My scooter was stolen today, but a happy ending By dippy51 (Read 980 times)

[dippy51]

My scooter was stolen today and recovered about a half hour later. I went up to the Big Lots shopping center in Weaverville, NC(ironically to buy some cheap tools to carry on the scooter instead of my Craftsman's in case it was stolen), i learned that lesson when my car window was busted at Sams Club and my toolbox of Craftsman tools ($300) stolen. Sams had surveillance cameras but they didn't work.
When i came out about 15 minutes later, the scooter was gone. I had secured it to a parking lot stanchion in a high traffic area right in front of the Big Lots many windows with a 3/8 cable (Master Lock 86D Looped Cable, 8-Foot x 3/8-Inch) ($8) and a stout Masterlock (Master Lock 8118DPF Vinyl-Covered Mini U-Lock, Steel, 3-11/16 Inch) ($33), both purchased thru Amazon. No one in Big Lots saw anything, they called the police for me. Took awhile for the law to arrive (i later learned they were busy with a report from the bank about my scooter). I had the VIN in my wallet but the policeman already had it from the abandoned scooter. Down below Big Lots at the corner of the shopping center lot was the P&S Bank, the thief (girl) coasted the scooter down to its lot to load it up in a White Ford Pickup with an older man and woman. BUT, right across the road from the bank is a Weaverville City Police squad car sitting. They fled the area, leaving the scooter. The policeman was suspicious because the girl didn't have a helmet (required by law) and took down the tag number. The bank witnessed the thieves fleeing the scene, were suspicious, took down the tag number (it had one digit wrong) and called the police. Then there was the bank video surveillance camera !
The bank is to email the video to the police this evening, then the law intends to arrest them. The police will notify me when the thieves are picked up. I want to know what happens to them.

I'm thankful that policeman was sitting near that bank or my scooter would have been gone. All i lost was about $41 for the cable and lock instead of a $900 scooter with 160 miles on it.
My thanks to the 2 Weaverville officers.

Lessons learned:

Don't leave your backpack under the seat to avoid leaving it at a security counter while wandering around a store - with your cellphone and checkbook (what were you thinking, Divens !)

Bolt cutters will cut a 3/8 cable.

Don't assume a high traffic area is safe for parking. Big Lots doesn't have surveillance video cameras.

Locking the steering, doesn't. I always lock the steering when parking, apparently a quick jerk on the steering will override the lock, or the female thief couldn't have maneuvered it. The locking still works.

I will treat the police with more respect and friendliness from now on. Almost every situation i have been involved in with the law they have been professional, courteous and kind-hearted. They have a tough job. Two small children exiting the bank with some adults yelled greetings to the 2 policemen and wished them a good day, i think that made those 2 men's day. I will wave to ALL police on the road now as a gesture of support and appreciation.

[Alleyoop]

Bummer, at least your scoot wasn't damaged and or wires ripped out.
Alleyoop

[drifter]

Truly a great post, with many lessons

1. even tho the govt has legalized mass international fraud in the form of
worthless stocks to the world, small time crooks still get arrested.

2. a crazy person will attempt anything, so our sane assessments of what is safe means nothing.

3. Young children who do not read the papers, are in for some real surprises later.

4. Criminals still make up awful get away plans.

5. locks are only for tired honest people.

Its a great thing you wish the cops well, my parents were cops, they often carried guilt for the reckless acts of other cops who had been fired.

In the real world there is no easy way out of society's troubles, cops really do need a hand of support and well wishing, and the more they get, the better they perform because their stress and guilt level is reduced by the well wishing of the public, kindness begets kindness, is a real tool to make everyone better.

Cheaper then a 15 shot 9mm Beretta, "Audiovox" makes some dandy screaming meme car alarms, I got mine for $12.00 bucks at a net burn out sale.

it took 2 hours to install, never drains my battery and has 2 level warning beeps,

the mild one is good if you tap the bike or a acorn falls on the bike, the loud one is a nightmare in a closed garage, my redhead will not come near the bike till she knows it is off.

[royldoc]

A good disc brake lock with an alarm would have prevented her from coasting the scooter down hill. Locks are no guarantee though. If they want it bad enough they will take a risk to get it. Isn't it convenient that the security cameras don't work just when you need them. Glad you got it back though.

Roy

[jct842]

When the crooks can take a $20k motorcycle in broad daylight with alarms and gps on it as quick as a kid can grab an apple from a fruit vendor there really is not much a person can do about scooter theft. Its against the law to do what I would like to see done to them when caught. Having good theft insurance won't cover all but would be better than nothing. Except when you figure in what they would pay verses what it costs it gets pretty expensive. Your $41 lock only slowed them down a minute and had the cop car been out chasing speeders the scooter would have been gone permanently.

[rgmarsing]

Well they got me yesterday. Didn't steal my scoot but got my solar battery charger that was screwed to the back of my storage box (see pics in pic forum "my Cadillac Scoot") while my scoot was parked in my front fenced yard where I had it postioned and uncovered to catch the sun the best. So today I got on line and ordered a bike alarm motion sensor so even if they are just messing with it I'll be alerted. I'm still looking for the best deal on a new charger that I can mount more securely.

[mike6736]

I had a SL 125 Honda ripped off in Fairbanks,AK back in 1973... About 2 weeks I was one base and I heard my motor running down the street. Jumped in my truck and followed it and it was not my bike, but is sounded like mine which was only about 6 months new. I went back to my office and a friend of mine came in we were talking and I told him what happened, he was a cop. He later that day called me and asked me to come to the police department and look at a motor cycle and see if it were mine. I went and it was the same bike Ihad seen that day with a younger rider and I said that is not my bike. He said look at the motor is the motor yours. I remembered a timing mark I had put on it and they let me open the side cover to see and yes it was my motor. They foound the rest of my buke in his garage he had taken my motor and exhaust and put on his SL 125 as he had blown his. I got lucky... His father had mine put back together and tuned and I was happy.

Glade you got your ok and hope they catch the bad guys and girls

Magoo

[dippy51]

Update: It's been a week since the scooter was stolen and i haven't heard anything from the cops about the arrests of the culprits even tho i requested to be notified and they said they would. No email nor phone voice mail. I know they are busy with more important matters so i won't hold it against them. If the police did a search when they did the arrests, i was hoping they would discover my lock in the pickup bed or trash and maybe it would be returned.

I have taken several steps to make it harder on thieves.
1. Bought the Abus Trigger Alarm 345 (uses a CR2 battery). Holes in my brake rotor are 8mm so i had to opt for the alarm with a 5mm rod. Even with a dead battery it's still a good disk brake lock. ($63) -- is.gd/wRpySQ -- I should have used one of these many years ago, a very good deterrent.
www.phatperformanceparts.com/ has the same for $59.
2. Bought a larger cable (5/8") about 5 feet long with another stout lock. ($20) is.gd/HxjRLH
3. U-Lock for the wheel ($11) is.gd/8bU9k5
4. Bought an alarm to install under the front cover that uses the 12V system. ($23 off Ebay)

I took the front cover off to discover the Steering Head marred from the thief forcing the steering lock. Steering still locks but it has much more play. I think the slot the rod fits in is now elongated. DON'T depend on a steering lock.

I intend to use all these options when i park my scooter. Yes, i know it's alot of hassle but i would rather do that then have that sick feeling when u discover your scooter gone. Now, i'm a believer in those annoying alarms on vehicles.

[dippy51]

Update: Today a voicemail of May 6 from the police came in on my cheap cell phone (it downloads messages when it feels like it). The message was garbled but i could understand it was a Sargeant just leaving the magistrates' office, 2 perps (he told me the names but all i could make out was one was Belinda) had been charged with larceny of a motor vehicle and something else i couldn't understand. I wanted to acknowledge that the police did take the time to notify me of an outcome. I'm appreciate it. Kudos to the Weaverville, NC police department.

I'm more paranoid about the scooter being stolen but maybe the theft was a blessing in disguise. I have extra security measures now, no guarantee from another theft but it will take longer and might actuate the alarm. And i'm a firm believer in disc brake locks with alarms now. Well worth the $58-70 for one. Locks and cables are deterrents but a noise maker attracts attention immediately. And it doesn't take long to become adept at installing the disc brake lock in one of the rotor holes.

[LUKE]

if it was a morphous,it could not have been stolen because they cant even carry that 400+lbs beast....
and if the thief happened to start it,he will have a hard time riding it because according to jct it is long and has a long wheel base so it is difficult to maneuver.,plus according to kz and magoo, morphous is ugly,nobody would even show interest in robbing it.... well there you go!
Morphous a perfect scooter!

[dragonsparks]

dippy51, What ever you do please don't forget the brake lock & try to drive off. I've seen it happen & it's not pretty.
Glad to hear that the police had caught the culprits.


Dave

[dragonsparks]

May 22, 2013 15:42:25 GMT -6 LUKE said:

if it was a morphous,it could not have been stolen because they cant even carry that 400+lbs beast....
and if the thief happened to start it,he will have a hard time riding it because according to jct it is long and has a long wheel base so it is difficult to maneuver.,plus according to kz and magoo, morphous is ugly,nobody would even show interest in robbing it.... well there you go!
Morphous a perfect scooter!

luke,luke,luke, Have U bin that wild cactus Again?



Dave

[Steve]

You guys are kinduv making me paranoid!

BUT - I have a cable lock to attach it to poles, a brake lock so they can't roll it, and I'm waiting for my alarm to come in. I haven't rode the scooter (150cc BMS Romans) much but intent to ride a lot.

As long as it slows them down enough for them to be seen and/or caught!

Locks only keep honest people honest...

< Steve >