Have You Seen This Bike?

A neighbor wrote to us about her bike that was stolen from behind her house around 12:54am on Thursday, June 13, around Westminster and Dorchester Rds.

According to the footage captured by surveillance cameras, a man wearing a two-toned du rag opened the gate to the backyard and took off with her black Raleigh 700 x 16 Hybrid Mountain/Cruiser 10 speed.

She says the police were pleasant and apologized for the few hours’ delay is took them to get to her, saying they had been taking an accident report beforehand. Now that she has obtained video of the theft that she didn’t originally have, though, she can’t seem to get back in touch with them.

I understand that a stolen bike is not priority, but I can’t get through to anyone at the police station regarding my report. I called several times on Friday and today and I can’t get anyone to pick up the phone. I don’t think I’ll get my bike back but I do hope the video can help prevent future thefts.

Just in case you might have seen the bike around, you should know it has a black detachable basket with a bright red “monster-looking” doll on the front, scattered stickers, a red “I heart my bike” bell, and an adjustable review mirror on the left handle bar.

Getting security cameras installed in the wake of several break-ins and the violent robbery of a neighbor late last week has seemed like a good idea, but are they really useful if the authorities don’t get to see the footage? What do you think is the best strategy for helping to keep the neighborhood safe after recent events?