Slog - Comments on Bike Thefts Rise http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise As of the end of September, Seattle bike thefts are up by 28 percent in the East Precinct and 34 percent in the West Precinct over the same period last year, according to new Seattle Police stats. Capt. Landy Black of East Precinct, which includes Capitol Hill and the Central Area, theorizes the blip has something to do with the nice weather. The real numbers are not so outlandish: in the East Precinct, 134 bikes were stolen this year compared to 104 during the same period last year. City wide, bike thefts rose just 6.6 percent, and theft in general... Copyright 2008 Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:14:33 -0800 Fri, 27 Oct 2006 10:51:58 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Will in Seattle But, one question I have is:

Is this a rise in bike thefts while the number of bike riders remains the same?

Or is it that Seattle is growing, more people are riding bikes, and we're reporting bike thefts?

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482045 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482045 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:20:12 -0800 Comment by Gomez There are other bike related thefts as well. I was walking to the IMA building on UW campus one day about a week ago and saw several bikes at the nearby racks missing seats, with others whose seats were up high or partially pulled out. And often, the only bike theft reports are of actual bikes, not of accessories and peripherals.

I'd normally go with your point, Will, but it looks like thieving in itself has proliferated.

]]> Gomez http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482053 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482053 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:29:16 -0800 Comment by Gabriel Has George Allen been in town recently?

]]> Gabriel http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482058 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482058 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:33:33 -0800 Comment by COMTE Gomez,

I'm not sure about every instance, but I think in a lot of cases bike owners pull the seats to make the bikes less attractive to thieves.

]]> COMTE http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482061 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482061 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 13:35:31 -0800 Comment by Dougsf It only takes a handful of people to get their bike thieving routine down well, and apparently the hill has a few that have. People that do this, do this every day, it's their "deal". I think only a small percentage of these thefts are simple crimes of opportunity.

When/if they're caught, numbers will go down a bit, then back up when said thieves are back at it or some newcomers master their trade.

The good news is that a racket of pro bike thieves is just another step in becoming a World Class City Seattle, way to go!

]]> Dougsf http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482127 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482127 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 14:52:22 -0800 Comment by Dougsf P.S. It is suprising, however, that with all the bicyclist that dress up as Spiderman for their commute, there seems to be very little crime fighting actually taking place.

]]> Dougsf http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482131 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482131 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 14:55:14 -0800 Comment by Gomez I don't recall it (removing the seat to deter thieving) being such a common practice in general, Comte.

We're talking half the bikes at a university rack, and UW kids aren't always the savviest of bike riders, many not nearly savvy enough to pull the seat off to divert thieves. Many of these bikes were even cable locked by the frame!

]]> Gomez http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482158 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482158 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 15:29:59 -0800 Comment by him Comte, while that is a possible strategy to deter bike thieves, a sage thief espying an expensive but seatless bike would simply steal the bike and later steal a seat from another bike.

]]> him http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482208 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482208 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:27:07 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle Actually, bike stealing at the UW has always been a problem.

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482215 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482215 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:36:24 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle But this _is_ why I skateboard to campus instead of bike ...

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482218 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482218 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:38:06 -0800 Comment by Fnarf I'm skeptical that such small fluctuations in such a small amount of data over such a short period indicates anything more than normal variation. What's a graph of the last 25 years look like?

]]> Fnarf http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482229 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482229 News Thu, 26 Oct 2006 17:51:43 -0800 Comment by Jonah Could it be due to this?

]]> Jonah http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482333 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482333 News Fri, 27 Oct 2006 02:20:07 -0800 Comment by Gomez Sure, Fnarf, because NOTHING about society and theft has changed between 1981 and today.

]]> Gomez http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482411 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482411 News Fri, 27 Oct 2006 09:46:59 -0800 Comment by * We need less bikes in Seattle. They get in the way of all the single-occupant commuters who enjoy sitting in traffic.

]]> * http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482432 http://slog.thestranger.com/2006/10/bike_thefts_rise#c482432 News Fri, 27 Oct 2006 10:51:58 -0800