Bike enthusiasts say daytime thefts increasing

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Sam Greene | DISPATCH

Sue Olander retrieved her bicycle, stolen during the daytime, after a friend found it for sale on Craigslist.

When two women discovered that their bikes had been stolen in broad daylight, they were shocked. Even more shocking: Two months later, they’ve got their bikes back.

Sue Olander left the North Market on Oct. 20 expecting to see her and her friend Gina Smith’s bikes locked together to a meter outside. She was greeted by Smith holding the lock that once secured their bikes instead.

“I was devastated,” Olander said. “I was shaking so bad, I could barely grab my phone to call my husband.”

Both Olander and Smith had other items stolen along with the bikes.

Olander’s helmet, mirror, hat and one of her gloves were taken, as well as Smith’s helmet and saddle bag with her car keys inside.

Jody Dzuranin, operations manager for Consider Biking, said there has been an increase in bicycle thefts in recent years, especially during the daytime.

“Upscale bikes are stolen during the day in public areas and nobody notices,” Dzuranin said. “It’s becoming blatant.”

Although Consider Biking has no way of tracking whether there has been an increase in thefts, it has received more reports about daytime thefts recently via email, Facebook and other forms of social media.

“This is happening way too often,” Dzuranin said, “Once they’re gone, it can be hard to find them.”

Olander and Smith began searching for their bikes within 24 hours of the theft.

Both women, along with friends Larry Graham, Hans Monning and Craig Clark, as well as Olander’s husband, Gary, checked Craigslist consistently during those two months.

Graham found Olander’s bike on Craigslist and alerted Olander and her husband, who contacted police.

Police contacted the man selling the bike and set up a fake buy on Dec. 18. They met him at a Steak ’n Shake on Polaris Parkway and arrested him after retrieving the bike. Police later found Smith’s bike at the seller’s house.

“I was out of town when the bikes were found,” Smith said. “That was the one day I didn’t check Craigslist.”

Dzuranin suggests that victims of bike theft search for their bikes on Craigslist, eBay and at local pawn shops. She also suggests recording any distinguishing features on the bike and using a U-shaped lock to secure it.

“You should also record your serial number and file a police report online,” Dzuranin said. “The more that you can do to prove that the bicycle is yours, the more chance you have of finding it.”

aadams@dispatch.com