The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-07-20
STOLEN BICYCLES.
Manufacturer Try to Prevent
Theft Precautions to
Be Taken.


There is a movement on foot among
\ manufacturers of bicycles to organize Tor
the purpose of fighting bicycle thieves,
saws the True American If the num-
Der Of thieves at work may be estimated
by the number of wheels stolen, It IS safe
| to say that there are many more of that
class of criminals abroad now than ever
before. So frequent have the bold thefts
of wheels become that the dealers have
| been forced to take steps for the protec-
ton of their patrons. The first step taken
by them was an appeal to the manufac-
| turers. who were ready enough to enter
the project, and the best known among
them are now trying to devise some prac-
| teal plan of operation. The suggestion
has been made by one large manufacture
ing concern that the newspapers set aside
a space for notices of stolen wheels. The
subject of the Offering of a reward for
the CAPTURE of the thieves has also been
mentioned. but the manufacturers will
| take care of that. and also propose to con-
duct the prosecution Of the thieves when
they nave been captured.
The existing customs in practice re-
garding the recovery of stolen wheels are
Ineffective and consist mainly of a will
ingness on the part Of the police to
catch the thieves if they can and a de-
sire for their capture on the part OF
their victims. For some time past the
manufacturers of the more popular
wheels have endeavored to aid their pa
irons in recovering stolen wheels, with
the result that. the owner Of a wheel
when II has been taken, almost always
writes to the manufactures, giving tne
frame number and model number Of ms
wheel, if he has made note OF It, ana
the circumstances attending us alsap-
pearanee. The intentions OF the manutac,
tuners are undoubtedly the best, put whae
have they done2 Absolutely nothing Pc
cause there was nothing lhal they couiu
do. Occasionally bicycle thieves nave peen
captured with bicycle IN lheir possession.
Descriptions OF stolen Wneeis ps ene nuil
dreds have poured INTO me ponce a. once,
with the result that the ownefsnip OF.
some oil the stoien Wheels has oeeli e9tao
ilshed- Ine system praeseeo = I an
ufacturers was good, as ehs ioresoins
TACT proves, put u dla hot ~ ial eiousn,
10" Tue nm itAe
one manuiacturer Wrnes'-
nave haa repoleeu - Us ~ OUT
tan customers iosses : : "nss's 80
have Deem stolen from n iroht = seoie
ana from the haais q apar'ineA' nousss,
in sneh numbers tnat we peheVe, Il our
competitors AVE had she saine eApeii-
ence, the NUMBER OF whesis
tnat naVe peen seoien :
past Two years IS appalins- N1ei-
IN a Few weeks We nave nay iepottsu -
us the taefts OF more IMAM niey u
wheels. X Is no Wonaer .hsil the ~
ho~urishes, because a wheei y the sasiese
tning IN lhe Wofiu 70 carry On ny
detectiQn."
The writer also suggests lnae ene OWL
ers OF bicycles begin une sood "orh ny
either keeping their wheels INDOORS "hea
not using them or else cnalnang them
fast if they rave 70 leave them on me
street. Thai Is a sound suggestion, oue
to ACCOMPLISH 1t would mean % WORK
a national reform, for the owners OF an
sorts of property have always lei thieves
steal and probably always VIII. Il they
persist in disregarding the precautions
that in a measure would protect tnem,
they are not entitled to a great oeai Of
sympathy.
The industry OF plcycae sleaahs' as
the writer OF the above mentioned letter
calls it, however, Is based upon a VIOLA
| ton of law and order and merits correc-
49, rbo ;,,deas ~ the Criminal Courts
tioi' Jeuss7 - ~,
are ready 20 make examples Oh al the o-
| cycle thieves that are caught, but the
task ~ oan+nrino Them Is in the hands Of
eaSA
wheelmen and the ponce.
ANY plan whereby the practice of steal
- r-baa,e 90, IA MT an ena 10 will he
ms "nes - -
welcomed, and there IS httie DOUBT tnat
the wheelmen will gladly cooperate with