Before I say anything, I’m a regular user on this forum, but feel that my identity could be worked out if I posted under that. Don’t worry, I haven’t done anything sinister; I just don’t want the sinister guy working out who I am, even if the chances are small.
Anyway…
Tonight I was riding along Lygon St (Melbourne) crossing the Park St bike path and approaching Brunswick Rd when I saw a dude on a bike carrying a couple of wheels. I checked him out because I thought he might be someone from here carrying some new wheels around, but then I saw a locked up bike on the ground just where he’d come from. I chased him and caught him pretty easily, trying unsuccessfully to grab the wheels as I passed him. He took off but quickly worked out he couldn’t outrun me, so he stopped and violently threatened me. I’m a sook, so I kept my distance, and tried to convince him to just leave the wheels on the ground and go away. He didn’t, and after threatening me a bit more I rode off, I added a bit more distance between us and when I came back, he’d disappeared.
He was a dodgy looking white guy with a square jaw, riding a single speed flat bar bike. Shaved head, about 170-185cm tall, stocky. His right forearm was all bandaged up. His thongs broke when he was stealing the wheels. I have them. I left a note on the bike saying that I saw it and that the owner could post on here and contact me if they want.
I dunno if I should have called the police. Maybe I should have. I nearly did. But he’d have gotten away anyway, and they probably have better things to do than chase losers stealing bike wheels. Or maybe I’ve got the wrong attitude about that.
Anyway, keep your eyes out for him with his wrapped up right arm. And I’d recommend Pitlocks. The bike was a Chappelli, so nothing too fancy. Still shit to lose your wheels but…
Well I reckon you did alright. Good sense to keep your distance - not worth getting hurt over some wheels. But since you were confident you could outrun him I reckon a photo would have been possible. Then you could have taken that to the local cop shop to give a statement. Agree that calling them may not have assisted much.
Following would also work, but dude would get angry, and if you ride that route every day then you might be at some risk. (Actually this same logic may go to taking a photo.)
Edit: also, I wouldn’t worry too much about dude tracking down your identity through here. If he’s the wheel stealing lowlife I’m picturing, the chances are pretty damn low.
oh, and good move on not getting in a fight over a set of wheels, ain’t no one wants a broken nose. there’s also no way of knowing if they’re on bail & way more at stake than a minor theft charge…
I’m with ya on the cops thing I reckon. Maybe they’d have the resources if you called, but what if they were out on some other more important stuff, like responding to some fella getting his head smashed in by a junkie bike thief?
