Suppose you see somebody attacking a bike lock ...

What do you do? When you confront the person, the person claims that
the key was lost, or that the combination was forgotten. What would you
do to tell whether the truth is being told, vs someone trying to steal
the bike?

FWIW, let's say you're the police. How does the PD make such a
determination? Anyone with actual experiences in this area?

Later,
Nelson Chen
__o Same road Boycott Wal-Mart, union-buster.
_`\,_ Same rights
(_)/ (_) Same rules

wrote in message
oups.com...
What do you do? When you confront the person, the person claims that
the key was lost, or that the combination was forgotten. What would you
do to tell whether the truth is being told, vs someone trying to steal
the bike?

FWIW, let's say you're the police. How does the PD make such a
determination? Anyone with actual experiences in this area?


http://www.torontosun.com/News/Toron...64463-sun.html

A rough ride
Cops took panhandler's bicycle
By RADHIKA PANJWANI AND BRIAN GRAY, TORONTO SUN

'A Brampton real estate agent and a surveillance tape spoke up when Toronto
Police thought a homeless man was giving them the gears.

Loren Campbell says he used his savings from two months of panhandling to
buy himself a new red bicycle from Zellers on May 6.

But one week ago, police officers confiscated the bike at Eastern and Carlaw
Aves. because, Campbell said, they didn't believe him when he told them it
was his.

"They pepper-sprayed me," Campbell, 40, said. "I told them I had bought the
bike from a Zellers store and showed them the receipt."

But the numbers on the register tape had faded and police wouldn't take his
word for it, he said.

Real estate agent Roderick Stewart -- a frequent contributor to Campbell's
coffers over the last six months -- first heard the story Thursday when he
walked by the panhandler in his usual haunts on Yonge St. south of St. Clair
Ave.

"I believed him," Stewart said. "He knew dates and places so I checked it
out."

Stewart, 47, went to the Zellers at Victoria Park and Danforth Aves. and
staff there went through the surveillance tapes -- where they found visual
evidence of Campbell buying the bike.

So Stewart took the tape and a duplicate receipt to the 55 Division police
station at Coxwell Ave. and Dundas St. E. on Friday.

"They took it upstairs and I guess that was enough for them," Stewart said.

Police gave the $200 bike back yesterday but without the locks Campbell
said he needs to ensure his bike isn't stolen overnight.

"(The police) know how to take your stuff from you but they sure don't know
how to give them back, do they?" an irate Campbell said, waving the keys for
his lock on the steps of 55 Division.

Stewart said he would buy the homeless man some security for his one
worldly possession until police hand back the $70 lock Campbell insists they
still have. "Everything he has said has been truthful from the get-go,"
Stewart said.

Police at the station refused to comment yesterday and referred questions
to a police superintendent, who will review the case today.'

wrote:

What do you do? When you confront the person, the person claims that
the key was lost, or that the combination was forgotten. What would you
do to tell whether the truth is being told, vs someone trying to steal
the bike?

Well, it is difficult because most of us don't know our own serial
numbers. Also people caught stealing a bike have argued with the owner
saying his buddy asked him to get his bike.

The other day I witnessed what is more common young street kids in their
mid 20s dismandling a couple of bikes in a downtown hotel fire exit
alcove slightly below street level. Two blocks away I notice a police
car on the opposite side of the street from where I was and stuck
momentarily in traffic. A three lanes in both direction prevented me
from walkng to the car. I motioned to the vehicle waving my hands and
caught their attention. I motioned for the driver to roll down the
window indicated below ground alcove, yelled bikes being dismantled by
street kids and within minutes lights flashing they were on their way.

FWIW, let's say you're the police. How does the PD make such a
determination? Anyone with actual experiences in this area?


In this case the best you can do is to question the person and usually
from what you hear and the actions you see either confirms they are the
owner or they are likely the thief. For instance one of the approaches
is to ask if the person wants to sell the bike if they get the lock off
as you need a bike desperately. If they say yes it is likely stolen.
You would then say how much and that you are going to a bank machine or
whatever to get some cash so as not to arouse suspicion. You then
quietly go out of sight and call the police and report it. The police
can take it from there.

Bock wrote:
wrote:

What do you do? When you confront the person, the person claims that
the key was lost, or that the combination was forgotten. What would you
do to tell whether the truth is being told, vs someone trying to steal
the bike?

Well, it is difficult because most of us don't know our own serial
numbers. Also people caught stealing a bike have argued with the owner
saying his buddy asked him to get his bike.

The other day I witnessed what is more common young street kids in their
mid 20s dismandling a couple of bikes in a downtown hotel fire exit
alcove slightly below street level. Two blocks away I notice a police
car on the opposite side of the street from where I was and stuck
momentarily in traffic. A three lanes in both direction prevented me
from walkng to the car. I motioned to the vehicle waving my hands and
caught their attention. I motioned for the driver to roll down the
window indicated below ground alcove, yelled bikes being dismantled by
street kids and within minutes lights flashing they were on their way.

FWIW, let's say you're the police. How does the PD make such a
determination? Anyone with actual experiences in this area?


In this case the best you can do is to question the person and usually
from what you hear and the actions you see either confirms they are the
owner or they are likely the thief. For instance one of the approaches
is to ask if the person wants to sell the bike if they get the lock off
as you need a bike desperately. If they say yes it is likely stolen.
You would then say how much and that you are going to a bank machine or
whatever to get some cash so as not to arouse suspicion. You then
quietly go out of sight and call the police and report it. The police
can take it from there.

If it has a seat pack, a simple rough inventory of the pack would
suffice.

For example: I doubt any thief would take the time to learn of my
Ultraflator(tm), my 8 CO2 cartridges and two patch kits, or my $2.50 in
quarters wrapped in electrical tape, nor that my spare tire is carried
inside encased a korean kim chee box.

Of course, i could point to my name engraved on several components, too.

http://www.unoriginal.co.uk/footage26_2.html

watch this.

Cheers,
Peter

Peter Schwar wrote:
http://www.unoriginal.co.uk/footage26_2.html

watch this.


That was funny! I liked the grinder bit, esp.

..max