, maybe some community service (bicycle repairing?) on top of that.
Is my wish UN-DEMOCRATIC? No, I believe in due process of the courts ... even though I don't have total faith in the police keeping tabs on the bike theft situation in TO ..... nor do i believe he'll get much prison time (6 mths?) , b/c some gun offences don't even get that many yrs.
zukeeper (not verified)
please stop.
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 12:06...feeding the troll. He does not need to be enabled any further!
NotIgorsFriend (not verified)
Let's continue to blame the victims, shall we?
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 13:02Another 200+ bikes found. Sigh.
No point in feeding the troll, but it needs to be pointed out that his whole argument is based on blaming the victim. "It's your fault Igor (or whoever) stole your bike".
Anonymous (not verified)
Whateverman Defines
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 13:26Whateverman Defines Troll
Cut and pasted from Wikipedia :
The term troll is highly subjective. Some readers may characterize a post as trolling, while others may regard the same post as a legitimate contribution to the discussion, even if controversial. The term is often used to discredit an opposing position, or its proponent, by argument fallacy ad hominem.
Often, calling someone a troll makes assumptions about a writer's motives. Regardless of the circumstances, controversial posts may attract a particularly strong response from those unfamiliar with the robust dialogue found in some online, rather than physical, communities. Experienced participants in online forums know that the most effective way to discourage a troll is usually to ignore him or her, because responding tends to encourage trolls to continue disruptive posts — hence the often-seen warning: "Please do not feed the trolls".
Recently, many websites have openly welcomed and encouraged trolling amongst their members.
Trolling is a deliberate, bad faith attempt to disrupt. (Really!? Has Whateverman actually done that??)
Ignorance is not trolling. Genuine dissent is not trolling. Biased editing, even if defended aggressively, is in itself not trolling. By themselves, misguided nominations, votes, and proposed policy are not trolling. They are only trolling when they are motivated by a program of malice rather than ignorance or bias. This requires a judgment of the personal motivation for another's action. Such a judgment can never be made with anything approaching certainty. This fact should always be kept in mind when one is tempted to label someone a troll.
When you try to decide if someone is a troll, strive to assume they are not. Explain errors politely and reasonably; point them towards policies, the manual of style and relevant past discussions. Do not conclude they are a troll until they have shown complete inability or unwillingness to listen to reason or to moderate their position based upon the input of others.
Even in that case, it is likely better to remain silent and let others conclude the obvious instead of calling someone a troll and creating even more mayhem. It is better to humor a troll for too long than to drive away a sincere but misguided user.
Whateverman moderates, concedes, and rests his position.
Anonymous (not verified)
Furthermore
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 13:58And please note I did not use foul language, purposely disruptive phrases, or inappropriately malicious language. Each paragraph I wrote has a relevant point, some small bit of helpful information, if the reader chooses to look for it.
This discussion does not solve anything, or fix a problem. I am a teacher, an educator, many of you actually know me in person. I challenge any of you to try to detect, correct, and prevent. THAT's what I mean about taking responsibility. Too bad so many students these days choose the easy way out. Very telling of the state of our streets. Enjoy your rides, safeguard your property and well being. You are the answer.
Whateverman
Anonymous (not verified)
You did completely derail
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 14:08You did completely derail the debate with your lecture on trolling though.
Anonymous (not verified)
Good riddance Igor, you
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 18:04Good riddance Igor, you blighted, bitter, greedy man.
Anonymous (not verified)
Igor
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 22:42I want to know if that's you Tiff, Igor is my friend. You helped and stored his stuff didn't you? Careful you run with the wolves you get short for a wolf.
Anonymous (not verified)
That wasn't Tiff, it's another friend of Igor's
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 18:45Sorry this isn't Tiff it's another friend of Igor's. Although, I know Tiff. It's D, double T's friend. And no it's not okay to steal and Igor doesn't steal.
Oh and I've never bought a bike from Igor because he keeps my bike running well and it doesn't leave my side.
Do you people really think bike theft will stop or be reduced if Igor is put away? Wake up, items will always be stolen because there are all kinds of people out there that are in need of money for one thing or another, good or bad. Plus there are all kinds of beautiful unattended, cheaply locked up bikes that are unfortunately easy targets for these people.
So be smart, be wise and don't let your possession be something someone else wants more. Yes, taking the extra time to think about how to keep your bike safe sucks but that's just life and unfortunately it's not going to change no matter how many people you put away or how much you whine about it. All I know is Igor is not fully to blame here. Looking after yourself and your possession is your responsibility, if you don't want the extra hassles, then don't own anything of value.......
Also for the people who have met Igor ONCE and found him to be a jerk, woow, I'm guessing you never had a bad day!!!! Stop judging him because you don't really know him.
nadia (not verified)
Who's to blame?
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 22:44And yes, Igor has always been very polite and friendly with me.
Jim (not verified)
Updated Video content
Tue, 07/22/2008 - 23:07http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59y9QWa_s0Q
I saw Igor's truck behind his bike store this evening.....video attached (at end)
Anonymous (not verified)
Igor Served
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 00:31You know, i find it really ironic that a poster who raises innovative, opposing against injustice, if not controversial, points is so quickly labelled a "troll" ( which is defined above, for those of you who like how it sounds, but don't know what it means, see also : "hybrid", "professional", "proactive")
but when presented with other examples of interactions with Igor by other posters, there isn't an immediate outcry of "traitor!", "sympathiser", or my favourite internet epithet "Nazi!" (see also : Godwin's Law)
Igor was providing a service, and goods, and people were paying him for it, and the damned bikes! Wake up! If he diddn't have an outlet (people looking for cheap, high-end bikes) would his business have succeeded? No! Demand and supply. Market economics. Seems pretty simple. He even had a chalkboard outside his store for updating the marketing. Brilliant. Too bad no one offered to buy him out. That would have stopped him.
Of course those looking to a retailer for stolen bikes will be greeted with rudeness, if not booted off the premises forthwith. I made the same mistake - "Hi Igor, I'm looking for my stolen bike...can you help?" What do you think the answer was!? "No, but your mom's tire needs air - here, a pump...". Yeah, I got mine; and yeah, I was naieve and stupid; but hey, that's what I'm wasting all this bandwidth trying to explain to you lost sheep - he provided service, he did his job in the face of adversity, and earned his keep! What more do you want from a retailer, Toronto!?!?!Would you feel any different if he bought TV ads with hot catchphrases like "I BUY YOUR BIKES - OOOOOH Yeah!" or "Who sells race bikes for less? Noooo-body!"???
The videos, photos, and opinionated statements are wasteful, and do nothing but prove that so many people want to be on TV, and want attention for themselves. "Igor hurt me too, I think; and now I'm going to call him names!" So childish. So immature. It happened to me too, but learned. I diddn't blame anyone but myself when my bike got stolen. Bad things happen. Life is full of setbacks. Blaming others does nothing. Accepting responsibility does everything.
Ugh, I'm sorry, I didn't intend to add to my diatribes. But I'm just so frustrated that so many of the riding community, presumably fellow riders and not just lurkers on this forum, are prejudicial ingnoramuses. I have to jump to the conclusion that that's exactly why so many of you ride on the sidewalk and ignore stop signs - because you assume, suppose, and prejudge. Take responsibility for yourselves, readers.
whateverman
Anonymous (not verified)
biek theft
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 02:03i can't go out tonight. my bike might get stolen.
huey (not verified)
Considered viewpoint.
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 22:21When someone takes something from you you feel as though you've been abused, you suddenly trust strangers a little less, those feelings can overwhelm you depending on the nature of what was taken, in this small pocket of time we have a collective pain crying out for some action.
I'm a victim yes, never chose to be but I became one, I'm also one of the lucky people never aimed to be but yes found myself smiling because of fortune.
I can't contain my excitement if I'm frank, this is a milestone for the cycling community, so what if this isn't the hard truth when it comes to all of our losses, I feel as though a step has been taken in the right direction for all those people who have lost faith in the law.
Bikes are bikes, what fun they are and how useful! I hope I find mine - it had a sticker "I love my bike" on the frame in case you see it...
I am really thinking Toronto is on the verge of a transport revolution, bring on the bike! Bring on the outdoors bring on the cheap studded tyres for the winter and some decent warm socks!
I hope Igor gets whatever he deserves, I hope that his lesson whatever that may be, will inspire people to get serious about their bikes, perhaps we now have a new purpose - that is to work with the law to make it harder for the desperate and not so desperate criminals.
Register your bike, don't rely on the process but at least get it done.
One day maybe we will wear our bike registrations somewhere visible, spot checks will exist as the bike becomes the city commuters choice, maybe I'm talking electric, perhaps fixed wheel who knows, but we got to get smart! A bike is a bike until you make it that little bit more!
Good luck to all those of you wondering about your possessions, I hope they turn up - I'm guessing probably not! But don't let that get you down!
I'm still hopeful! Cheers to you all, here's to the rest of summer.
See you at the Don.
Huey.
"A" (not verified)
Igor
Wed, 07/23/2008 - 23:37interesting thread, many opinions and some quite strange, some truths. having had bikes fixed by Igor over many years, I have some observations:
he knows bikes and knows how to fix them. too bad he was not happy with this alone - there are too few good bike mechanics in town.
he was a magnet for all kinds of "sellers" and I assume, because he allowed himself to become such a magnet.
I witnessed a few transactions, and he always started out by asking for two pieces of ID. the problem often was, many of these folks did not have even one piece, and in the end, after being practically begged to take a bike off their hands, he agreed, usually for a lousy 20.-
I took him for intelligent enough to use this whole charade as a ploy, especially in the presence of customers; did he know the bikes were 'hot' - no, but he must have at least questioned the facts. some of these 'characters' just came down from a high and needed the next fix badly. I have paid more for an old bike at a garage sale.
what I really would like to know -- what was his plan for all these bikes? there was no way he could ever have sold them, or the parts, within a reasonable time. there has to be some other explanation for the "collection" he amassed: a shrink might find fertile ground.
as an afterthought, I noticed a marked increase in traffic out front two Queen East bike shops. I hope they can resist temptation better!
no matter what some here have to say, it's NOT o.k. to steal!!
Luke Siragusa
Re: Igor
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 01:28What to make of him? As sordid as his shenanigans were, I confess my sole encounter with the man (about 7 years ago) left me equally impressed and repelled. Even so it was a gratifying evening: upstairs within his Queen St. West junkyard cum fortress, where piles of bicycle carcasses literally stacked to the ceiling threatened to avalanche, Igor charismatically held forth on matters artistic, political, and universal for the benefit of, uhm, associates and onlookers (me).
I hazily remember pedalling home at about 2 AM, after much imbibing of liquid and smoky intoxicants had rendered motor control doubtful, thinking that Igor was, well, in the words of Malcolm McLaren, a fabulous disaster. I mean, such obvious intelligence and worldliness -- he's a connoisseur of classical music -- culminating in that ramshackle monument to venality on Queen St.
Impressive as the scope of his operation was -- dope, coke, thousands of bikes cached in garages across the city, what else?! -- it evokes the pathology of Imelda Marcos' shoe fetish. In the absence of scruples, Igor could've benefitted by some sound business acumen and stringent inventory control. And what self-respecting (alleged!) criminal would eschew discretion and court publicity by consenting to an interview by a (Toronto Sun) reporter chasing a feature story?
Yup, a fabulous disaster; abetted by the apathy of Toronto's finest, and paid for by the sweat and tears of those he ripped off all these years.
Anonymous (not verified)
Our culture's acceptance of theft as a natural occurance...
Thu, 07/24/2008 - 19:12I lived in Taiwan for a year, and did quite a bit of biking while there. It is difficult to find high quality bike locks there - people have such a high degree of respect for others' property that they are simply not necessary. My bike was left unlocked in the yard for an entire year, and was not stolen. And the people who lived in the town that I lived in had a standard of living that was nowhere near ours, so poverty was even there as a possible rationale for theft. Even so, my bike was safe, even though I made very little effort to keep it from being stolen.
I think it's quite sad that we live in a culture where people will rip you off given half a chance, and then turn around and blame you for not being careful or vigilant enough. People who steal bikes, or who sell stolen bikes, know exactly what they are doing. They know that the people they are stealing from likely can't handle the financial hit that they are delivering, that they probably don't have insurance, and that they are the property of well-meaning folks who want to use an environmentally responsible means of transportation. They're stealing from people like the people who read this site. We do not deserve to have our bikes stolen. We should not be told that we do. I hate to say it, but the simple concept of 'theft is wrong' seems to have been forgotten by many in our society.
I sure that thieves will continue to steal bikes in the city - either addiction, or a basic lack of regard for other people, will see to that. I'll keep that giant hardened steel chain on my bike all the time. But I know that I, myself, will never feed this system by buying a stolen bike. There is no way that I want to contribute to this ugly side of our city.
tanya
But really where WILL we find our stolen bikes?
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 01:30I'm curious to know how the bust of Igor will affect the stolen bike market. Anecdotally it seemed, that everyone that got their bike stolen in the west end, the bike eventually ended up with Igor. Whether you could find it there or whether he wouldn't show it to you, I guess depended on how nice you were to Igor.
It will be great if the bust really does reduce the amount of theft in the city. If nobody will buy the stolen bikes, then the drug addicts are going to have to figure out an alternate way to get their fix. (but really drug addiction is the problem that needs to be cleaned up)
But if the thefts continue and the selling of the bikes becomes more decentralized, then it really won't be so easy for someone that has had their bike stolen to recover their bike. Perhaps the police were so tolerant for so long because they knew where the bikes would end up.
Obviously I don't support a stolen bike store, but you have to admit that it was convenient to know where to go.
ps. whackojudger and others, please watch the name calling, thanks!
tanya
But really where WILL we find our stolen bikes?
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 01:32I'm curious to know how the bust of Igor will affect the stolen bike market. Anecdotally it seemed, that everyone that got their bike stolen in the west end, the bike eventually ended up with Igor. Whether you could find it there or whether he wouldn't show it to you, I guess depended on how nice you were to Igor.
It will be great if the bust really does reduce the amount of theft in the city. If nobody will buy the stolen bikes, then the drug addicts are going to have to figure out an alternate way to get their fix. (but really drug addiction is the problem that needs to be cleaned up)
But if the thefts continue and the selling of the bikes becomes more decentralized, then it really won't be so easy for someone that has had their bike stolen to recover their bike. Perhaps the police were so tolerant for so long because they knew where the bikes would end up.
Obviously I don't support a stolen bike store, but you have to admit that it was convenient to know where to go.
ps. whackojudger and others, please watch the name calling, thanks!
Todd Tyrtle (not verified)
Finding stolen bikes
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 09:09I think the question of "where" probably depends on what happens in the market and what "competitors" Igor had in the business. Having one convenient spot to go to turn a stolen bike into cash/a fix is probably easier than trying to find a way to fence it otherwise.
If there was one Igor-scale operation in the city then I expect theft would go down a bit because there would be fewer places to easily score some money for a stolen bike. If, however, there are lots of unscrupulous bike or pawn shops around then yes, it would get difficult. And of course there's also the possibility that someone else (possibly Igor himself depending on how things go) will fill the vacuum.
On an only somewhat-related note, I agree that the real problem is addiction. However, the difficult thing is getting the political will to make a difference. We are, it seems, a culture of problem solvers (at best) not preventers and therefore we attack problems like this after they've occurred with policing and enforcement of the effects not the causes. It's not unlike how we treat many medical issues (e.g. type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, etc) with drugs instead of preventing them with diet and exercise. I think the same will hold true with climate change - we won't prevent it (almost too late anyway) but instead will try to learn to live with its effects...
Luke Siragusa
Re: Stolen bikes
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 10:33Good points Todd and Tanya (T n T!). The scale of Igor's enterprise suggests how lucrative circulating stolen bicycles can be and with cyclists taking to the roads like never before the opportunity for profit will only increase. And as you've noted his departure leaves a vacuum.
Lightspeeds and Cervelos easily run in excess of $4K and your nondescript bike store hybrid is priced between $500-$1K. The greater the risk and bigger the money, the greater the degree of professionalism and organization required. There will always be elements, e.g., local pawn shops, that dabble in stolen bikes but I expect large scale operations to resemble car theft rings or gangs moving drugs, that is they'll cultivate extensive affiliations and far flung networks.
Perhaps, contingent on the profit factor, drug dealers or car chop shops will extend their operations to include bikes; there's nothing especially unique about bicycles that they should merit a criminal enterprise exclusively devoted to them.
What seems clear is that a sloppily run one or two man operation, depending upon addicts and aspiring convicts, and clearly challenged in moving inventory, is not a model for long term success.
Bicycles are finally growing up in North America, starting to be considered serious vehicles -- with their price tags reflecting that. I wonder that bike theft will also take a step into the big leagues as well. If it does let's hope that the law is there to deal with it.
amphitryon
most points have been made
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 11:28most points have been made above and further up. just back from Holland I can attest that thousands of bikes are all over cities parked all day. most are not locked yet, although to my dismay, I saw locks "creeping in" -- a sad comment on our society as a whole.
to the poster above ......."if you don't want the extra hassles, then don't own anything of value......." have you thought about what you just said??? someone is bound to counter with
".... shoot on sight ", which is equally not helpful.
Respect for other's property needs to come from the family, must be reinforced by relatives, friends and schools and in the end society at large.
While the example of Singapore with respect to how public cleanliness can be enforced, is perhaps a bit over the top, it does show that "rules" can be enforced and behaviour can be modified.
If I was the judge in Igor's case, he'd be cleaning trash along Queen for a few years, a couple of hours a day, five days a week.
Anonymous (not verified)
There is no Defense for scum
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 13:05Stop defending this low life.
He purchased stolen property. He directed other's to steal others property. He is a loser and I'm glad he got burned. END OF STORY.
He didn't provide a service to the neighbourhood, he was a drain on it.
I hope he get's railroaded.
Anonymous (not verified)
Whateverman chimes in
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 13:08The last few posts from more travelled, experienced cyclists have hit the nail on the head. Congratulations. Commendations. To the mods and readers who continue to allow foul language and namecalling on this post - wake up. A few greater "trolls" than I have shown up, but no one has forced them back under their bridges. How fair.
Examples like Lyon, Amsterdam, and Singapore are all excellent role models for Toronto. And as the business minds begin to awake and analyze Igor's organization, they begin to see the light. Hallelujah! Theft is rampantly accepted in toronto. But public nudity? The laws allow toplessness, but very few acually do it - because it's socially unacceptable. Theft should be treated the same. And as for the market - the market will continue to supply what is demanded. These events will drive activity underground, and out of the mainstream...so beware. Continue to take care, perhaps even moreso than before. For heaven's sake, Cervelos belong between ppls legs, on the road, or in a showroom - but not locked up outside Future Bakery!!!
The esteemed posters who espouse family values are bang on. Too many families teach their children about competition and winning at all costs, not sharing or enjoying the ride. What's yours is yours, and what's someone elses could be yours if you abandon principle, ethics, and consideration for others. That can be changed. And similarly, too many families walk away from members who need support, help, loving - thus "the system" exists (or fumbles) where family should be. We're all too busy in this town to help our families and loved ones when they really need us. I speak firsthand - I'm guilty of it too. But at least I'm aware.
Taking responsibility for ourselves and our property will also bring the culture change our society needs - taking responsibility for the truly important things, like family, heirlooms, traditions. Careers, portfolio growth, asset acquisition - it's folly. We are born naked, and we return to the same state, in the end.
I support "A's" justice - community service, not incarceration. But let's see justice through before applying the penalty. Abandon the prejudice, people. It's not Canadian.
Whateverman
Svend
craigslist
Fri, 07/25/2008 - 13:17I suspect craigslist is the largest fence or pawnshop for anything stolen by amateurs, always check it first if you're a victim of theft.
The lazy police will never actively search for anything, whether it's a car, stereo, camera or tricycle. It's only when the item turns up when it's involved in a related matter do they check it out. They claim to not have the resources, yet they have no problem with issuing tickets to cyclists coasting through stop signs.
Register your bike and anything of value with serial numbers and photos in case it turns up inadvertently like what happened to Igor.
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