[B’ Spokes: There is no doubt in my mind that bicycle theft is a deterrent to everyday people biking more and even more poignantly a major obstacle to kids mobility and them getting the exercise they need to stay on the path of a healthy life style. A bicycle is more then just its dollar value, it is freedom of mobility for kids, it’s health and quality of life for the mature. A bicycle thief should be viewed as we did horse thieves in the wild west or a heinous crime like steeling candy from a baby as it is an attack on the quality of life and should not be tolerated.
I will point out once again that studies show that increase traffic enforcement reduces crime and other locations have solutions to reduce bicycle thefts yet in Baltimore its a none issue.]
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By Paul Rebman, Baltimore
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The story originally caught my eye, not due to the fact that Ms. Bush Hager’s name was attached, but instead I was intrigued by noticing a story about stolen bicycles. You see, I truly feel the pain Ms. Bush Hager and her husband must have felt to have their bicycles stolen. I too live in Baltimore City and have had not one, not two, but five, yes five, bicycles stolen from me in just five years of living here. Some from my house, some from Penn Station (I commute to work every day on my bicycle, it is more than recreation for me, it is transport). Thus, the article did tug at the heart strings, knowing the feeling that someone else was going through what I have gone through five times now.
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In journalism, it is the name that draws the attention. I did have five bicycles stolen. My neighbors have been held at gunpoint in their own garages. My friends have had their front door smashed in and houses ransacked, but I still have yet to see a word in print on any of it.
And it extends beyond journalism. I was happy to hear that not only the Baltimore City police were looking into the case but the Secret Service were as well. For my part, it took no less than seven calls to the police to report the theft of my stolen bicycle. Like Ms. Bush Hager’s bicycle, my bicycle too was valued at over $1,000 and served as my transportation to get to work. When the police finally did arrive 10 days after the first call, the actual response I received from the officer was "Seriously? You brought me out here for a stolen bicycle? You want me to do a police report for this? I have more important things to do with my time." Perhaps I should have called the Secret Service.
Or maybe, yes maybe I should have been a Bush or a Ripken or an O’Malley. Maybe I should have lived in Federal Hill instead of Pen Lucy. Maybe my life should have been noteworthy.
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https://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-07-02/news/bs-ed-jenna-bush-theft-letter-20100702_1_bicycles-garage-bikeoldId.20100703121612576