Bike got Stolen from my Basement

[dshpipes]

So, in the scheme of things, this isn't so awful, but it feels awful.

My girlfriend left her bike in my basement today(this is a nice street bike bought and paid $1,500 for it about 2 months ago). The basement door faces the patio behind my apartment. I left for one hour today, and during that time, someone broke into my basement and stole her bike. I live in Lakeview in Chicago, which is a pretty nice and safe feeling place, only right now it ain't feeling so safe. Fortunately, I have renter's insurance, which will cover a good portion of the replacement costs, but there's still a nasty feeling of violation hanging around.

In particular what I'm hoping for is stories from you guys of kindnesses from other people, especially strangers. I've been stolen from plenty in my life, but this is the first time I've ever had someone break into the place where I live to steal from me. My faith in humanity is running a little low this evening, so any positive stories you've got would be welcome.

 

[monbla256]

So, in the scheme of things, this isn't so awful, but it feels awful.

My girlfriend left her bike in my basement today(this is a nice street bike bought and paid $1,500 for it about 2 months ago). The basement door faces the patio behind my apartment. I left for one hour today, and during that time, someone broke into my basement and stole her bike. I live in Lakeview in Chicago, which is a pretty nice and safe feeling place, only right now it ain't feeling so safe. Fortunately, I have renter's insurance, which will cover a good portion of the replacement costs, but there's still a nasty feeling of violation hanging around.

In particular what I'm hoping for is stories from you guys of kindnesses from other people, especially strangers. I've been stolen from plenty in my life, but this is the first time I've ever had someone break into the place where I live to steal from me. My faith in humanity is running a little low this evening, so any positive stories you've got would be welcome.

'Fraid it's gonna take some time (years ) before your "faith" will return. You have been personally violated when someone breaks into YOUR surroundings and there is some feelings of ineptness and personal violation when this happens and these are pretty major emotions and take a major chunk of time to recover from, but you can and hopefully will. Don't try and force it, just try to be aware of how you feel and sort of "ride it out" if you can. Had a similar thing happen to me about a decade ago to me. Cleaned me out of two Lieca's , lenses, stereo eqpt., etc. Found some at pawn shops ( had to pay to get 'em back) over the first year after, and was very CAREFULL when leaving the house, extra locks etc. Have finally settled into a more realistic mode these days and feel better about it. Time, is what it will take, just time. My condolences for sure.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

One fine summer day about six years ago, some 19 year old asshat with five friends was harassing a 12 year old kid by the river. He pushed the kid off his bike and threw this poor kids bike into the river. The kid tried to run away, but they caught up to him and started doing the typical bully-ring around the victim routine. The funny part was, all of their bikes were next to the river, too. A bit outnumbered, but still pissed off by the scenario (and by the fact no one else was doing anything), I walked over and started to, one by one, throw all of their bikes into the river.

They, being quite preoccupied, about the time I got to bike number six, realized what I was doing and rushed over to me--I then rushed into the river, and got the kid's bike, and I exited the other side. They refused to get wet (unlike me), and shouted all sorts of threats and ugly things about sexual deviancy as I made my way for the footbridge to face the music I just composed--just in time for some cops to come by and ask them what was going on. As they told the first cop what I jerk I was for doing what I did, the other cop began to ask bystanders their stories, too. The bystanders stories now told, I roll up the bike to the poor kid, and hand it back to him, not much worse for wear. I stood next to him, sopping wet, I picked off a few bits of river debris, and the kid was beaming with delight. What a day for him it must have been.

The cops ended up saying that if it was any other scenario, they'd ticket me for littering the river, but since I also helped clean up the river a little, I'd be let go and told me to leave. They ticketed all the older teens for public nuisance and a host of other crap, and sent them on their way. I went elsewhere, the bullies all rolled up their pants and got their bikes out of the river under the watchful eye of the cops, the poor kid rode home, bike a little wet, but otherwise safe.

I saw the teens about a month later and fearing an altercation, I, as usual, ignored them (while keeping an eye on them) and they surprisingly left me alone. I guess not giving a shit in a really passive way from start to finish did the trick--only in Reno. :lol:

8)

 

[Hermit]

Damn! That sucks.
And in Chicago, ya can't even shoot em. :evil:

 

[itsKot]

Damn! That sucks.
And in Chicago, ya can't even shoot em. :evil:

Or even have a knife big enough to do much of anything as far as I understand.

 

[dshpipes]

Monbla: Too true. I'm riding the wave and doing well, but I've become a lot more vigilant about locking EVERYTHING. I double check my locks and lock my bike up to the sewage pipes in the basement now. It sucks to feel violated in your own space.

Kyle: Great story! More power to ya, pal!

Hermit and itsKot: You're tellin' me. Part of dealing with the personal violation here is the fun fantasizing one gets to do about what one might've done had they been home... and armed. Too bad I couldn't have actually done anything more than chased them and waved my fists in the air.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Having something taken from you ruins the illusion that we're "safe," and that's probably the biggest tragedy of all. Even if we could have done something, caught them, etc., that feeling will not necessarily go away. Prevention and awareness go a long way. You might feel silly, people might criticize your paranoia, but just being prepared and thinking ahead are extremely useful mindsets. It's a pathetic human world out there, and it ain't gettin' better, so we just gotta get better at dealing with it.

At least you weren't mugged, strong-armed or worse. 8)

 

[monbla256]

... and armed.

Contrary to popular belief you don't want that. I've killed people, it changes you more than folks want to admit and not for the better. Ride it out, you can recover, changed, but recover.

 

[deepbass9]

... and armed.

Contrary to popular belief you don't want that. I've killed people, it changes you more than folks want to admit and not for the better. Ride it out, you can recover, changed, but recover.

A wedge of sanity in the arms race....nicely done, Monbla!

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Sensing Rubber Room conversation ensuing.

 

[monbla256]

Sensing Rubber Room conversation ensuing.

That's good way to describe a war. Go to one, and you'll see.

 

[Kyle Weiss]

Sensing Rubber Room conversation ensuing.

That's good way to describe a war. Go to one, and you'll see.

That's like saying "go bang a hooker with HIV, you'll know what sick is like."

No one on my end is diminishing the circumstances in any scenario, though, don't get me wrong. I know death, and likely due to that, I've never killed, I don't want to, and I don't intend to do so. Whether or not I have to is a different situation, though. As I suppose that also applies to wars, crime or defense. Sometimes people gotta do what people gotta do, and I feel for those who live to tell the tale.

 

[roogles]

We've lived in our current home for 12 years. We're out in the "country", far enough away from town that we have no visible neighbors from our house.

We've been broken into three times since we lived there. Twice we were both gone at the same time (no cars in the driveway) and they just beat the door out of the frame and grabbed random things from around the house - laptops, televisions, jewelry, etc.

The third break in (one year-ago in March) the wife and kids were out of town, I got home around midnight to find the door smashed off the frame - did the police report and all of that, but then couldn't get the door replaced until the next day... spent a very long, jumpy night sitting in my recliner armed with the door just leaned up in the frame...

Every time it's happened it's felt like a HUGE violation of privacy, invasion of space, etc. Just like others have mentioned.

Also as others have mentioned, though - eventually things begin to feel normal and 'safe' again.

Here's hoping that feeling comes to you sooner than later!

 

[Kyle Weiss]

I do have to apologize to my buddy Uber up there--his original request was for good tales of humanity rather than lining up ugliness side-by-side. Before I go on with any selfishly-led opinions, I'm going to remember that.

Food for thought:

Human hands--they can be balled up into fists or opened and extended in friendship. They can take, or they can give. It all starts there.

8)

 

[BuckeyeBoy34]

Uber sorry man that just sucks. Steealing a bike is a pretty crappy thing to do to another person. I feel for ya. Unfortunately I have nothing better to offer than that.

Steve

 

[Harlock999]

If you've ever been to Holland, you'll know that the Dutch are really into their bikes, and during WWII, the Germans confiscated thousands of bicycles from them to melt down for their war machine. Well, apparently it's still an in-joke among the Dutch that whenever they encounter a German, they'll think to themselves "hey, where's my bike?!"...

 

[Kyle Weiss]

If you've ever been to Holland, you'll know that the Dutch are really into their bikes, and during WWII, the Germans confiscated thousands of bicycles from them to melt down for their war machine. Well, apparently it's still an in-joke among the Dutch that whenever they encounter a German, they'll think to themselves "hey, where's my bike?!"...

That's pretty damn funny...in a sick way. Gotta love the Dutch.

8)

 

[George Kaplan]

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[Harlock999]

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Lol!

 

[Growley]

I'm really sorry to hear about your bike. While it is very unfortunate, the fortunate side is, a bike, while loved and cherished is only a material object and can be replaced some day. I'm glad no one got hurt in the process.


I've got a good one. Several years back when I lived in Colorado and my family was very young, we had a really special thing happen to us. We were eating out at an "On The Border" which was somewhat rare for us, because we didn't have a ton of money and didn't eat out a lot. We finished our meal and waited for the bill. The waitress came by and said our entire bill (for a family of 4) had been paid for. You can imagine the look I gave her.

Oddly enough, I was somewhat uncomfortable with it. It seems these days we rarely accept something for free without wondering, "what's the catch?". I pressed her for information telling her I was uncomfortable having someone pay for my meal and she finally subsided and pointed to a young couple a few tables away and said they had paid for it. Neither my wife nor I had ever seen the couple and were still confused, so I walked up to them and said that I had just found out that they had so kindly paid for our meals.

They were a bit embarrassed having wanted to remain anonymous, but they simply said, "God has blessed us with more than we need. You look like a nice family and we just wanted to pass some of that blessing along." :shock:

Well, of course after that I brought my whole family over to their table and thanked them from the bottom of my heart.

That event has reminded me to do similar things along these many years. What a wonderful thing to do, show people you don't even know (humanity essentially) that you care for them.