So...my son's bike was stolen today

[whatevergirl]

*I’m trying to refrain from a Florida rant…but it’s getting hard. lol

My kids ride their bikes home from school (3 days per week, my husband picks them up on the days he’s off), my son recently lost his bike lock. My husband takes their bikes up to school before work, and will lock them up for them…because long story, we drive the kids TO school, because no buses will come out at the 2 mile mark…and in the morning, on these busy streets, it’s easier to just take them by car. But, we both work, so they ride their bikes home afterschool.

That said, they came out of school today, and someone stole his bike. It boggles my mind that someone thinks it’s ok to take something that isn’t theirs…but what I can’t help but feel, is THIS NEVER HAPPENED IN PITTSBURGH!! We lived in PA for nearly 11 years…and never once, in all the years that our kids left their bikes out on the lawn by mistake all night or something-were they stolen. Nor was anything stolen.

Do I believe thieves live in Pittsburgh? Yes. But, we are living here in a pretty nice area…and slowly, I am seeing a decline. New neighbors constantly moving in …foreclosure signs…the once nice neighborhood, is declining. We lived in a nice suburb in PA also, something like this never happened. It’s just super transient here, a worry I had before we decided to make the move.

Okay…so is this ‘‘stupid’’ for me to think that this is a sign from God to move back to Pittsburgh?

Please pray that the person feels badly, and decides to return the bike. Never know.

Thanks for listening!*

 

[Onegin]

I’m sorry to hear that - having something stolen can be so frustrating! Obviously, I’ve not lived in your neighborhood, but I had 2 cycles stolen in the last year which was really irritating at the time being a student on a limited budget.

Hopefully someone will return your son’s bike! I don’t know if your city has cycle registration but that is one option - registering a bike makes it easier so that if the police find it they can return it to you.

 

[jmcrae]

I’m so sorry to hear about this! Welcome to life in the big city.

I suppose it takes time to get used to the idea of having to lock up your stuff and protect yourself from thieves.

Unfortunately, there is not such a class of persons as “thieves” but rather, anybody can be a thief, who has the opportunity, some reason to think he “deserves” what he is taking, and doesn’t actually know the person from whom he is stealing very well (or doesn’t like them).

Pray for the kid who stole your son’s bike. Was it insured? Hopefully he can get a new one fairly easily.

 

[novaslasher]

I’m sorry this happened WEG. It feels bad to have something stolen from you. At UT Austin, I had 2 bikes stolen from me. Granted its far more likely to have stolen bikes in college, but it can happen anywhere. The first time I had one stolen, it was because I locked it on a stop sign instead of a bike rack. The second time, I locked it up on an iron fence outside my apartment unit (which had no bike racks), and someone kicked in the bars on the fence to take the bike. The third time, one of my roommates found my bike on campus improperly locked, and took the bike as a joke. He put it in my room next to my bed and had a good laugh when I came home that night. So, all the times I had my bike stolen it was due to improperly securing the bike.

It sounds to me like this was probably due to your son not having a lock. It would be a tempting target for any neighborhood kids who wander by the school. Thus, I kinda doubt its a sign that Florida is mistreating you. I know how badly you want to go back to Pennsylvania from previous posts, and part of me hopes you get your chance because it really sounds like you are homesick. I know a lot of people in DC from Pittsburgh. They love their hometown, but recognize that it is declining economically. The jobs just aren’t there, and many have migrated south. Last year we even had an infamous incident when Fedex Field filled up with “Stiller” fans for a Redskins home game and took over the stadium.

 

[whatevergirl]

*Thanks onegin…I was thinking too of calling the police, but what good would that do? It’s not like a stolen car that has a license plate, etc that can be traced. Ugh!

My husband has a mountain bike, and I just talked to him, he said until we get our son a car, he can use that…

onegin, you might be the only one on here who hasn’t heard me lament about Florida…consider yourself lucky. I won’t bore you with the details.

jmcrae–you are right. My dh said to me just now…’‘this can happen anywhere, you are grasping at straws about Florida.’’ Fine. Maybe. But, it never happened in Pittsburgh, that is true.

It is our fault for not locking it up…I think we were playing with time…eventually, someone would notice the unlocked bike. I think it’s interesting you say to pray for the kid whostole the bike, yes, I did that, actually…and a weird sense of calm came over me. I feel that anyone who feels the need to steal, or hasn’t learned right from wrong, needs our prayers. It’s sad, when you think about it, in that light. *

 

[whatevergirl]

I’m sorry this happened WEG. It feels bad to have something stolen from you. At UT Austin, I had 2 bikes stolen from me. Granted its far more likely to have stolen bikes in college, but it can happen anywhere. The first time I had one stolen, it was because I locked it on a stop sign instead of a bike rack. The second time, I locked it up on an iron fence outside my apartment unit (which had no bike racks), and someone kicked in the bars on the fence to take the bike. The third time, one of my roommates found my bike on campus improperly locked, and took the bike as a joke. He put it in my room next to my bed and had a good laugh when I came home that night. So, all the times I had my bike stolen it was due to improperly securing the bike.

haha–that’s crazy…you have had that many problems with your bike? lol Wow…Well, I still don’t think this would have happened in Pittsburgh…even without a lock.

It sounds to me like this was probably due to your son not having a lock. It would be a tempting target for any neighborhood kids who wander by the school. Thus, I kinda doubt its a sign that Florida is mistreating you. I know how badly you want to go back to Pennsylvania from previous posts, and part of me hopes you get your chance because it really sounds like you are homesick. I know a lot of people in DC from Pittsburgh. They love their hometown, but recognize that it is declining economically.

It is??

The jobs just aren’t there, and many have migrated south. Last year we even had an infamous incident when Fedex Field filled up with “Stiller” fans for a Redskins home game and took over the stadium.

There are not many jobs in the south…Florida has one of the highest unemp. rates in the country…largely due to the whole real estate crisis that hit. I wonder if it is worse than Pittsburgh, you have me wondering!

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

I’m so sorry someone stole your kid’s bike! That is incredibly lame!

I did hear one thing people have done is getting a dremel and engraving either a name or phone number on bikes, laptops, ipods, and things like that. Apparently it greatly reduces the street value, and there isn’t a pawn shop in the world that would buy it without calling the cops.

 

[whatevergirl]

I’m so sorry someone stole your kid’s bike! That is incredibly lame!

I did hear one thing people have done is getting a dremel and engraving either a name or phone number on bikes, laptops, ipods, and things like that. Apparently it greatly reduces the street value, and there isn’t a pawn shop in the world that would buy it without calling the cops.

*That is a great idea. It is our fault…I have been forgetful in buying the lock. I was just at Target over the weekend, too…and forgot. Ugh! We live in a fallen world, so I can’t read too much into it. I have a strange sense of calm about it…but feel bad for my son.

What is REALLY weird, is just the other night, I was telling my kids about how my purse was stolen back in college, and how violated I felt. And how if they ever have something stolen, how violated it will make them feel. I didn’t think an example was coming down the pike! *

 

[novaslasher]

I won’t argue about Florida. It is definitely in trouble. DC though, is doing fabulous due to good 'ol corpulent Uncle Sam. I think our gov’t jobs attract a lot of Pennsylvanians.

I actually did get my second bike registered with the police. They tapped a serial code into the frame with a hammer. It didn’t help in recovery though.

 

[whatevergirl]

My dd said to me on the phone a little bit ago…’‘well, mommy…time to buy ‘‘r’’ a car…’’ Oh yeah, let me walk right out to the money tree in the backyard and get right on that.

 

[whatevergirl]

I won’t argue about Florida. It is definitely in trouble. DC though, is doing fabulous due to good 'ol corpulent Uncle Sam. I think our gov’t jobs attract a lot of Pennsylvanians.

I actually did get my second bike registered with the police. They tapped a serial code into the frame with a hammer. It didn’t help in recovery though.

DC is expensive to live though, right? We have family who live in Maryland and work in DC…and Maryland is supposed to be great…

 

[Em_in_FL]

I’m so sorry WG… that’s not cool at all.

I had my bike stolen once from my sorority bike rack at UF… I didn’t lock it correctly because I was in a rush… and had just my front tire remaining.

Then once I actually had my car stolen in Orlando… I was working at a bagel shop downtown, had my keys under the register… and a very oddly-acting man walked in and asked if we had hamburgers (bagel shop - ) he acted like he was high… then he suddenly left. A co-worker was smoking outside and came in and asked “Did you let that guy borrow your car? He just drove off!” Helicopters, police dogs, and a few blocks down the road he abandoned the car… the ONLY thing missing was the rosary hanging from my rear-view mirror (not the purse under my seat!)… I picked his picture from a lineup at the police station and they said “That’s who we thought… he’s done this a few times recently”.

It’s sad that people feel the need to steal. I’m sorry for your son… but also sorry for whoever felt it was necessary to take the bike.

 

[jmcrae]

Then once I actually had my car stolen in Orlando… I was working at a bagel shop downtown, had my keys under the register… and a very oddly-acting man walked in and asked if we had hamburgers (bagel shop - ) he acted like he was high… then he suddenly left. A co-worker was smoking outside and came in and asked “Did you let that guy borrow your car? He just drove off!” Helicopters, police dogs, and a few blocks down the road he abandoned the car… the ONLY thing missing was the rosary hanging from my rear-view mirror (not the purse under my seat!)… I picked his picture from a lineup at the police station and they said “That’s who we thought… he’s done this a few times recently”.

It’s sad that people feel the need to steal. I’m sorry for your son… but also sorry for whoever felt it was necessary to take the bike.

How in the world did he get your keys out from under the register, without you noticing?

 

[novaslasher]

DC is expensive to live though, right? We have family who live in Maryland and work in DC…and Maryland is supposed to be great…

Yes, the DC area is expensive. Especially housing. I want to own a home some day in northern Virginia, but the median price is currently at $570,000 for a single family home (and this is for Nov 2009). Jobs pay well though to compensate. The county median household income is about $110k. So its probably a wash. But still, jobs are plentiful so that’s why the region is growing so much.

 

[Em_in_FL]

How in the world did he get your keys out from under the register, without you noticing?

It had a space underneath it… and his hands were concealed behind the register - I was taking his order - and was so distracted by his odd behavior…
And not to mention - I was a very naive young college student.

 

[Whitacre_Girl]

DC is expensive to live though, right? We have family who live in Maryland and work in DC…and Maryland is supposed to be great…

Wait…you have a money tree!!! Can I have a few starts? LOL

 

[whatevergirl]

I’m so sorry WG… that’s not cool at all.

I had my bike stolen once from my sorority bike rack at UF… I didn’t lock it correctly because I was in a rush… and had just my front tire remaining.

Then once I actually had my car stolen in Orlando… I was working at a bagel shop downtown, had my keys under the register… and a very oddly-acting man walked in and asked if we had hamburgers (bagel shop - ) he acted like he was high… then he suddenly left. A co-worker was smoking outside and came in and asked “Did you let that guy borrow your car? He just drove off!” Helicopters, police dogs, and a few blocks down the road he abandoned the car… the ONLY thing missing was the rosary hanging from my rear-view mirror (not the purse under my seat!)… I picked his picture from a lineup at the police station and they said “That’s who we thought… he’s done this a few times recently”.

It’s sad that people feel the need to steal. I’m sorry for your son… but also sorry for whoever felt it was necessary to take the bike.

*He stole your rosary beads? That’s it? How bizarre! How scary though to have your car stolen.

Yes, it’s very sad that people either a) don’t know right from wrong and/or b) feel the need to steal. I feel sad for the person who did this, sad for my son, but sadder for the person who did this.

What do your stories and mine all have in common, EM? Hmmm…hmmm? Florida, yes, that is right. All incidents happened in Florida.

I had to say it. *

 

[novaslasher]

I’m so sorry WG… that’s not cool at all.

I had my bike stolen once from my sorority bike rack at UF… I didn’t lock it correctly because I was in a rush… and had just my front tire remaining.

Then once I actually had my car stolen in Orlando… I was working at a bagel shop downtown, had my keys under the register… and a very oddly-acting man walked in and asked if we had hamburgers (bagel shop - ) he acted like he was high… then he suddenly left. A co-worker was smoking outside and came in and asked “Did you let that guy borrow your car? He just drove off!” Helicopters, police dogs, and a few blocks down the road he abandoned the car… the ONLY thing missing was the rosary hanging from my rear-view mirror (not the purse under my seat!)… I picked his picture from a lineup at the police station and they said “That’s who we thought… he’s done this a few times recently”.

It’s sad that people feel the need to steal. I’m sorry for your son… but also sorry for whoever felt it was necessary to take the bike.

Wow, that is crazy Em. I can’t imagine how that must have felt. But I wonder why the police had helicopters and dogs looking for him after he took your car. He must have done some really bad stuff besides stealing cars.

 

[whatevergirl]

Wait…you have a money tree!!! Can I have a few starts? LOL

Get in line behind my kids.

 

[novaslasher]

I was about to say the common denominator was that we were all young when we had stuff stolen. In my case young and stupid for not locking my bike up well.

I’m with your husband WEG, I think you are reallllllly stretching here on poor, sunny little Florida.