If, as a relatively new bike commuter (like myself), you've yet to check out Chicago's independently-run online stolen bike registry, I strongly suggest clicking through the site.
Your first impression, as mine was, will likely be one of horror and disgust at the number of bike thefts going on in the city - and suburbs. Just in the last week, 5 people have posted on thefts, from across Chicago in areas as varied as the South Side, Logan Square, Wicker Park, and the Northwest Side. Yet something I didn't plan for was just how educational the site is. Obviously, for the people posting, they are leaving their e-mails, and hoping someone will spot their stolen bike and they can somehow get it back. However, because I luckily am still in possession of my bike, I found it most interesting to read how each bike was stolen, from where, how it was locked, and what it was locked to.
This is facinating, because theives seem to have penetrated all types of locks -- heavy combo locks, newer U-locks with flat keys (which is what I have) -- and they take bikes even when the lock is through the front wheel, the frame, AND the bike rack. These are not riders who carelessly left their bikes, unlocked (except for that Potbelly delivery guy- for 3 minutes he says!) And it was also worth noting that the reports of theft came from every possible location in the city -- near the site of the Chicago Marathon finish line, at suburban train stations, outside a Lincoln Park McDonalds, outside Water Tower Place on Michigan Ave, at CTA train stations, at various Colleges and University campuses, at Navy Pier... absolutely everywhere... no discrimination. And even in broad daylight, in high traffic areas, in areas where people they work with also lock their bikes everyday.
It just made me realize how lucky I am that the building I work in has a secure bike lock area that is only accessible by other employees. Plus, there is a security guard -- and that probably discourages any lazy thief. Finally, check out the "statistics" header at the top of the home page -- it documents which situations, by percentage, are likely to lead to theft. And the stat on how often bikes are recovered? Less than 1-and-a-half percent. Yeeps.
