Stolen Bike on Craigslist - Should I go Vigilante? Chaos inside

[PGT]

Originally Posted by aLargeVibratingEgg

That was done to the bike. I'm thinking he took it to a shop to have it ID'd. The listing is pretty accurate.

negatory...it's got a Phil Wood BB

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[scaryfastskier]

Thieves get to work in slippers? I should get a new job.

grant

ps: goodluck. This is going to be on the sketch side no mater how you play it. I hope all ends well wit for you and you have a bit of fun.

[aLargeVibratingEgg]

Originally Posted by PGT

negatory...it's got a Phil Wood BB

My dad's the one who built this bike - I asked him if it was there prior and he said no. I wouldn't be surprised if his memory failed him tho. It is is Phil Wood BB though, so I'm pretty certain you're correct. To be honest, I don't know much about cycling (just getting into it.)

[testify]

Set up meeting to buy the bike

Punch douchnozzle in mouth

Take back your bike

Its a happy ending just like the end of Peewee's Big Adventure.



Or call the cops and have a patrol officer show up with you for the meeting.

[Chewyguru]

I pretty much been through this and agree with the plan. Bring a broken cell phone or an old wallet with newspaper in it and tell him he can hold onto it while you ride the bike.

Fake him out.

[Sideshowbob]

Either way if your dad built it you have to get it back.

[Qcanfixit]

just beware, this guy might not be a *****, he might be prepared to fight you. **** for you all you know he's an ex marine.

I'm not saying not to do what you have to do, what I'm saying is prepare your mind for the worst possible scenario. --

if the police are useless then you have no choice, take back whats yours.

[aLargeVibratingEgg]

Originally Posted by Sideshowbob

Either way if your dad built it you have to get it back.

Exactly. My dad wants to come with me, but I don't know if that's too good an idea. His temper is a lot shorter than mine. Offering some retribution to him would be fair though

[-Kevlar-]

What sucks is, your campus security/PD, probably doesnt have the resources to do anything about it. and your local PD won't want to touch it since its not their jurisdiction.

[PGT]

Originally Posted by -Kevlar-

and your local PD won't want to touch it since its not their jurisdiction.

not sure about the OP, but, where I went to college in VA, Campus PD was like rent-a-cops - they would hold you until the real guys showed up to arrest you. As such, there was no jurisdiction for 'real' crimes...it was local PD.

[Turn in Concepts]

don't call campus police. Go in. explain the situation. Then get the local PD of the meetup on the phone with the campus PD and go from there.

[aLargeVibratingEgg]

Originally Posted by Turn in Concepts

don't call campus police. Go in. explain the situation. Then get the local PD of the meetup on the phone with the campus PD and go from there.

They wouldn't do that until the police report was released from campus police. That can't happen until the Sergeant comes in, which will likely be Friday. D-bag is unwilling to meet Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

[jargon]

Originally Posted by PGT

His name is Ryan. Never trust someone named Ryan (rhymes with lying)

[Blinden]

how do you know this isn't some guy that bought it in Baltimore from who stole it and is now trying to turn it for a profit in DC? Not that this makes it any LESS your bike, and only a moron would buy something so cheap and assume it's not stolen and try to sell it on craigslist for a profit.

Okay, enough playing devil's advocate, there is no conceivable way that showing up and taking it can go badly, do it, video tape it, post, success!

[Jonnyfilmboy]

Real advice: Go with a friend, no matter what. Don't show up alone. Don't bring a girl, bring someone who can fight.

Show up to the meet with $50 cash and nothing more. No cell, no wallet. Same goes for your friend. Drive to the meet, but park a block away out of sight and walk there.

Tell him it's your stolen bike and that you're willing to pay him $50 for his time. Don't accuse him of stealing it, just offer to take your bike back. If that doesn't work, and the guy gets angry, defensive, crazy, walk away. Just walk away.

Like someone else wrote, this guy could be an ex-Marine for all you know and you could get seriously hurt and end up ****ting in a bag for the rest of your life over a stupid bike.

But all of the revenge fantasies won't work. Here's why. Beating up the guy isn't enough. He'll heal eventually and he knows where you park your bike. So he's going to then stalk you and kill or cripple you a week or a month or a year later. If you want revenge for your stolen bike, you'll have to injure him to the point where he can't retaliate. Even if you put him in a wheel chair, he might hire someone to retaliate against you. So that means killing him and that's kind of an over-reaction to your bike being stolen.

I feel for ya. I had my bike stolen too. It sucks. But if you want to solve the situation, go there, offer the thief an out, offer him some cash so it's not a total loss for him, and hopefully you will get your bike back.

[dontcallitarex]

Originally Posted by semaj

I have a plan, but it involves a large vibrating egg.

lolwtf

[dontcallitarex]

Originally Posted by Jonnyfilmboy

Real advice: Go with a friend, no matter what. Don't show up alone. Don't bring a girl, bring someone who can fight.

Show up to the meet with $50 cash and nothing more. No cell, no wallet. Same goes for your friend. Drive to the meet, but park a block away out of sight and walk there.

Tell him it's your stolen bike and that you're willing to pay him $50 for his time. Don't accuse him of stealing it, just offer to take your bike back. If that doesn't work, and the guy gets angry, defensive, crazy, walk away. Just walk away.

Like someone else wrote, this guy could be an ex-Marine for all you know and you could get seriously hurt and end up ****ting in a bag for the rest of your life over a stupid bike.

But all of the revenge fantasies won't work. Here's why. Beating up the guy isn't enough. He'll heal eventually and he knows where you park your bike. So he's going to then stalk you and kill or cripple you a week or a month or a year later. If you want revenge for your stolen bike, you'll have to injure him to the point where he can't retaliate. Even if you put him in a wheel chair, he might hire someone to retaliate against you. So that means killing him and that's kind of an over-reaction to your bike being stolen.

I feel for ya. I had my bike stolen too. It sucks. But if you want to solve the situation, go there, offer the thief an out, offer him some cash so it's not a total loss for him, and hopefully you will get your bike back.

And this guy knows whats going on. Didn't think of not accusing him.

[Josh909]

I had a dirtbike stolen from me in Colorado. The bike was unique with a ton of aftermarket stuff and even some one off pieces. About a week after it was stolen, I saw it in the back of a truck. I followed it in my truck and called the cops. Long story short, I didn't have the paperwork on me and the vin, which was obvouisly altered with tool marks from the removal of the real number and replaced with a new number, which checked clean. The cop let the guy drive away with my bike, telling me to call the station on Monday to get it sorted out. I never saw the bike again.

[St3fan]

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/m...236052005.html

Yikes.

Might have changed hands by now chief. That sucks - and seems to be what's happened.

[DougieFresh]

That's a nice bike how much would one of those normally go for?

[godfather2112]

Why the hell did you waste time posting this. I would have called the guy saying you have cash in hand and willing to pay his asking price if the bike is in sound shape. Then ride off with the bike.

Simple answer.

[St3fan]

Originally Posted by Jonnyfilmboy

Real advice: Go with a friend, no matter what. Don't show up alone. Don't bring a girl, bring someone who can fight.

Show up to the meet with $50 cash and nothing more. No cell, no wallet. Same goes for your friend. Drive to the meet, but park a block away out of sight and walk there.

Tell him it's your stolen bike and that you're willing to pay him $50 for his time. Don't accuse him of stealing it, just offer to take your bike back. If that doesn't work, and the guy gets angry, defensive, crazy, walk away. Just walk away.

Like someone else wrote, this guy could be an ex-Marine for all you know and you could get seriously hurt and end up ****ting in a bag for the rest of your life over a stupid bike.

But all of the revenge fantasies won't work. Here's why. Beating up the guy isn't enough. He'll heal eventually and he knows where you park your bike. So he's going to then stalk you and kill or cripple you a week or a month or a year later. If you want revenge for your stolen bike, you'll have to injure him to the point where he can't retaliate. Even if you put him in a wheel chair, he might hire someone to retaliate against you. So that means killing him and that's kind of an over-reaction to your bike being stolen.

I feel for ya. I had my bike stolen too. It sucks. But if you want to solve the situation, go there, offer the thief an out, offer him some cash so it's not a total loss for him, and hopefully you will get your bike back.

Wow.

Living in Charles Bronson Actionmovieland must be hard work for you...

Actual advice:

Show up with a few buddies, take your bike back, drive away, never worry about it again.

[Qcanfixit]

Originally Posted by DougieFresh

That's a nice bike how much would one of those normally go for?

Say... that's a nice bike

[el arcade]

bike thieves are almost always cowards. why would an ex-marine be stealing a ****ing bike? and why would an ex-marine be wearing those white ****ing clogs? quit being a pansy and get your goddamn bike back....

[parkerpaxton5]

posting here so i'll open this later