Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Sophocles]

I posted a few weeks back about my bike being stolen. Well, I've bought a new one and guess what - it's been stolen! It happened Friday night, not sure what time since I left it there over night. Considering I never leave my bike outside in the winter, it seems like a high frequency of bike theft, over 1.5 years.

Also, my coworker just sent me a text saying hers was stolen last night. My coworker's bike is the 6th that I personally know of (3 of which being mine).

This time, I locked it up with a bunch of other bikes instead of attached to a lightpost on the sidewalk - but it didn't do much. Here's the irony: I live in the ghetto of Bundang - Jeongja-dong on the wrong side of the river. I always locked up my bike just outside my villa. It was never harrassed here. But as soon as it crosses the river into the REALLY nice part of town, it's a target.

What's with that? Anyone else know about this stuff? Anyone have any stats? Does it happen more here than in the West?

[RACETRAITOR]

I've had two scooters stolen off me in Suwon when I used to live there. The first one was most likely locked up and it went missing from my apartment, and the second one was swiped when I was inside a client's apartment for 20 minutes. That time, the building security guards found it abandoned in the area. I guess they decided it wasn't in good enough shape.

Back home there was a rash of bike theft. I've had seats, tires, and a couple times entire bikes go missing.

The secret to prevent theft is to ride a POS.

[Sophocles]

[ilovebdt]

I keep my bike in my apt.
Could you do that?

ilovebdt

[mrsquirrel]

[Wrench]

Funny in southern part of korea seems like bike thefts are a lot less frequent.. Except for that one time my friend got his bike torched.

[thebum]

i use a strong u lock and always put it through the frame. never had a bike stolen in korea.

[KumaraKitty]

My husband had 2 scooters stolen in 3 weeks. The first one was taken froma busy area around HomePlus. He parked it over night because he wouldn't ride after drinking. The 2nd one was stolen barely 3 weeks later in front of Songnae Station. The lock was cut off it, broad daylight on a Sunday.

[Sophocles]

[SeoulFinn]

Thieves can pick locks or break them with brute force. I was wondering if it a hidden "kill-switch" might help? Mr. Thief might leave your scoot/bike alone if the engine wouldn't start no matter what he tried to do. But of course, he might destroy your bike just to vent his anger.

[Roch]

Attach a little sign that states that the potential theif shall lose her or his hands for even trying to take your bike. Write something to the effect that you are from Saudi Arabia.

R

[Tiberious aka Sparkles]

Young Bike Owner: [sobbing] This is twice in two weeks that a bike's been stolen from me.

Colonel Sparkles: Well, did you ever think about maybe getting some better locks?

Cryptic Boogie Nights reference aside, as the Godfather of Bundang I hereby promise, Sophocles, that we'll have your bike back in no time, or my name ain't Neio A. Sefbro.

[oneofthesarahs]

I've had one bike stolen, about three weeks after I bought it. I was kind of pissy about it for a good while. After it was stolen, I kept thinking I'd see someone on it, the same way you keep thinking you see an old lover after you break it off with them. When I eventually went back to the bike shop to get a replacement, the owner felt so sorry for the poor white girl with a stolen bike that he gave me a 10,000 won discount and a free lock. It was a nice gesture: restored my faith in humanity.

[Roch]

[pest2]

If yer bike is expensive, why dont you keep it in your apartment? I do this; my landlord tried to tell me to keep it in an unlocked storage closet once, but I said no way, jose! Its probably worth as much as his 4 year old Hyundai... Im keeping it as safe as all my other possessions in my own space.