Sholom and his beloved bike

Midwood residents beware: a bike thief is on the loose! Transportation Alternatives Brooklyn Committee member Sholom has a heartening and illuminating tale of the recent theft and recovery of his bicycle near the Kings Highway subway station. With the aid of the police, his laptop, a local restaurant owner, and a volunteer community safety patrol called Shomrim, he was able to recover his bike and spread news of the culprit. From Sholom, here are some theft prevention tips:

Bike owners should register their bike: I was fortunate to have a picture that proved that this was my bike. Without it, I would have no way of recovering it even if the Police had recovered it for me. If you own a bike, call your local precinct and arrange for a meeting with the crime prevention officer so that you can get your bike registered. In that case, if it is recovered, you have proof that it is yours.

Don’t just give up: So many bike thefts go unreported. People feel that they will never get it back and just give up immediately. Instead of giving up, you should report it to the Police and check your local craigslist. Many precincts have many bikes that are recovered, but have no owner. If your bike is recovered, you should have a chance of getting it back. Even if it’s not recovered, at least it will be recorded in the stats. The higher the number of thefts reported, the more attention it will get from the NYPD.

Lock your bike in public places: Locking it in a public place with many people can help ensure it’s there when you get back: A thief may be wearier to steal a bike that is locked up in Times Square (where he/she has the chance of being noticed) than on a private quieter street. When I travel anywhere by bike, I am sure to find the busiest street in the area to lock up my bike. 

Read the whole story on TA Brooklyn’s blog. In other news: Inwood & Washington Heights Livable Streets needs letters of support this weekend from area businesses in favor of a Dyckman Street Greenway connector; PA Bikes & Walks brings news of an exciting multi-use trail network that would create 1,400 jobs; and Bicycles Only has added more great tips to the ever-growing StreetsWiki article on Urban Bicycling With Children.