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The rampant organized bike theft is particularly obnoxious not only is the theft disproportionately impactful relative to the value since you needed the bike fo

by nullc 4y ago

The rampant organized bike theft is particularly obnoxious not only is the theft disproportionately impactful relative to the value since you needed the bike for transportation-- but it's particularly easy to do something about it because its so organized and large scale: Put out bait bikes with trackers and/or surveillance. (and plus, when you bust a big operation and now have a ton of bikes whos owners can't be located you now have an endless supply of bait)

ColonelTrick 4y ago
I think this is much harder in practice. These “honeypots” are often considered entrapment and cause the case to get thrown out.
- quickthrower2 4y ago
  Really? I though entrapment is more like going under cover saying stuff like "hey wanna help me steal a bike!" "ahhh don't be a chicken!" to someone who wasn't planning to.
- davidw 4y ago
  They did that here, and had a pretty good track record of convictions: https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/bait-bike-program-cuts-bend-bike-thefts-in-half/article_6649dc71-eb20-595e-bbb5-a7809151bf4e.html https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/bait-bike-program-cu... Bike thieves are the freaking worst.
- jcranmer 4y ago
  Um... no? Entrapment is about being induced to commit a crime you wouldn't otherwise have committed, and it's a lot more relevant for things like drugs or terrorist plots where the government information is outright giving you the things that's illegal for you to have. For theft, it's quite hard to think of a situation where someone could put you in a state of mind that stealing this thing isn't against the law. The closest I can come is a signed statement by the police department saying "it's not against the law to steal this," and that's more because some jurisdictions will give you the defense if the government lies to you about the law. (And I suspect it still wouldn't qualify because it isn't exactly reasonable to believe that theft could be legal.)
  - nullc 4y ago
    I think example of entrapment for theft is "I'll pay you $10000 for it if you steal that bike for me". ... you wouldn't have normally considered it but now that I stuck a huge windfall under your nose ... Putting a bike a place and manner an ordinary tourist would, which you just happen to be monitoring is not going to cause someone to steal who otherwise wouldn't.
raverbashing 4y ago
If we want people to use more bikes, then bike theft should be taken as seriously as car theft.

by nullc 4y ago

ColonelTrick 4y ago

I think this is much harder in practice. These “honeypots” are often considered entrapment and cause the case to get thrown out.

quickthrower2 4y ago
Really? I though entrapment is more like going under cover saying stuff like "hey wanna help me steal a bike!" "ahhh don't be a chicken!" to someone who wasn't planning to.
davidw 4y ago
They did that here, and had a pretty good track record of convictions: https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/bait-bike-program-cuts-bend-bike-thefts-in-half/article_6649dc71-eb20-595e-bbb5-a7809151bf4e.html https://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/bait-bike-program-cu... Bike thieves are the freaking worst.
jcranmer 4y ago
Um... no? Entrapment is about being induced to commit a crime you wouldn't otherwise have committed, and it's a lot more relevant for things like drugs or terrorist plots where the government information is outright giving you the things that's illegal for you to have. For theft, it's quite hard to think of a situation where someone could put you in a state of mind that stealing this thing isn't against the law. The closest I can come is a signed statement by the police department saying "it's not against the law to steal this," and that's more because some jurisdictions will give you the defense if the government lies to you about the law. (And I suspect it still wouldn't qualify because it isn't exactly reasonable to believe that theft could be legal.)
- nullc 4y ago
  I think example of entrapment for theft is "I'll pay you $10000 for it if you steal that bike for me". ... you wouldn't have normally considered it but now that I stuck a huge windfall under your nose ... Putting a bike a place and manner an ordinary tourist would, which you just happen to be monitoring is not going to cause someone to steal who otherwise wouldn't.

raverbashing 4y ago

If we want people to use more bikes, then bike theft should be taken as seriously as car theft.