Advices on dealing with bike vandalism

[zr953]

Hi all,

I am wodering how you guys/gals deal with bike vandalism in general?

I lock my commuter (cheap fitness bike) at a CCTV monitored station/shopping centre everyday. Being at a public place, I expect the bike to be vandalised once in every full moon, more frequent during school holidays, but the latest damages have really driven me up the wall; the damages were deliberate and forceful (mirror and light QRs snapped off, tyre deflated and an unidentified derailure damage). Mirror and lights are like my guardians against ignorant cagers whom my area has no shortage of.

I contacted council (owner of CCTV), it wont review the footage until the police is involved, filed a police report and nothing has been done (probably never will).

Other than putting up with it or stop riding or randomly attack any low life teenagers on the street, what would you do next?

[rangersac]

Sounds to me like you've done as much as can be reasonably expected so I'd be looking for a different place to lock up if possible. If where you lock it up is within the shopping centre, have you been in touch with shopping centre management to report/ complain about this?

[zr953]

It is locked up outside station/shopping centre entrance, high traffic area on council owned property, it is unfortunately the only designated bike parking area with CCTV monitoring. Citirail/shopping centre managements are not interested in hearing it, saying it is a council matter.

Being 3rd complaint this year, I am fairly sure police wont do anything, as the ID of individual(s) will be protected should an investigation take place, so why go all the trouble for a petty crime (from police perspective).

[michael_w]

It is locked up outside station/shopping centre entrance, high traffic area on council owned property, it is unfortunately the only designated bike parking area with CCTV monitoring. Citirail/shopping centre managements are not interested in hearing it, saying it is a council matter.

Being 3rd complaint this year, I am fairly sure police wont do anything, as the ID of individual(s) will be protected should an investigation take place, so why go all the trouble for a petty crime (from police perspective).

Because it's their job.

Society has gone to hell in a hand basket (in this regard) because authorities are often hamstrung in nipping these type of things in the bud these days, due to snivel-libertarians et al. And all too often parents don't give a damn.

It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that the authorities can't/won't enforce the "minor" laws and so the cretins continue to get away with things and have no respect for authority, so begin to break bigger laws, and so on.

I'd suggest continuing to be the flea in the ear of the local constabulary until you get some action.

[TTar]

It may not be worth the effort, but you could turn up at the next council meeting and petition them to compensate you for the damage or you could approach the local paper -- just be prepared to put on your makeup to pose for a cheesy picture at the scene of the crime pointing at the damage and to be described as the "furious zr953".

You're already being a "model citizen" from parking in the designated area to following the proper complaint procedure and no one's doing anything about it -- this is where vigilantes are born (don't become one, though ).

It makes you wonder why we tolerate the intrusion into our privacy of all these security cameras if they're not being used to discourage these vandals who are today's petty criminal, but will turn into tomorrow's hardened criminal and next month's most wanted.

[human909]

Possibly consider leaving it in a different location. Stations or shopping malls where kids hang out probably is the worst location for vandalism. I've been leaving my bike on the street for the last decade and have never had vandalism. Generally I leave it on the street in full view.

It is really tragic that cyclists have such things to deal with. There is a real societal issue here.

[Xplora]

A deterrant is only as good as the enforcement it threatens. Rock up to the council meeting and ask why is ratepayer money being spent on CCTV (it is expensive!) when it is not used for the purpose intended?
Get your police report number, contact the council and tell them that you expect they will cooperate otherwise you'll take them to court for violating your privacy without any justification. It can't be there to protect citizens; you're a citizen and they aren't trying to protect you when you have a problem.
Unfortunately, vigilante behaviour ends up on the list. It might be worth moving your bike into different areas, just to keep it fresh. Leaving it in the one place is a recipe for disaster because a crime of opportunity is much easier when they know the target will be there.