Bike stolen :( Need some advice

[dekaliber]

Haven't been on here for a while, but I return with sad news: my bike has been stolen. 2011 GSX-R750, barely broken in with 1000 miles.

I'm living in LA in one of the newer condo buildings downtown, renting from a private owner. 24/7 security, access controlled and very well-lit garage under the building, tons of nice cars. My bike was parked in front of my car's parking space. I went to the airport to pick up my fiancee flying in from out of town, and when I got back a couple of hours later it was gone.

Talked to building security to try to figure out what happened. For someone to steal it they would have to follow a resident's car coming into the garage and have targeted my bike specifically in the ~2 hour window I was gone. A little scary to think that I might have been specifically targeted/followed.

The real rub of this is, since I just moved to CA recently, I haven't transferred my insurance over quite yet. Just this past week I was getting updated quotes from a local agent for my insurance company, but wasn't able to officially transfer the policy on Friday before their office closed. Anyone have experience on whether my insurance company (State Farm) is going to put up a fight about this? I'm less than 5 months into my current policy, which I've paid for the year, so I figure the 7 months of credit should transfer over to whatever I would have had to pay for my coverage here.

Any advice on how to handle this? I haven't filed a police report yet since we've been out of town for the weekend, but I'm planning to do so as soon as I get back tonight. I did call a couple of local towing companies (including the one my building uses) to make sure it wasn't towed for some reason. No luck there.

I'm guessing whoever took it is parting it out right now, so I don't expect to see it again. I'm just really hoping insurance will help make the loss a little more palatable.

 

[yfz6r]

Assuming you still had coverage and didn't transfer it you should be alright. There should be some leeway time to transfer insurance. Call insurance co ASAP!
If the thieves are decent at all, you won't see the bike again. Mine was stolen by some retards three houses down and was sitting under a tarp.

Hate to say it but if it is that well guarded, the security may have played a role in this. They see everything in and out, they could easily work with thieves. We live in a sick world

 

[spider2k]

Hate to say it but if it is that well guarded, the security may have played a role in this. They see everything in and out, they could easily work with thieves. We live in a sick world

this. no way someone didn't see it leave.

 

[pfcreed]

Same kind of thing happened to me but I had progressive. Just tell the agent you had just moved there and was getting settled in. I had no issues and they will investigate the bikes theft also, they will pull security tapes, talk to neighbors, at least that's what mine did. goof luck man.

 

[Nastybutler]

Hate to say it but if it is that well guarded, the security may have played a role in this. They see everything in and out, they could easily work with thieves. We live in a sick world

+1

On that Reddit AMA with that former bike thief, he says that he and other thieves pay off condo and apartment security guards for tips on bikes to steal. I'd guess the guard on duty saw you leave, and called his buddies to come steal your bike. Those guards get paid next to nothing, so it makes sense they'd try to make some extra money on the side.

I hope your insurance Co. doesn't screw you.

 

[BKP]

+1

On that Reddit AMA with that former bike thief, he says that he and other thieves pay off condo and apartment security guards for tips on bikes to steal. I'd guess the guard on duty saw you leave, and called his buddies to come steal your bike. Those guards get paid next to nothing, so it makes sense they'd try to make some extra money on the side.

I hope your insurance Co. doesn't screw you.

+1. Very common in the larger urban areas, with revolving door rent-a-cops...
I'd have a discreet talk with building management about whom was on watch during that window.

I had the exact same experience, except with my rental car, in Ft. Lauderdale at a Marriott hotel. Inside ring (in fact you can probably google it and get a hit on the ring that was busted down there for this very motus operandi). I packed up my rental for the flight back -- suitcases, laptop, etc., and then went off in a friend's car for lunch. Wasn't gone an hour. Lock had been slap-hammered, trunk popped, everything gone. You wouldn't have known it, except the door lock was gone.
Talked to Marriottt security immediately, and you'd think all their IQ's had dropped 100 pts.
Come to find out later, there was a ring, and quite a few security guards at various hotels were on the payroll...

You shouldn't have any issues with insurance, regardless... Call them right away.

 

[Fizzer6R]

def. file a complaint w/building mngmt stressing 2 hour window seems very suspicious. why wouldn't a place like this have a cam that records what vehicles enter/leave the property

 

[Blue-Sun]

Can you ask the Building Management people to look at the Security Guard's cell phone and/or cell phone records for that 2 hour window??

Perhaps, I've watched too many episodes of "The First 48", but it always seems the cell phone trips up the perpetrator.

 

[DiabloValleyFZ6R]

file a police report, file the claim. thats all you can do

 

[Wooster]

Can you ask the Building Management people to look at the Security Guard's cell phone and/or cell phone records for that 2 hour window??

Perhaps, I've watched too many episodes of "The First 48", but it always seems the cell phone trips up the perpetrator.

Unless the cops have a warrant, the Building Management or even the Security Officers boss or employer wouldn't be able to look at those records.

 

[Fizzer6R]

if someone could get the info, what would be interesting is, find out what other properties the security company works for, and see if there's a pattern of auto/bike thefts

 

[Scott_Thomas]

+1

On that Reddit AMA with that former bike thief, he says that he and other thieves pay off condo and apartment security guards for tips on bikes to steal. I'd guess the guard on duty saw you leave, and called his buddies to come steal your bike. Those guards get paid next to nothing, so it makes sense they'd try to make some extra money on the side.

I hope your insurance Co. doesn't screw you.

I was thinking the exact same thing. There's no way security didn't see that happen. If they didn't see it then they should be fired irregardless.

 

[Nastybutler]

I was thinking the exact same thing. There's no way security didn't see that happen. If they didn't see it then they should be fired irregardless.

Exactly. They were either in on it, or they're incompetent. Either way, they deserve to be fired.

Dekaliber, you should go to the condo board and see if you can get them to vote on getting either more security cameras installed, or a new contractor for the building's security. If you own your condo, you have some clout as a customer.

 

[Scott_Thomas]

Haven't been on here for a while, but I return with sad news: my bike has been stolen. 2011 GSX-R750, barely broken in with 1000 miles.

I'm living in LA in one of the newer condo buildings downtown, renting from a private owner. 24/7 security, access controlled and very well-lit garage under the building, tons of nice cars. My bike was parked in front of my car's parking space. I went to the airport to pick up my fiancee flying in from out of town, and when I got back a couple of hours later it was gone.

Talked to building security to try to figure out what happened. For someone to steal it they would have to follow a resident's car coming into the garage and have targeted my bike specifically in the ~2 hour window I was gone. A little scary to think that I might have been specifically targeted/followed.

The real rub of this is, since I just moved to CA recently, I haven't transferred my insurance over quite yet. Just this past week I was getting updated quotes from a local agent for my insurance company, but wasn't able to officially transfer the policy on Friday before their office closed. Anyone have experience on whether my insurance company (State Farm) is going to put up a fight about this? I'm less than 5 months into my current policy, which I've paid for the year, so I figure the 7 months of credit should transfer over to whatever I would have had to pay for my coverage here.

Any advice on how to handle this? I haven't filed a police report yet since we've been out of town for the weekend, but I'm planning to do so as soon as I get back tonight. I did call a couple of local towing companies (including the one my building uses) to make sure it wasn't towed for some reason. No luck there.

I'm guessing whoever took it is parting it out right now, so I don't expect to see it again. I'm just really hoping insurance will help make the loss a little more palatable.

Sux bro! I hope your bike is found and intact or at least you get full reimbursement from your insurance company. I'd be pissed and devastated.

 

[MustGoFaster]

I am so sorry to hear that, brudda! I'd be crushed. Don't take it lying down, though! +1 to everyone who said call the cops, security, management, etc. Find those bastages and destroy them! :soapbox:

 

[CDN6R]

A 2 hour window huh?? Seems to me ,,like others have said,,perhaps a inside job. See you local Police asap.

 

[Chevyfazer]

Do they have any security cameras there?

 

[MichaelInVenice]

Almost none of the buildings other than the most expensive ones have what I'd consider to be full-time security. Some have a doorman/conceirge in the lobby watching who walks in and calling up to check if it's OK to admit guests, but he's not doing anything else. If you're lucky, there's a rent-a-cop who walks through every now and then. There's a gate but when is the last time they updated the keypad or remote code? Probably never. Sometimes there are cameras. If you're really, really lucky, the cameras will capture something more than a guy walking in with a helmet on after somebody else drove in.

Sadly, the "security" in these places is mostly a sham designed to make you feel good. The real "security" buildings have a guard controlling the gate and he has to recognize you before he opens the gate to let you in or out.

In a couple of decades here, every lease I've ever signed made clear that while there were gates, maybe a doorman or manager and other "security measures" on the premises, it was not a "security building." That's something you really only get in the $1m+ price range.

Most likely somebody tipped somebody off. Could be as simple as a janitor/handyman, not the "security guy." Or could be something more organized, with scouts checking the buildings around town from time to time. Most of them are easy to get in to. If it's an insider, they know you're a tenant not an owner and that it'll be tougher for you to make a stink.

 

[MichaelInVenice]

As to the insurance, it really does depend. You're supposed to register (and by definition, insure) the bike within 20 days of establishing a "permanent residence" here. Beyond that they have legal grounds to make it an issue, but probably won't in your case. Sounds like you're fairly new, so even if its been a bit more than 20 days, you're probably OK. Be prepared to answer the question though. If it's been a month, explain that you rented the place in advance of your move and only settled in permanently more recently. The fact that you were shopping for insurance already would tend to indicate that you weren't trying to flaunt the rules.

I've known a lot of people who keep their vehicles registered elsewhere for years, then are surprised that their insurance company sees multiple violations/claims in California and suddenly cancels them or refuses to pay a claim.

 

[MNGreg]

Sorry to hear about the loss. Good luck on the restitution front!