Hey, Stop Stealing That Bike!

I read an article in the newspaper yesterday about Igor Kenk, the man just released from jail after doing 13 months for possessing cocaine, marijuana and 10 stolen bikes. He actually got busted with 2865 bikes, several kilos of pot, and a little cocaine. He would give addicts small amounts of drugs to steal bikes, and bring them back to his shop. Check out the article here.

This article made me mad, because it's so sympathetic to this guy who stole so many people's bikes. I really respect people who cycle and/or cycle commute, and there are enough challenges to it without having your wheels stolen. I have never – knock on wood – had my bike stolen, but I came very close one time. My bike was locked in Kensington (in Calgary), where I was meeting some friends on my way home after work. Someone drove by in a truck, jumped out and cut my lock with giant bolt cutters, but then got scarred of by some nice person who ran out of the coffee shop they were in and yelled, "Hey, stop stealing that bike!" I was very glad for that Good Samaritan (who later told me all the details), and also glad I spent so long locking my bike. (The front tire was off, I had the seat, and the lock was weaved through everything a bunch of times). After that I dropped $50 after that on a giant U-lock. Pros: I don't think I've been close to getting it stolen again. Cons: -$50, plus the lock is a beast. Not only do I have to carry it, but on several occasions it squished my lunch. Hazards of cycling to work. Anyway, if nearly having your bike stolen is a bad feeling (it is), I imagine actually having it stolen is pretty bad too. Everyone I have talked to who had had it done has NOT been happy.

The article is all, ahhhh, he had to walk home from jail and he's served his debt to society and poor guy lost his business. I'm paraphrasing, so please read the actual article. I have very little sympathy for this guy. He had to walk? You know who else had to walk? 2865 people who's bikes he stole. He lost his business? He broke the law. The article says he was forced to sell his bike shop (for $650,000), which he reportedly paid $85,000 in 1995. They are also making him pay his legal fees with it. Rough life. I'm sure his business was done anyway. Would you go to a bike shop that steals bike and givens drugs to addicts? Personally I think his "debt to society" of 13 months is pretty weak. I'm sure it's because he got busted for 10 bikes, not 2865.

It made me think of the cost of 2865 bikes, to the folks who had them stolen. Okay, let's subtract the 582 that found their way home when Kenk got busted. That leaves 2813 stolen bikes. Let's say each one was $400. That's not much for a bike. That won't even buy you a hardtail. Yes, there are cruiser bikes that are worth a lot less than $400, but I'm sure there were also decent bikes that were worth much more. $400 would mean collectively, the people he ripped off would be out $1,125,200. Over a million dollars! Say each would only cost the victim $200 and that's still $562, 600. $200 is not much for a bike. Mine is a shitty old hardtail, but it was $1000 when I bought it in 2004, and it was on sale. I know it doesn't really work like this – it not a straight monetary comparison, it costs tax payers to have him in jail, the government must have got money from the bikes they reposed – etc. I still think it's a weak sentence. Unless he made a million dollars for society in 13 months. Maybe making license plates pays well these days. Okay, so I made those numbers up. Still, if the dude never steals another bike, I'm still going to think he's a jerk.

Ps. It is possible to insure your bike, in case it gets stolen, but it's really not easy. If you just bought a bike with your VISA and it gets stolen, your probably okay. When I first bought my bike, I looked into putting in on my insurance, since it was one of the most expensive things that I owned (sigh.). No dice. They wouldn't insure any bike worth less than $2500 and it only would have been covered if it was stolen from my condo. Because that's helpful. Maybe there better deals out there – this was several years ago, and maybe just a bad company?