Armed Thieves Target Mountain Bikers in Oakland
Armed thieves are reported to be stopping mountain bikers in the Oakland Hills and taking their bikes at gunpoint.
Oakland police have so far responded to three armed robberies in the past month with the East Bay Regional Parks Police Department saying it has also responded to a further incident.
Louisa Spier told SFGate that she had been riding her bike in the Oakland Hills last month when she was confronted by the armed thieves who told her to give up her bike while a gun was pointed in her face. Louisa Spier said in the SFGate article: "I felt super scared … and super heartbroken. I love Oakland, I love living in Oakland and I’ve lived here for over 30 years. It made me feel so sad.
“I said good morning, but in that moment I could see that they were completely covered, hats with brims, masks all the way up to their eyes. The one closest to me had an arm behind his back,”
Two days after this incident two riders were inside a car parked near trails in Joaquin Miller Park as two thieves stole a mountain bike from the car and as one rider got out a gun was pointed in his face. April 6 saw two more robberies with a car stopping alongside two riders and demanding their bikes. The same day East Bay Regional Parks Police Department responded to another robbery that is currently believed to be related to the three other incidents being investigated by Oakland Police.
Oakland Police has said: "The department remains vigilant of the numerous incidents occurring in Oakland and urges you to be aware of your surroundings at all times. Don’t be distracted by your electronic devices. Do not resist. Property can be replaced."
Author Info:
Member since Mar 16, 2017
Must Read This Week
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
To state the obvious: any country, state or area is not a solid block. They are dozens of counties and thousands of cities combined. Just keep that in mind
The East Bay Regional Park District now has 2 law enforcement helicopters.
You act like people steal to buy bread or something. NEWSFLASH: they steal to buy dope, new 24" wheels for the sweet car, and so on.
I speak from a deep well of experience on this matter.
^ found the guy who is getting what he voted for.
The poison oak made it.. worthwhile?
Agreed - but Marin's budget for chasing cyclist down is probably insane haha!
When you get to 5 or 6 years old, you know pointing a gun at someone and stealing is wrong.
Shitting in the street is not the same.
"Property can be replaced"
In other news, is anyone surprised by this headline? I feel so sorry for these people but the Bay Area is a dumpster fire. And when you ride in Oakland…
Here is an article with a good overview of the extent to which rich Silicon Valley cities go to kill any new housing: www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/One-city-s-excuse-was-mountain-lions-Here-s-16907704.php
“Mountain lion habitat” lol.
If people don't have to live in the Bay Area or LA to keep their well paying jobs, it looks like they are choosing not to.
This article and all the comments begs the question of why people stay in urban areas if they can choose to leave, it doesn't matter whether it's California or Tennessee, urban places have increasing problems with crime, assault, substance abuse, homelessness, it's just the way it has become.
There was a time when I wanted to be part of the solution, I worked in community development, I did volunteer work in poor communities, etc..., but at a certain point the constant "one step forward two steps back" things wears a person out.
I still work do social work, but I made a choice to live and work in rural communities, been doing that for twenty years and I'm so much happier.
Good luck enjoying a stress free life in the city, just don't expect it to get better, and accept it that way it is, you'll be fine. Get angry about it and you'll stay angry.
I don't care if people want to move. I wish them the best of luck. I do get annoyed at the ones who chose to move, then tell you that your home sucks and give a list of reasons that don't apply. I commute on my road bike, mountain bike, and rock climb year round. I ride my bike to the beach fairly often (though not much this year yet, oddly). I have a (for now) stable union job not far from home, and my family is still here who I help take care of. Listening to people leave and then tell me everything I like is shit gets old, when it isn't shit to me.
Recently traveled to Texas by motorcycle (rode my GSXR to Austin for the MotoGP round). Every large city looked the same no matter what state I was in. I could live in a rural part of California and get the same experience as a rural place anywhere else (I have).
"This article and all the comments begs the question of why people stay in urban areas if they can choose to leave"
Well, I have a factory union job with great benefits that I can ride a bicycle to every day. I have plenty of places I can ride my MTB, camp, go rock climbing, or anything I might want to do. I can walk down the street to the grocery store. I don't even need a vehicle to survive, though I choose to. When I was living in a rural area it was an hour drive to the nearest grocery store. My wife at the time was commuting 1.5 hours each way to get to work, I was driving about an hour minimum. Sure it was nice being in a quiet place away from people, but it was in no way convenient or easy. I don't miss having to spend so much of my time driving.
Is it perfect? Absolutely not. But that is what annoys me; everyone who leaves has to convince everyone that California is a shit hole but X state is perfect instead of just saying "I left, the new place suits me better, hope you have a happy life". No, they have to shit on everything and everyone, and it gets old. I can't imagine myself being happy in New York, but there doesn't seem to be a shortage of people who love it.
I have been all over the country (veteran) and there were a lot of wonderful places that I wouldn't mind visiting, but I don't see myself being happy there.
I am a middle aged unmarried guy with zero obligations (well, I voluntarily help with some family stuff). I am absolutely free to go anywhere, anytime. I chose to stay here. Why does that make me jealous? I can leave, but I like what I have here. You didn't like what you had, so you left. How about instead of being insulting you just say "I didn't like it, so I left, wish you well" instead of saying "stop being jelly loser"?
It's an absolute joke to say that California hasn't prospered.
Now, whether that will continue decades into the future is anyone's guess, but it's quite possible that as its social situation further deteriorates that it will adopt more aggressive policies to reign in its unruly underside, but I imagine it will continue to proposer despite these occasional issues.
More capital interested in GLA for industrial product right now than practically anywhere in the world.
At a high level, you could argue that when asset prices skyrocket it has historically been a sign of the end of a cycle.
But if we are talking current times, no one gives a f*ck who is leaving and where they are going except the investors chasing them.
Look at greater phoenix. Sold a group a site for industrial development, tripled in value while we were in escrow.
Texas has some attractive qualities (not for me lol…but financially I understand it I guess)…seems it’s going to hell over there as our lower echelon flee from CA. Or the wealthy like what happened in Austin….literal shit hole now.
Give it time the infestation will bring the crime here
vacancy is at an all time low, commercial and residential rents all time highs.
More capital interested in CA for industrial product right now than practically anywhere in the world.
Its funny that you think that LA and SFC are so great when all of the in migration are going to cities like Boise, Bozeman, Austin, SLC, etc. Believe it or not, but being close to nature is a perk of not living in LA. Having to drive an hour and a half to the trails isn't that enticing to me.
Also, if we are splitting hairs here, I drive a 2021 Ram 1500 Laramie. Not exactly a shitty truck.
I live 25min from world class DH and my office is even closer…10min.
Also some incredible shuttle trails pros use to train on within a few hours, skiing/moto as well, great surf breaks in south counties…man, you’re right, horrible place.
It’s expensive, no one will argue against that. But your funny little rants against CA sound like the ramblings of a child.
Hard part will be getting what they think is your multi-tool close enough to their forehead.
@Trouterspace: If your gun is in your camelbak it's worthless. Would have to be on your person in an easily drawn location, cocked and loaded, and you aren't gonna pull a gun on someone who already has a gun trained on you at point blank range and win. Maybe they will get distracted and give you an opportunity, maybe not.
"Although definitions of defensive gun use vary, it is generally defined as the use of a firearm to protect and defend one’s self, family, others, and/or property against crime or victimization.
Estimates of defensive gun use vary depending on the questions asked, populations studied, timeframe, and other factors related to the design of studies. The report Priorities for Research to Reduce the Threat of Firearm-Related Violenceexternal icon indicates a range of 60,000 to 2.5 million defensive gun uses each year."
The 60,000 number is likewise almost 30 years old, and also a pretty flawed study.
The truth is we have no idea whatsoever.
So, I will give the first dude credit for not pulling a number out of his ass. He was just citing a number that someone else pulled out of their ass.
Additionally, one would not expect that with crime in many areas up, population up and more trained individuals with firearms (check numbers on defensive carry courses, etc), that there's any reason to believe that defensive gun usage is less effective now than it was in the past.
The data is certainly interesting, and something people should be aware of. However, I certainly have zero desire to live under a technocracy where preservation of my self determination is always based upon an actuarial calculation. China is lovely if that's your game.
derailleurs?
m.pinkbike.com/u/DoubleCrownAddict/blog/derailleur-failure-and-why-its-time-to-evolve-beyond-them.html
Some quick math - Bike costs $4000. You make $20/hr. You have traded 200 hours of your life for that bicycle. As well as roughly 10% of your annual income.
While I get the sentiment that a bike is not worth losing your life over, because that is very true, these aren't "just bikes".
I supplied them with some receipts and some pictures and some web links. Some of the bikes were bought used, lots of the parts upgrades were bought on EP deals or otherwise on sale, or had been bought used. Our actual investment in the bikes that went away was far less than $20k, but we were reimbursed at new MSRP replacement cost. We didn't have to pull anything shady, that was just the way the policy worked. It was just a standard policy, no special riders in place or anything like that.
Is this uncommon? We didn't have to do anything special, don't have any kind of cadillac plan.
I do realize that bikes are hard to come by right now, and that a bike's value to its owner can far surpass the monetary value.
Not riding in the US because of stories like this would be like not going in a bike shop because the e-bikes might burst into flames. Yes, there is a non-zero probability something will happen, but if your risk tolerance is that low you probably shouldn’t be mountain biking and you definitely shouldn’t be traveling to trails on public roads.
Anyway, not telling you what to do or anything just trying to provide perspective. I hope you eventually come enjoy our trails. A lot of them are really awesome.
Seriously, who lives in Oakland and claims to be a mountain biker?
That's like claiming to be a skier and living in the Bay Area
They have top of the line gear and shred the blue runs.
And to all the guys who were riding pivots and transitions during the pandemic
Note: it's not that tech here
So yeah, you city people suck, get real, move to the goods, no need to act like a bro when you are a one.
It's a bit disingenuous to bag an entire region over the actions of what is essentially a handful of individuals.
That said, I hope that these individuals are charged with multiple armed robberies and given 25+ years each.
I'm not a gun nut or anything and always found it a bit strange that some bikers carried handguns but lately I'm starting to feel differently. We have homeless in all the green spaces and I have to think about protecting my wife and kid that ride with me as well. Just in the last week the homeless in my area used a machete to kill another homeless person and attack a dog walker.
1. California Content needed for the upcoming Monthly Engagement Numbers Report for Outside.
Sure, TN is nice, but the riding and lifestyle is far nicer out West.
I suspect he moved there for family reasons, that’s why I was there so long.
But really, the weather sucks, the trails are short and meh, I’d never go back.
sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/video/6227048-berkeley-bikejacking-latest-in-spate-of-robberies-targeting-cyclists
They basically said be a victim while we take your tax dollars.
Actually I remember seeing an Ad or possibly even a review for a bike holster even in Dirtrag Mag 15-20 years ago
I have carried bear spray while riding in the Yukon - I mostly imagined that it would end up making it way worse when I crashed and punctured it soaking myself
Levels of economic inequality and crime rates have a very strong positive correlation. Canada is pretty unequal but the US is pretty much the global winner among developed countries. Even if its a tough political sell, reducing economic and social inequality is the long term solution to high rates of violent crime.
Of course we could double down and privatize policing, making it sort of like Uber or Skip the Dishes with millions of officers just waiting at their parents' house for their app to send them on a call. Cities/municipalities could contract for a basic service, but if you really wanted police protection you could get a direct private premium subscription. If you want police protection while at the trailhead then your riding group could just get together and pay the callout fee. Which would be a lot cheaper with thousands of officers waiting for the call , responding with their own gun in their mom's corolla. A libertarian utopia of sorts.
www.berkeleyside.org/2022/04/19/berkeley-high-mountain-bike-team-carjacking-gofundme
Three streets from my house...
Similar to in the 80’s when car stereos cost tons of cash. Now car stereos are so cheap, nobody steals them anymore.
As teenagers in the late 80's, my friends and I rode all those trails before anyone thought to close any of them. Kind of funny, I was pretty proud of my $400 Rockhopper, but I don't think it was quite at the level to be targeted for theft, or for theives to understand what it even was. Plus, those brakes barely worked!
I'm not surprised by this, though. Theft is bound to happen in an urban environment with high poverty, low policing in the parks, and the high pricetag of modern bikes. I hope nobody gets hurt. If it happens to you, obviously, just give them your bike. Throw in some tire plugs for that matter.
Edit - Just don't ride a Santa Cruz. You think the crooks don't know the difference? Oh, they know, my friends - they know.
Just shoot me in the face.
I have been seeing increased patrols on skyline, increasing in density at the Clyde woolridge trailhead.
My good bell broke so now I feel totally emasculated and at the whim of some random's texts shudder>
That's pretty brazen. Dunno if it's legit or not, but I'm now in the habit of locking my bike up for drives to/from the trailhead even if I'm not stopping anywhere. Those crappy built-in cable locks are next to worthless, and I usually don't even bother with them, but they'd probably at least stop this sort of opportunistic grab.
Emotionally based activism has consequences.
that said, if you live in a high crime area then be smart and live/prepare accordingly.
Oh wow; so that mountain biker was on her phone while riding at JMP? boss lady!
Jokes aside: wtf cops! Just do your friggin work.
You have been keeping your eye on The Land of OZ lately though right?
Avi has a lot to say about its crazy.
I actually was recently almost killed in a mass shooting.
That being said, I am much more likely to be killed by lightning strike, or by falling asleep at the wheel of my car.
If you're worried about shootings get a CCW, and carry everyday.
Turn off your phones. Get a good nights sleep. Grab some breakfast and go for a long ride in the morning. Clear your heads. Repeat.
Niceee... ))
No one is gonna steal his bike though.
Frankly, it's just stupid to not own an AR-15.
Just don’t like how steep the fire roads are, even on a XC bike
Recently arrested for stalking/child molestation, btw.
fly in from south america, rob houses and whatever..sell/ship/etc fly home
The laws are written by people who don't understand guns, gun accessories, or their purpose.
The point of the laws are to make owning a gun as annoying as possiblle while still technically allowing people to own guns.
Got news for you mate, remember port arthur? The gun use in that was handed into police 6 months earlier.
Criminals don't follow the law.
So, what would you suggest that would make a difference, especially considering the number of guns already in the hands of criminals?
Disclosure: I do own firearms for hunting, target practice, and self-defense. I hold a concealed carry permit that required a proficiency demonstration. However, I support stricter controls that would help keep firearms out of the hands of criminals, people convicted of domestic violence offenses (even between arrest and conviction or acquittal), and those suffering mental health episodes.
For example, White Americans are just as non-violent as Whites in Europe.
Guns are not why people get shot. Guns don't shoot themselves.
Wow.
So yes they are.
This is for 2017, but the trend in the data is the same every year.
In order to solve a problem, one must dmit there is a problem, and study the full nature of it, without purely ideological blinders like a belief in inherent equality (I'm not saying that people should be treated unfairly, merely that Mother Nature has never created equality, and never will).
Social and economic factors do contribute to the issue, but not very much.
Even Whites living below the poverty line are less likely to commit violent crime than other groups making over 6 figures.
In order to solve a problem, one must admit there is a problem, and study the full nature of it, without purely ideological blinders like a belief in inherent equality (I'm not saying that people should be treated unfairly, merely that Mother Nature has never created equality, and she never will).
Social and economic factors do contribute to the issue, but not very much.
Let’s compare US and Australia. The two countries are very similar:
Guns per 100 people;
US is almost 90/100
Aus is around 30/100
Gun related killings;
US 79%
Aus 13%
But, murder rate per 100k people:
US 4.96/100k
Aus 0.89/100k
So, Americans are over 5x as likely to be murdered, 6x more likely to be murdered with a gun, and have 3x as many guns in circulation per person.
worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/murder-rate-by-country
www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41488081.amp
Guns are very simple devices that are easily manufactured. You don't even need a 3D printer. You can make one out of nothing more than a pipe and a nail.
They're made out of steel, so they last effectively forever.
Even if one were to wrongly assume that gun control would save lives the fact of the matter is that banning guns is simply impossible.
All that can be achieved is to prevent good people from being able to use firearms to defend themselves from murderers and dangerous wildlife.
The statistics you cite are meaningless without context.
Everywhere you look, the race issue is the same, which I think is why you would like to avoid it:
"In 2021, it was reported that African Australians comprised 19 percent of young people in custody in Victoria, despite making up less than 0.5 percent of the overall population....A 2020 study in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology found that African-Australians were significantly overrepresented as perpetrators of robbery and assault"
It is wrong to punish someone for crimes they do not commit.
Why should Whites in any country be punished by having their guns taken away? Whites don't have a gun violence problem.
As for race and violence, what we have in Australia is a systematic over representation of indigenous and African Australians in custody, due to laws (historical and current) that are specifically designed to do this. Laws such as mandatory sentencing, 3 strikes, etc.
I agree it’s wrong to punish people for crimes they didn’t commit. But when is America going to do something about their gun problem? A society is more than individuals. Essentially what you’re suggesting is an arms race, you need an assault rifle because the criminal has an assault rifle so they get a bigger gun, etc.
“Whites don’t have a gun problem”
This is such a laughable, ignorant, and racist comment it’s unbelievable.
Why don’t you talk to the parents of kids who’ve been shot by white kids at school?
Statistically, the parents of kids who’ve been shot by White kids at school (most school shooters are non-White BTW) are less than a rounding error.
In terms of safety, we would be better off exterminating all pitbulls than banning AR15s
If it was a Whites supremacist system, Asians and Indians would have similar incarceration rates to Africans, but this is not the case.
The fact that mass school shootings are a rounding error really should highlight how big the problem is.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phrenology
Phrenology is not relevant to the discussion.
Guns don't kill people
Let’s for a second assume it’s not the guns. What are you (as a society) going to do about it? It’s not okay to kill each other, yet nothing gets done about it. Why? Seriously why?
If you proposed the same thing in the United States you would be accused of being a racist by nearly every major media outlet.
Gangs and poverty, mostly a result of terrible black culture, some of which is a result of past wrongs is the real culprit.
Imagine when everyone suddenly had bows and arrows and could kill with significant ease over a knife; was there suddenly death in the street as it were?
A rifle in every home, while it may sound like a lot, is far far less than the 9 guns for every 10 people in the US (it’s around 28%, like most other countries). They also have far stricter rules.
www.businessinsider.com/switzerland-gun-laws-rates-of-gun-deaths-2018-2?amp
Blacks commit the majority of these crimes in and around Oakland and idiotic liberals are trying to manipulate incarceration numbers by no prosecuting and releasing criminals while blaming racism as a root cause are dumb as rocks.
Jagbag....
Your utopian (like that too?) version is a tired old turd that's been put on the polisher many times and still no shine.
Get some what? Bernie bumper stickers?
Where were the 'good guys & good girls' to stop some of those?
www.foxnews.com/us/texas-church-shooting-man-take-out-gunman-west-freeway-church
You want to blame the guns because you are too afraid to lay the blame on the groups actually responsible for the violence.
There is a specific type commuting these shootings:
mass-shootings.info