THEFTS OF BICYCLES.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13250, 19 October 1908, Page 7

THEFTS OF BICYCLES.

FREQUENCY OF OFFENCES.

"It is not Bafe to go out of sight of your bicycle," is a remark that is frequently 'passed in Chris-church nowadays. The most barefaced thefts of machines aTe being reported with a frequency that is becoming alarming, and all the evidence points to the necessity of owners of bicycles keeping a sharp eye on their property. In respect of i-ik-vclcs, a custom obtains that is not followed as far as any other property equally valued is concorned. Thcv ore left lying about in the most haphazard nnd unguarded manneir. as though the owners had an almost 'childlike faith in tho honesty of all their follow men. They forget that the theft of a bicycle* is ono of the simplest of commission, and, on account of tbo ease* with which pajrts nvav Ih> altered or removed, mest difficult cf detection. Unless a thief is caught red-handed, or is exceedingly indiscreet in his subsequent dealings with a stolen bicycle, the chances «*re all in favour of his cent ping detection aud conviction. A less morions offence, but one that is none tho less common, i.-*, the tholt of bicycle lamps. A few letters that appeared in "Tho Press" i reeemt'ly indicate that tho sneak thieves work with an impudence that is hardly credible, nnd' that, no matter how public tlio place, they manage to annex their booty with apparent impunity. Two instances of the depredations of tho bicycle thief wero brought to light yesterday. A gentleman who was crossing the Carlton bridge observed a bicycle lying in tho river below, and near it a bundle tied in an ordinary sack. He landed tho collection, and found that tho machine (a lady's) had been despoiled of the handle-bar, saddle, driving wheel, cranks, and pedals. Tlio bicycle seemed to bo a fairly new one, and apart from the removal of these parts, and tho damage causod by its immersion, no harm had been done. Tho contents of the bag, however, showed that a bicycle thief of the worst Ijind had been at work. In this case ft man's bicycle had been taken and simply knocked to pieces, probably with an axe. Tho thief apparently wanted only the wheels, and" he had simply j carved them out, bundled the battered remains into tho sack, and thrown tho bundle into tho rivor. The police took possession of tho recovered property, and steps will bo taken to find tho owners. These aro by no means the only cases that have been reported lately. Thero seems to bo an epidemic of bicyclestealing, as complaints by sufferers aro received almost daily. Not so very long ago an nttempt by a man to steal a lady's bicycle was frustrated in a rather extraordinary manner. Tho lady left her bicycle lyin£ against a fence while sho went inside a friend's houso to pay a call. She had hardly disappeared when a man came along, seized tho bioycle, and rode off. His action was observed by a small boy, who called out to him, and proceeded to give an alarm. Finding that ho was likely to bo pursued, the man bent to his -work with much energy. Fortune, however, favoured the pursuers. Tho cyclist- ran his machine against a stone, went head over heels on to the road, and lay thero tor several minutes in aii unconscious condition. When the others camo up they secured the' bicycle, but allowed tho would-be thief to sneak away. In 'another case _ bicycle, looked and chained, was .removed when, tho owner had! left it for a few minutes.. Tho frame, minus tho most important parts, was found-a mile or .two.■■away from the 6oeno of the theft. A young man had! tlio unique experience just th© other diay of bavins; his bicycle stolen., offered* for sale, and recovered again before be know that it was missing. . In this case the tfhier offered' to sell the bicycle to a eubu>rba,n bicycle dteaitor, who, becoming snispicious of the vendor, oom.muiifiea.ted with the police. A detective w-ont down to tho shop* and tho culprit ox-. plained that ho had! purchased the bicycle some months *aigo from a certain person, who proved) to be mythical. Tlio dtetective to tne firm wliose name was on tho machine, and foundl that they had soM- it to an employee in a local warehouse. This gentleman was l coinmnniica'tcd with, and he at first denied that he had lost his bicycle. He* assasredi the dtetective that it was in tho jiard, but to make as*suranee. doubly sure, he went to see it. Ho was surprised to find' that it was imissing, and pleased to hear that it had been .recovered 1 , and that its abstractor bad been apprehendied!. The latter appea.red at the Magistrate's Couirt, and. I 'was sentenced to six months in His Majesty's prison. It is seldom, however, that such a smairt recovery is miad*e, or is even possible. The present state of thing! calls for somo remedy.