amwelles

Stolen bicycles have become a solvent in America’s underground economy, a currency in the world of drug addicts and petty thieves. Bikes are portable and easily converted to cash, and they usually vanish without a trace—in some places, only 5 percent are even reported stolen. Stealing one is routinely treated as a misdemeanor, even though, in the age of electronic derailleurs and $5,000 coffee-shop rides, many bike thefts easily surpass the fiscal definition of felony, which varies by state but is typically under the thousand-dollar mark.

Shortly after I moved to Athens, my bicycle was stolen. My lock had stopped working that day, but I had to go to work before I could get a new one. Thankfully, an awesome guy, Dave, (who quickly became a friend) saw my “stolen bike!” photo on Facebook. He later saw some guy riding it. Dave walked right up to the guy and said, “Hey, that’s my friend’s bike,” and took it away from him. I got it back that evening (although I’d already purchased a second bike… which ended up being my favorite). I feel like this kind of thing only happens in smaller towns, though. Keep your bike locked and in a place where you can check on it often!