STOLEN Stolen Bike - reward (stolen in SLC, UT) (1 Viewer)

[Jetboy]

Location

United States

My new Stumpjumper FSR I just built in the other thread was stolen. We went away for a weekend and someone broke into the garage. They tried to steal my wife's salsa spearfish, but it didn't have pedals on it, so it looks like they made it half way out the garage door and then left it and went back and took mine off the rack.

It's a stumpjumper fsr 29er in gray color. Easy to identify by having raceface wheels (very few of them around) a x7 crank with slx components, easton seat post, race face bars, vader seat.

Reward: $100 if I get the bike back to the tip that helps find it. (probably at a pawn shop in the SLC area) Another $100 if the thief is caught.

 

[SmoothLC]

Sorry to hear about this @Jetboy.

What area of SLC do you live in (not that it matters, but just in case)?

 

[Jetboy]

I live in Canyon Rim. I have to suspect it's a neighbor, but I'm not sure. No one else would have known I was out of town and my house is on a non-through street, so there's basically never any traffic other than neighbors. They had to jump a 6' cedar fence to get into my back yard and then go through the back garage door. And they only took one bike, none of the tools. My guess is they were there specifically for the bike or bikes and only took the one because they couldn't ride the other without pedals.

 

[Jetboy]

Posted the same on other forums. Upped to $200 if I get the bike back.

 

[gregnash]

I was the one that suggested 529 Garage. I know it is a long shot but hopefully it works out.

 

[Jetboy]

Thanks. Definitely a long shot. My only real hope is the race face wheels. They are practically non-existent in the field so there's a really good chance that if someone has a set of race face 29er wheels, they're mine. Otherwise it's pretty much a lost cause since the police wont' help me by searching the serial # database.

 

[gregnash]

Yeah like I said, more than likely it was someone that knew exactly what they were looking at. I would go and talk to ALL your bike shops within a very large area just in the case that someone brings it in to "ask a question" or "get a tune-up". It is highly unlikely that someone just decided to jump into your backyard and break into your garage to grab your bike. They had seen you on it, knew where you lived and what to look for with regards to you being home or way. This is another reason why I ride boutique brands people rarely know what they are and if for some reason it did get stolen it would be VERY obvious as the bikes are unique.

 

[SmoothLC]

Good idea to contact them all around your area. The LBS techs are usually in touch with the pulse of people trying to sell bikes and can keep an eye out for you. Especially w/ a reward, that gives them good incentive.

I'll let the people know in my bike club know as well. Cycling is still a relatively small community. Hopefully it will turn up and turn out well.

 

[Jetboy]

Still no luck on finding it.

My insurance is going to cover it minus the $1k deductible. They've actually been pretty cool about it. Since it was an SLX build which is a step up from the comp x7/x9 components, they suggested I buy the elite model as a replacement. Ultimately if you buy a comp and replace all the x7/x9 stuff with SLX, replace the crappy stock formula brakes, and put a revelation on it - the cost is higher than an Elite which comes with SLX drivetrain and brakes - and a Pike. Got the go-ahead on the phone to day to buy a new one and send in the receipt.

I do still have the option of going with the fsr comp (base model). In the end, the difference is I'd get either a brain shock/pike and stock crappy 2300g joytec wheels that are an embarrassment on a $4200 bike IMO, or a Fox Triad/revelation and a set of 1800g wheels. Which would you choose? I'm inclined to go for the elite model and use it till I blow up the hubs and then replace with some better ones.

 

[Eicca]

Ah dude that blows goats. Hope it works out for you after all that time and effort!

 

[Gun Runner 5]

Not that it will make you feel better but there was a segment on tonight's ABC National News talking about the rise of bike thefts. If I remember correctly they reported a 40% rise in bike thefts and also pointed out how useless a bike lock is.
Hope you find yours.....

 

[Jetboy]

I'm waiting for some word back from the police. I don't want to put too much info on the interwebs yet, but I might have a lead on the guy who stole it, which may lead to the bike. I'm not getting much cooperation from the police at this point though, which may mean I have to do it myself. I'll update in a week or so on how things turned out.

 

[Jetboy]

So long story short, the thief's accomplice came to my house and basically turned him in. She was the getaway driver of some sort, she claims to not have known about the bike theft, but did return a stolen saw (now broken) that was also missing. Anyway she gave me the thief's info and I called the detective assigned my case. They called back today and said that they had located my bike at a pawn shop in SLC. Thanks to the lobbying efforts of our pawn shop owners, I now have the option of buying back the bike from the pawn shop - because that seems like a good policy. Or I can wait until a criminal case is filed, then file paperwork to get a property disposition hearing in the criminal case to try to get the bike back. Of course this requires that the district attorney chooses to prosecute and files. I put a call into the screening attorney at the prosecutors office to see what needs to happen to make sure it gets filed. So for now it's sitting at the pawn shop on a police hold. No way I'm going to buy my own bike back from them.

I've also now got a bike I paid for that hasn't yet been reimbursed by insurance that I'll have to sort out with the insurance company.

 

[Eicca]

Hey that's progress! Man, that is the one problem with nice-looking bikes: they're targets.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Check the price to buy it, it may be worth it in the end. You only pay what the shop gave the guy. Neighbor had his $4k road bike stolen, shop gave the thief $100 for it, so that's all he had to pay. He can get his $100 back through restitution when the guy goes up for the criminal proceedings, but he's not planning on seeing it. Better to have a big ticket item home and being used.

 

[Jetboy]

They gave the guy $400 for it, so that's what I'd have to pay to get it back now. Otherwise I can wait until the criminal proceeding happens and then ask for a hearing on the property then. Once that happens I'll get it back. For now the pawn shop is required to hold it in a safe place until the criminal case goes forward, so they are stuck with both paying the $ and keeping the bike safe until then. That's what they deserved for buying pretty obviously stolen property. The guy also pawned a set of electronic items like iphones and stuff at the same time that weren't mine. It doesn't really matter as much now since I already have a replacement bike bought. The insurance company will take the stolen one once I get it back and auction it.

My intention is to follow through so that the pawn shop loses $. I'm not about to pay them $400 for receiving my stolen bike. If anything I may sue them civilly. Not even sure what for at this point, but I'm sure I can identify at least a few reasons and it will cost them a few thousand dollars in attorney's fees and make it easier to give my bike back than go to court. Since I'm a lawyer it's easy for me to do and costs me no more than the filing fee.

The pawn shop is EZ Pawn at about 45th south and state BTW.

 

[gregnash]

I say if you have the time then definitely go after them. I believe in the state of NV the shop is legally obligated to return the stolen property (if a police report is filed and proper documentation is there) and then seek restitution from the criminal proceedings. If I was you then I would not only charge them for the cost of the bike but also what your hourly rate would be for the proceeding. Part of the issue with our country is that criminals (like the pawn shop who obviously knew they were receiving stolen property and are unwilling to hand over to the proper owner) get away things like this left and right by slowly paying off the politicians that will fund their behavior.

 

[Jetboy]

In Utah our politicians are openly bought and paid for. The payday lenders and pawn shops own a few legislators and that's just kinda how it works around here. I have plenty of time. I get my new bike today. My insurance company will own the stolen one whenever it is ultimately returned. I have no intention of giving the pawn shop a dime, and I'll make every effort to make it as expensive as possible.

 

[gregnash]

Eh yeah those situations always suck. Well at least you have a new bike to ride and the insurance company can deal with the rest.

 

[SmoothLC]

Sorry to hear about how this is turning out.