EX motorcycle Thief & "chop-shop" operator AMA

[JulesMaximus]

http://www.reddit.com/r/motorcycles/comments/t5shp/ex_thief_chopshop_operator_ama/

Here's a tiny excerpt:

I'm not exactly sure how I ended up with this life. I was basically a normal American kid who was very shy and did well in school. My best friend was basically a dirtbag and he made it seem cool to be a dirtbag. I started off dropping him off at bikes to steal, then scouting out bikes for him to steal, then helping him steal bikes, then stealing them together.

I figured out quickly that the guys we sold the bikes to made more money and assumed far less risk so I saved my money so I could get on that end of things.

I considered myself small time but I was involved in the scene for over 10 years. While my name was brought up in investigations I was never charged with a crime related to this business and I never "informed" on anyone. I quit when I felt the risk exceeded the reward. Maybe it was the guilt, the shame, maybe I was just finally growing up. I lived a lie for a long time and even if no one knew it I was painfully embarrassed inside because of the life I had been leading. I love motorcycles and I was the man responsible for that sickening feeling you have when you wake up to realize your baby has been stolen and I was responsible for it A LOT. Towards the end I would sleep in sweat pants and a hoodie because I knew any day my door was going to be kicked in and I wanted to be comfortable as possible in jail.

I've been out of it all for 4-5 years and I still am trying to figure out how I became that guy.

I don't believe in a higher power, but for everything I got from that life I've lost pretty much all of it. So maybe there is some sort of karma out there. I did use the income earned during that period to put myself through college, but other than that, I've lost all material things. I can't be mad, I certainly deserve this, as I write this I'm days from having to crash on a friend's couch or spare bedroom and I'm in my 30's. I have less than $500 to my name and 1 job offer that's not so promising. The desire to just grab a few bikes or even one is very strong, but I look at it like a drug addict. No one just has one more shot of heroin, ya know? This is my time to harden up, be a man, and play the hand I've been dealt without breaking the rules just like everyone else.

Well worth the read for all the AT bikers and poser garage queen owners who occasionally ride... er I mean polish their bikes.

 

[sze5003]

Good thing I have neighbors who let me know if they see anyone doing weird things around my bike when I'm not home. I would beat this guy silly if caught.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Good thing I have neighbors who let me know if they see anyone doing weird things around my bike when I'm not home. I would beat this guy silly if caught.

It is well worth the read. A lot of motorcycle owners, even some who have had their bikes stolen ask him questions about how the thieves operate, their methods, how they target bikes, how they move them, etc. and he is completely open and honest about it all.

Surprisingly, there are very few people who get angry with him. I found it very interesting to read through his comments and the questions asked.

 

[sze5003]

I'll have a look if I can pull it up on my pc at work. My bike isn't as heavy it would be easy to steal. I keep it covered and park inbetween neighboring cars so it can't be seen in plain view.

 

[amdhunter]

I stole hubcaps when I was a kid. We'd steal them off of new cars then throw them down sewers or in the trash. It was a thrilling experience.

 

[JulesMaximus]

I'll have a look if I can pull it up on my pc at work. My bike isn't as heavy it would be easy to steal. I keep it covered and park inbetween neighboring cars so it can't be seen in plain view.

This stuck out to me as I sometimes don't lock my steering when I ride to work. I will from now on though.

If you're temporarily parked outside somewhere a good little FREE anti-theft trick, bring a stubby flathead with you and remove your clutch lever. No clutch lever and they aren't riding anywhere. Of course if you do this every night outside your apartment they'll just come back with their own clutch lever.

Also - LOCK YOUR FUCKING STEERING - DON'T LEAVE YOUR SPARE KEY IN YOUR TRUNK. I can open your trunk with a butter knife, don't leave me your fucking key in there, jesus. Happens more often than you think. Also, don't leave your TITLE in the trunk, i've seen this too often too. Steering locks aren't that hard to bypass, but they aren't THAT easy either. Sometimes you get the freak one that doesn't want to break and you'll need to come back with a second person. In that time maybe the owner sees the bike and the thief doesn't get it. Had it been unlocked the bike would be gone.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Sounds like a load of BS. I have an ex cop that works with me. He said he's seen plenty of videos where they have 4 guys total 2 on each side just stick a bar through each wheel and carry your bike into a van.

 

[Kaido]

Sounds like a load of BS. I have an ex cop that works with me. He said he's seen plenty of videos where they have 4 guys total 2 on each side just stick a bar through each wheel and carry your bike into a van.

He is surprisingly articulate for a bike thief...

 

[JulesMaximus]

Sounds like a load of BS. I have an ex cop that works with me. He said he's seen plenty of videos where they have 4 guys total 2 on each side just stick a bar through each wheel and carry your bike into a van.

I don't know, reading through his comments he seems really knowledgable about bikes and how and where to find them and then steal them along with defeating pretty much any lock etc.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I don't know, reading through his comments he seems really knowledgable about bikes and how and where to find them and then steal them along with defeating pretty much any lock etc.

Being as he's only been out of the business for 4 years why would he say anything as it still hasn't passed the statute of limitations?

 

[Kaido]

I don't know, reading through his comments he seems really knowledgable about bikes and how and where to find them and then steal them along with defeating pretty much any lock etc.

After reading through part of the thread, my first thought was - this would make a great movie :biggrin:

 

[sze5003]

Even if you lock your bars, all he has to do is snap them. Unless, you have an actual disc lock on your tires and frame. Even so, I've seen yourtube videos of people picking up a bike and jamming it in a minivan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D96QM-lzLM8

 

[halik]

wow interesting

 

[manimal]

interesting and well written but smacks of extreme trolling gay football player fake beard style.

 

[AMCRambler]

Well worth the read for all the AT bikers and poser garage queen owners who occasionally ride... er I mean polish their bikes.

Yourself included?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yourself included?

Ima real biker yo. Literbike enabled. :awe:

 

[roguerower]

Pretty interesting read. Dunno how I made it out of San Antonio without either my 500 or Triple getting stolen.

 

[WackyDan]

Even if you lock your bars, all he has to do is snap them. Unless, you have an actual disc lock on your tires and frame. Even so, I've seen yourtube videos of people picking up a bike and jamming it in a minivan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D96QM-lzLM8

Many bike thefts are made with a tow truck/flatbed. I've seen where trikes have just up and disappeared and they are far heavier and difficult to deal with.

 

[sze5003]

Yeah its surprising but he states those are the ones to get caught first. It's less suspicious when a guy in full gear walks up to a bike , sits on it and when no ones around starts messing with it.

Speaking of trucks has anyone had their bike towed ?

 

[codyray10]

Pretty interesting read. Some good tips for bike security as well. I live in an apartment complex with a covered car port in a decent area. This past summer someone tried to steal my baby. Luckily for me, they were not successful. It was in the middle of the night, I had my steering locked and a disc brake lock on the back wheel. They were able to bust the ignition off my bike, which unlocked the steering but idk if they were spooked off by something/someone or if it was the disc lock that saved me. All I could think was THANK GOD they didn't get it. I was upset as it was, couldnt imagine what it would have been like if they had actually made off with it. That same day I had my dad come out to my place and take it back home with him, where it is currently sitting in his garage. I'm going to have to look in to a storage locker this summer

 

[Zargon]

I suppose I could disc lock it at work

but I park across from the police station. that would take SERIOUS balls