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"This prevents opportunistic theft but if this space is shared with others (apartment blocks and offices) it in fact serves to increase the economies of scale f

"This prevents opportunistic theft but if this space is shared with others (apartment blocks and offices) it in fact serves to increase the economies of scale for prepared thieves who break into your storage area late at night with a van. It's not uncommon for office bicycle stores (with many fancy, expensive bikes inside) to be emptied out completely overnight by professional thieves." At the shop I used to work at, we had some guys back a pickup truck through the front window of the store, load the pickup with five or so $8-10K bikes, and then drive off. We got it all on security camera and it took less than a minute. They made off with more value than most small banks keep in cash.

crote 6y ago
That's a bike shop, right? I assume that means the bikes weren't locked to anything, or even locked at all. Where I live, to get to my bike you'd need to: 1. Pass a keyed electric door. 2. Enter locked floor-specific cage (think datacenter cage, but more heavy-duty) 3. Cut lock attaching bike to bike rack. All while being watched by about 5 cameras. The best part? It's student housing! I'd expect any appartment block or office building to have similar or better security. I have literally never heard of that kind of smash-n-grab happening. It's just too much risk for way too little reward.
- joshocar 6y ago
  The bike room at my friend's apartment building has two entrances. One is to the lobby, the other is out the back... No one keeps expensive bikes in there, they are all junkers. Risk/reward is relative though. For a lot of people 5 years in jail isn't worth $30k in bikes. For others it's worth the risk or they don't even realize the risk. I mean, people still rob banks for what, <$20k?
- ornornor 6y ago
  My previous apartment building was secured by electronic badges, several camera, and security sitting 50m away (they didn’t have a direct line or sight though). No one stored their bikes longer that 4–6 months there before getting theirs stolen. Thieves would go behind people when the door was being operated and in the case of the parking garage used a van and just fit the rack off, or for the upstairs bike room cut the locks and loaded the bikes in their van just outside the back. It took very little time, it was all on camera, the police never did anything. I’m actually pretty sure it was the same thief hitting the building every time because the MO was the same. It was actually safer to lock your bike anywhere else than these purpose built bike rooms. Cameras don’t do anything at all, and neither does the police. Thieves know it. But a stolen car? The police will be very interested and keep looking.
- wasdfff 6y ago
  I had a pretty secure spot too and thieves still took everything out of that apartment. The crime takes 3 seconds, and you only look like a criminal for those three seconds. At all other times you look like any other resident.

crote 6y ago

That's a bike shop, right? I assume that means the bikes weren't locked to anything, or even locked at all. Where I live, to get to my bike you'd need to: 1. Pass a keyed electric door. 2. Enter locked floor-specific cage (think datacenter cage, but more heavy-duty) 3. Cut lock attaching bike to bike rack. All while being watched by about 5 cameras. The best part? It's student housing! I'd expect any appartment block or office building to have similar or better security. I have literally never heard of that kind of smash-n-grab happening. It's just too much risk for way too little reward.

joshocar 6y ago
The bike room at my friend's apartment building has two entrances. One is to the lobby, the other is out the back... No one keeps expensive bikes in there, they are all junkers. Risk/reward is relative though. For a lot of people 5 years in jail isn't worth $30k in bikes. For others it's worth the risk or they don't even realize the risk. I mean, people still rob banks for what, <$20k?
ornornor 6y ago
My previous apartment building was secured by electronic badges, several camera, and security sitting 50m away (they didn’t have a direct line or sight though). No one stored their bikes longer that 4–6 months there before getting theirs stolen. Thieves would go behind people when the door was being operated and in the case of the parking garage used a van and just fit the rack off, or for the upstairs bike room cut the locks and loaded the bikes in their van just outside the back. It took very little time, it was all on camera, the police never did anything. I’m actually pretty sure it was the same thief hitting the building every time because the MO was the same. It was actually safer to lock your bike anywhere else than these purpose built bike rooms. Cameras don’t do anything at all, and neither does the police. Thieves know it. But a stolen car? The police will be very interested and keep looking.
wasdfff 6y ago
I had a pretty secure spot too and thieves still took everything out of that apartment. The crime takes 3 seconds, and you only look like a criminal for those three seconds. At all other times you look like any other resident.