jmpsmash

Last week we were at the bottom of Diablo in front of Athenian. 2 guys in a car pulled over asking for direction. They were holding smart phone so I told them to use google maps. They claimed they don't know how. I was searching it on my phone. Then the red flag comes, they asked if I can hand them my phone and take a look. I politely declined and biked away.

Always keep your belongings with you.

returnoftheyeti

Check out BABIke on ******, I guess a couple mountain bikers got jacked at gunpoint.

/r/babike

Kedosto

Bike-jacked at gun point on Skyline coverage:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/br...id=hplocalnews

ztmlgr

For those of use who frequently ride in that area, there is some useful information in that article, but it would sure help to have more. It sounds like all the bikes taken were mountain bikes, but I'm wondering if that was just coincidence, and the thieves weren't necessarily targeting only mountain bikes and it's just that they happened to come upon them at that time. Was it only mountain bikes stolen in the thefts from April on Grizzly? The latest batch of thefts appears to have been on Skyline, from JM south, so I think I am going to avoid riding that section for a while.

Also, it sounds like the thieves were driving SUVs, but what color, what makes, how many of them, etc? It sure would be nice to know if all the thefts were from a white BMW SUV so we can be on the lookout. I was riding up on Skyline/Grizzly yesterday and found myself constantly checking my rear-view mirror for approaching SUVs, especially the ones who slow way down as they approach. Not that the thieves can't change the stolen cars they're driving to avoid detection, but I'm counting on a certain level of stupidity from anyone dumb enough to steal bikes at gunpoint from riders in broad daylight.

cthenn

Wait, is this a new spree of Oakland Hills robberies? There were similar incidents some months ago, even a thread about it here.

Edit, yes, it is new...pays to read the entire article I guess! Jeez, time to find a new place to ride, although I'm sure Redwood, Pinehurst, Grizzly, Bear Creek, Alhambra, Wildcat....etc...aren't any safer.

cthenn

These guys don't care who sees them or where they do it. Reports from last April's robberies indicated that a lot of these were in fact in broad daylight with witnesses. Bike robberies have always been a really low priority crime for police, especially in Oakland, and criminals seem to get more and more brazen every year. These "flash mob" robberies of department stores shows just how "comfortable" some of these people are committing crimes in broad daylight. Road riding is getting to be a really sketchy proposition, it could happen anywhere.