The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
METHODS or BICYCLE THIEvES.
some Reasons Why Dealers Have to BE on
Their Guard.

whether bicycling in the long run is cheaper
than riding in street cars. II is certain that
some persons Of unscrupulous tendencies make
money by their cycling adventures. They are
those who make a practice OF stealing bicycles
and selling them for what they can get. -Four
or five years ago. when the price OF the cheapest
wheels almost cIualed that OF the best In the
market to-day. the business OF bicycle stealing
was really in its infancy. Men who had en-
gagged IN various lines OF crookedness soon
discovered that the demand for wheels at
low price furnished exceptional inducements
for them 20 make bicycle stealing regular
occupation, and the tactics they employed In
order to get possession Of machines were
numerous and often extremely clever.
During the last two years wheel stealing has
been carried on to a greater or less extent but
until this summer comparatively few COM
plants have been heard from dealers and indi-
vidual riders since 1896. The thieves have
lately started out again in great earnostness.
and their modes Of operation differ In many
respects from those pursued formerly. Deal
ers tell some curious stories OF the way they
have been robbed by honest looking and ap
parently respectable persons who have come to
their shops ostensiby to buy or to, rent wheels.
Last week" said u dealer on the west side;
to see a now. mans bicycIe. wi tn . 2i;inch
frame, lie said that his own wheel, did not
anoth sV one. He inquired my cash price 7or
one OF tho best machines In the store ana then
%a
il before can tell how much Twill be able to
IT'S Ave or six doors up from here. in a re;
pair shoP sSd my Cst1r Tne peE1iter had
and WINS straig htening the front fork. which
bent little in an accident. II you will Just
step in there for moment. you can see IT,
- The mans Anphrpnt honesty and uncOm-
monty frank expression OF copntenance made
me less suspicious than would be generally:
smooth-talkinG individuals. and made up my
| mind would not be taken in by them ngain.
solved, nevertheess TO see, il there was any
thing in the mans game. So lagrecd 10 step
to nT WE rye pnR here
stead Of walking to the back Of the shop, whore
aH MoT rer ih m, WIS from no. rom n0s
look at q machine which, remarked had 9
very odd appeaTancr rev sec3 1iI later !
! man rush into my store, When got there he
| was Just coming out with a new SD bicycle.
| aud seemed embarrassed when he met me face
~ was Just seeing, how easily this wheel
| runs he exclaimed when | confronted him.
| II | can disnose Of my own bike. III como
| hack ~ day or so and buy this one, 1t is
"',0h. yes said !. IT'S a beautiful machine.
| but Ii you had got it outside Of this door when
Isa,w YOU YOU bet ! would have yoHr picture
| were profusn. but they didn't convince me Of
| his honest intention The fact IS that he wns
| watching for me t. 20 into the Ulhrr shop, and
| the moment did so he improved his opportu-
nifty, .,,-.-- ---,-
much as we do tho women" said another
| dealer. g II. for example. man comes In
! here to rent II hirvclc and we have any doubt
| as to his honesty we fatty refuse to let him
| have it. Eut with women il, Is different. A
woman may come in all riggcd, out for spin
| aud with her face covered with smilcs She
| has been told that our wheels are better than
| those in other places and she wishes to hire
one Cor n couple Of hours When we inquire
| her address she gives one that is mile or so
nway-tuG far. Of course. for us. to send
around there to Sc" II It Is Genuine-adds
! that she is SO and SO and expresses
| great surprise that we should for a
! moment doubt her sincerity. We tell her that
it is against our rules to let n wheel to any body
| we don't know, and TINT We can scarcely make
an exception in her case. Then she tosses her
| head. snaps her eyes and declares that the
| whole thing is absurd and that she is 10 ne de-
priycd Of a whoe afternoons pleasure on ac-
| count of our abominahr system of red tape
| Under such rircum stances il Is mighty hard to
! oeny the request, hut we have to do SO II we
| didn't. IL would loo only short time before our
shop would be in the hands OF a receiver"