The how likely is theft question

[jeffjot]

As someone who recently got an e-bike and kind of excited about them, I've heard 2 stories now in 2 days from people I know who have had their e-bikes stolen. Luckily not in my area (one was in Canada, the other Spain). I'm in the Midwest, city of about 100K..... I do see people motoring around my town on them a lot.
I'm wondering are these just way more likely to be stolen than regular bikes.... is something like a steel u bolt lock through the mainframe typically enough.
I don't anticipate leaving mine outside overnight anywhere. Mine is a relatively cheap model, around $500 which is still more than twice as much as the average WalMart bike. Which lets face it, is the kind of bike most of the U.S. population has. And I can't count on dumb theives knowing its not a big dollar one....they may just see e-bike and go chainsaw ballistic right.
However I would like to possibly go to WalMart or the hardware store, and lock it out front in the daytime.
Is this just a plain dumb idea?
I could take the battery off and carry it inside, but its large and heavy and I think the bike would look a lot weirder (and more noticeable) without it.
Someone in this forum mentioned literally chaining the bike INSIDE their garage. Is this overkill? It sounds like it. Sorry, Im as green about this as they come

 

[Unit59]

Nothing surprises me anymore and I don't trust very many people as nowadays I see a lot of things stolen. I would always bring it inside if possible and lock it always outside. Almost any lock can be defeated if the thieves are determined enough, so buy a good one and use it. Never leave your bike unattended if possible.

 

[Annieolnie]

Two locks of two different types is always a good idea. It is fairly simple for you to do, but creates a lot of inertia for a would be thief.

 

[HumanPerson]

disc brake rotor lock/alarm with another good lock through the wheeles then another one through the frame and wheels again..

not much to it and it dont look pretty but it is loud and might take a while to cut through..time and people watching ..

people thieves are gonna take chances..some of them...that means we must take precautions..all of them
Have a great time of day wherever yas are from in this wild wild world!

 

[Spike]

I'm a big fan of LOUD motion alarms. I'm also forgetful and often look like a thief.

 

[HumanPerson]

I'm a big fan of LOUD motion alarms. I'm also forgetful and often look like a thief.

I just did that at foodlion LOL

Set the alarm before i went in the store and forgot about it and looked like an ebike thief

 

[Smaug]

It varies by city.

When my Portola was stolen from CO Springs last year, it dawned on me in hindsight how many rough-looking folks (bums) were riding shiny new expensive eBikes.

I haven't been to Springfield in a few years. Are there lots of homeless there? Riding nice eBikes? ...because that's a bad sign, in my experience.

Might be worth talking to a cop on the non-emergency line or when you meet one in a restaurant some time. Or even check their website.

In my town, a cable lock is enough for quick stops in the shops. U-lock would probably be OK for overnight, as long as the bike isn't too nice and there is no quick release hardware. For a nice eBike, I'd want a brake disc lock/motion alarm + grinder-resistant U-lcok/

In nearby Chicago or Milwaukee, I'd make damn sure both wheels were locked and the frame locked to city infrastructure. No QR seat clamps, or make sure I could take the seat inside wherever I was going. I have some folding bikes I want to take to Chicago, but they have QR seat clamps as part of their folding design... I won't do that until I get the right hardware, as it would really sting to find my seat/post gone to some druggy bum for $5 in booze money.

 

[Annieolnie]

This is why I avoid motion sensors, the only person I scare is me and then all that nice, relaxing biking has gone to waste and I ride home a basket case, sigh.

I just did that at foodlion LOL

Set the alarm before i went in the store and forgot about it and looked like an ebike thief

 

[Smaug]

This is why I avoid motion sensors, the only person I scare is me and then all that nice, relaxing biking has gone to waste and I ride home a basket case, sigh.

My disc lock/alarm came with a coily "reminder cable":

1. Install disc lock/alarm
2. Loop reminder cable around hand grip (front brake) or saddle nose (rear brake)
3. Arm alarm
4. When I return, the reminder cable reminds me to de-activate the alarm first.

Job done.

Maybe theft is not enough of a concern there in Rhode Island; lots of nice folks like you there...

 

[Annieolnie]

Aw... well thankyou very much, but once in Rhode Island I had an air conditioner stolen out of my car when it was 96 degrees outside. I had left the car windows open a bit, because my mutt was in the vehicle waiting for me and I went shopping for just a moment. I was confused when my dog came into the hardware store looking for me, but not so confused when I saw my car doors open and the air-conditioner gone. The worst part was the policeman whom I reported it to, just kept giggling. Heat can do strange things to a person.

 

[CoffeeandBikes]

Aw... well thankyou very much, but once in Rhode Island I had an air conditioner stolen out of my car when it was 96 degrees outside. I had left the car windows open a bit, because my mutt was in the vehicle waiting for me and I went shopping for just a moment. I was confused when my dog came into the hardware store looking for me, but not so confused when I saw my car doors open and the air-conditioner gone. The worst part was the policeman whom I reported it to, just kept giggling. Heat can do strange things to a person.

Was that your car's built in air conditioner? Did they pop the hood and take the compressor and everything?

 

[Annieolnie]

No, this is a small town kind of thing. I was moving a older 2 room conditioner to fit in a friend's house. What the thief really needed to do was get at the interior locks so he could open the back hatch. My dog should've complained, but since it was 96 degrees, he just said, thankyou very much and went looking for air-conditioning that was already functioning.

 

[CoffeeandBikes]

No, this is a small town kind of thing. I was moving a older 2 room conditioner to fit in a friend's house. What the thief really needed to do was get at the interior locks so he could open the back hatch. My dog should've complained, but since it was 96 degrees, he just said, thankyou very much and went looking for air-conditioning that was already functioning.

I don't blame him

 

[neutron]

Smart dog. I'm surprised the cop didn't give you a ticket for leaving the dog in a hot car. It only takes a little while for interior temps to get hot enough to kill a dog.

 

[Annieolnie]

Smart dog. I'm surprised the cop didn't give you a ticket for leaving the dog in a hot car. It only takes a little while for interior temps to get hot enough to kill a dog.

Well, that's the point, the windows were open and it was a 2 minute kind of thing to see if they had a part for the air conditioner and the car was cold when I left it.

 

[neutron]

9

Well, that's the point, the windowindows were open and it was a 2 minute kind of thing to see if they had a part for the air conditioner and the car was cold when I left it.

You said 96 degrees and "open a bit". The thief did you a favor if you value your dog.

 

[Smaug]

9

You said 96 degrees and "open a bit". The thief did you a favor if you value your dog.

Can we PLEASE give Annie the benefit of the doubt here and trust her judgment on what was OK for her own dog? She doesn't strike me as the careless type...

 

[neutron]

Sorry if I sounded a little harsh but I have a soft spot for dogs. I've had to break in to a car while the distraught owner was begging me to just break the window to get the dog out. She had locked her keys in the car and was only gone for a few minutes and was absolutely frantic when she got back to the car and saw the dog in distress.

 

[Annieolnie]

Can we PLEASE give Annie the benefit of the doubt here and trust her judgment on what was OK for her own dog? She doesn't strike me as the careless type...

Thankyou, Smaug. Part of that story was that I was only gone for 5 minutes. By the way, that dog lived to be a month shy of 18 yrs. old, was rarely alone and had a ton of fun. Somewhere I have a picture of him sitting on a beach towel, at the seaside, wearing a pair of sunglasses. He really did have a good life.

 

[Andrew D]

if you have a removable battery and a bag with your bike , another option is to take the battery out and store in in the bag ....
so they can cut ur locks and PUT the battery in but without your key to lock it in , it'll be useless
wil someone steal the battery ? maybe but its kinda pointless ...
if you can bring the battery in wherever ur going , even better ..