Public safety: How thieves might target your bicycle
Allandale area in North Austin becomes prime target for burglars.
A rash of bicycle thefts, many of them in the Allandale neighborhood in North Austin, has the local cycling community on edge.
The burglars have struck more than 30 times since November, police Detective Evonne McGuire said. In many of the cases, multiple bikes were taken, some of them expensive high-end models.
Hill Abell, the owner of Bicycle Sport Shop, was targeted in January. Seven bicycles with a collective retail value of about $50,000 were stolen from a locked storage area at his home near Zilker Park. Since then, dozens more thefts have been reported.
“No question these people know the homeowner has valuable bicycles,” Abell said. “They left behind bikes they knew on the market didn’t
Bicycles
have any real value.”
Theories abound about how victims are targeted. Some victims think the thieves look for cars equipped with bike racks parked in front of homes. Others think they note who posts information about bike rides on mobile tracking applications like Strava or MapMyRide.
Some think the thieves look for photos on Facebook, check what’s for sale on Craigslist or have a connection at a local bike shop.
“It could be everything. These guys are using every tool to suss out who has bicycles,” Abell said.
Jonathan Pattie, a real estate agent and contractor who lives on Shoal Creek Boulevard near 45th Street, says he thinks the burglars cased his home before breaking into a shed and stealing two bicycles early May 5.
In the weeks leading up to the break-in, the amateur bike racer heard noises that he attributed to raccoons, noticed motion-detector lights had been re-directed, and found several items leaning against his bike room knocked over.
That morning, a noise woke him up about 3:45 a.m.
When he got to the carport, he heard footsteps, then a car door shutting and the roar of a car engine. Two bikes were missing, but others were left behind.
“It’s out of control and I’m seriously afraid they’re coming back,” Pattie said. “That’s how brazen I think these guys are.”
Three high-end road bikes worth about $21,000 were stolen from Steven Mullins’ Allandale home on March 27.
He thinks the thieves saw him driving with a mountain bike on the roof rack of his car.
“I think it’s pure visibility,” he said.
In many instances, the thieves passed up electronics and other valu-
Homeowners should make sure their homes, shed and garages are well-lit and securely locked.
ables in targeted homes or garages, stealing only bicycles.
Kelly Kerby, another amateur racer, says about $20,000 worth of equipment — a road bike, a cyclo-cross bike and an extra set of wheels — were stolen in January from his Allandale home.
The burglars entered through a kitchen window while he was sleeping.
“They took only my good stuff. They left all the kid’s stuff,” he said.
Homeowners should make sure their homes, sheds and garages are well-lit and securely locked, said Josh Metteauer, a district representative officer with the Austin Police Department.
Bikes, even if they are inside garages, should be locked to something that doesn’t move. Alarms should be armed and motion-sensing lights in working order.
Abell suggests using U-locks to lock at least two bicycles together. He also installed an accordion gate and alarm.
“I think anybody who has valuable bicycles, they can’t do too much to secure their storage area,” he said.
To help police identify stolen and recovered bikes, owners can register bikes with Austin police at www.austintexas. gov/department/police/ services.
“One of the best things is to get active with the neighborhood association and don’t be afraid to call 911 if there’s suspicious activity in the area,” McGuire said.