When you’re a reporter with a medium to share important information, crappy things happening to you become someone else’s forewarning.
A while back when my identity got stolen, I shared the process – start to finish – of how to navigate the nightmare that is dealing with various different reports and such.
This time, my bike, along with my boyfriend’s, got jacked. In broad daylight. In front of people watching. While it was locked up. Seriously.
So, apparently this is a problem in downtown St. Pete and neighboring areas. The whole thing sucked. When someone takes something that belongs to you, there’s this rage that kind of makes you want to go on a violent rampage. It was so intense, my boyfriend and I actually chased a couple of dudes on a bike we still think was mine.
That was a dumb move, the police said. Apparently that’s how you get shot. Oops.
So, I don’t want this to happen to anyone else and I want whatever little brat kid – he was on video – to not have a market to steal bikes anymore.
After speaking with Mike Puetz in the St. Pete Police Department’s media relations office, I’ve come up with some must-do tips for bike riders who would like to keep their ride in their possession.
First, lock it up. Always. Lock. It. Up. It doesn’t matter if you’re just running in for a second or you can see your bike from a window. It could still get stolen.
Second, ditch the cable lock. These little bad boys cut like paper with the proper tools. It’s a bit of a deterrent, but someone walking around with bolt cutters on a mission to score some wheels isn’t going to give a rat’s patooty if your bike is locked up with even a fat cable lock. Instead, purchase a U-lock. They are heavier and less convenient, but they can be mounted to your bike to alleviate that.
Puetz also said there are some businesses in the area that will allow customers to bring their bikes inside. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
The city also has a free bike registration program. You can register your bike in much the same way you register your car. The city takes note of the bike’s serial number, make, model and description and puts it in a database with you listed as the owner – not the scumbag bike thief trying to pawn it.
Call the department’s bike compound at 727-893-7143 for details on how to register bikes. The department is open Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Bike owners should also write down the serial number and keep a record for themselves in case their bike is ever stolen. This is the sole identifying component that allows officers to ID bikes they recover and get them back to the owner.
The city has seen an uprising in bike thefts recently. For those who have victims – like this gal – Puetz said its helpful to do a little of your own investigating. Check out local pawn shops to see if you can spot your lost wheels. Some thieves may even try to sell the bikes Craigslist or Ebay, so it’s not a bad idea to check that out too.
The agency does follow up with pawn shops regularly and they sometimes check online bike sales as well, but because resources are limited, they may not be able to check as often or as thoroughly as you.
One bike thief has been arrested and police believe he is largely responsible for the bulk of the recent bike thefts in the downtown area. Kibali Jabal Mangrum was apprehended Wednesday and charged with Grand Theft and Dealing in Stolen Property associated with bike theft.
While police believe Mangrum is behind the recent uptick in thefts, they don’t necessarily think he’s the only one.
For example, my bike thief was caught on camera at the YMCA on First Avenue South and police believed him to be a young teen. Mangrum is 45.
“What we’re telling folks is just to be vigilant,” Puetz said.
