Public Service Announcement
Due to the rash of moped thefts in the last week I figured i would post a few pointers on keeping your moped in your possession. Make sure your moped is registered! If it is not then the police will not treat you seriously if it is stolen. Tow companies will not release it from their impound lots without proper paperwork. They are very inflexible on this and they will keep your moped until it is sold on police auction. Buy a Kryptonite U-Lock! Cables and chains are easy to cut. U-locks are almost impervious to theft. I say almost impervious, but there are ways to get through them. Buy two or three. Put one on the front wheel, and if possible lock it in such away that the rear wheel is locked to the frame. We have had tires removed that were locked, and replaced with tires from other bikes that were locked through the opposite wheel. By switching around locked tires with unlocked tires it was possible to just wheel or ride the mopeds away. The more barriers you put up, the less likely the thieves will be to even try. Use the third lock to anchor your bike to something solid. A fencepost, pipe, bike rack, car, anything that will be difficult or impossible to move. Keep your bike out of public view if you can. Try to keep it in your view. A tarp might be a good idea. Keep it out of view of the street or sidewalk. But keep it in a place where you can easily view it from your home. You can also get alarms, tracking devices and motion lights if you are so inclined. Seriously though, if you just lock up securely, and anchor it, you shouldn't have many problems. If your bike is stolen, first contact the police, and then walk around your neighborhood. If the bike is crippled with locks it might just be stashed somewhere. Carrying mopeds is hard work. the first 4 hours are the most critical. After that the chances of getting the bike back diminishes. If you still haven't gotten it back, try an ad in the newspaper for its return. That might work if someone found it lying stashed somewhere. Keep pestering the police, and call the tow companies they use for evidence. Follow these steps and you should be pretty set.