The Charlottesville Police Department (CPD) has seen a significant increase in stolen mopeds in recent months and over the past year. CPD believes that there are several factors that have influenced this increase but in most cases simple crime prevention measures could have been prevented these thefts. The Department’s goal is to create community awareness as we continue to actively investigate these thefts. With the community’s assistance and through the use of these prevention tips we can all make a difference.
* Always lock your moped to a fixed immovable object.
* Don’t leave the key in the ignition or the motor running when you’re not on the moped.
* Don’t loan or let others borrow your moped.
* Don’t lock your moped in the same location all the time. A thief may notice a pattern and target your vehicle.
* Try to store your moped inside a garage or a place out of site.
* Always secure accessories and components.
* Use high security locks and audible deterrents.
* Invest in a U-lock and a high quality chain that is cut resistant.
* Remember to report any suspicious activity and if your moped is stolen report it immediately. Reports can also be done online at www.charlottesville.org/police
* Write down the serial number of you moped and keep it in a safe place separate from your moped.
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Tagged as: Charlottesville, Crime, moped, rise, Trends, vespa
Just to echo the warning. One of my employees had his scooter stolen about 2 weeks ago. It was chained up to an outdoor stairwell/banister. The thieves drove up in a truck, cut the chain, popped it in the bed of the truck and took off. He was only home for about 15 minutes, but that’s all it took.
This kind of thing really burns me up…One, b/c there’s not that much The Heat can really do anyhow; two, these things (and motorcycles) are wickedly expensive; three, the thievery becomes a disincentive for good folks who want to go this route to save gas. Sure, I don’t doubt that many owners could do more to deter theft, but in many cases (such as with Dan’s employee) follks do chain ‘em up and it still happens. Still, you’ve got to try to deter them…anything you can do to slow them down is going to work in your favor.
Anyone know how prevalent motorcycle theft is in this area? I’ve heard of a few being swiped by the method of loading onto trucks. I live downtown and though I lock mine securely I still fear theft.
* Always lock your moped to a fixed immovable object.
Ironically enough I saw what looked to be a fixed immovable object riding a moped on Preston yesterday. I reckon she had enough arsage hanging over the sides to hold a Harley Davidson firmly down. Can you sue for assaulted eyeballs? Seriously it was fecking disgusting.
We have had SIX thefts of mopeds/ scooters in our area in the past several months. In one circumstance, the kids slashed the tires of the car the bike was locked to. In another, they stole all 4 tires from a vehicle. They,also, have tried stealing a motorcycle with a truck. I believe that it is because these kids need no license to operate these “vehicles”. Last night our $6000 200 cc Vespa was vandalized and left totally inoperable. Our windshield was torn off as well as all the wiring cut and destroyed. We even paid to have an internal alarm installed in the bike. I am SICK TO MY STOMACH of these menaces going around and stealing these scooters. Where the hell are the parents of these kids? They don’t notice when their kid shows up with an expensive bike?!?! Also, Virginia needs to make it a law that you must have a license to operate these vehicles. 12-14 year kids have no business being on the road operating machinery!!!!!! What happened to old fashioned bikes and walking?!?!? Also, to those people that think locking the bikes up is a deterrent-you are totally deluded!!!!! These brats want the bikes and they will take them no matter what. Cops need to tighten up, a law needs to be passed that kids need to be of driving age and PARENTS NEED TO BE ACTIVE IN THEIR KIDS ACTIVITIES. I moved here only a year ago from NYC and I have never in my life seen such disregard and respect for other people’s things. This city needs a wake up call-NOW!!!!!!
I’ve had several friends get more than one scooter stolen. it’s hard to avoid - say you live in belmont in a tiny house, you ride your scooter every day, you have a great lock and you don’t have any way of moving the bike around every night. it’s covered, secured to your back porch… and then one night you go out with a friend and leave the scooter home alone. bye bye scooter. and back porch post.
I do agree that there needs to be more activity with stopping the kids and making sure they’re old enough - but the kids aren’t the only ones to blame for lifting the bikes. all around more pressure from cops would be nice.
and I have a whole nother issue with the helmet laws on those tiny scooters…
I had a theft attempt a few months ago. They put a large rock under the lock and started beating on it with another rock at 3 AM. We were out of town, but my neighbors heard it and came outside scaring them off. The lock didn’t break, but also wouldn’t open cause they bent all the metal around the locking mechanism. I had to get Brown’s Lock and Safe to come by, and it took them 20 minutes to cut it off with an angle grinder. It was an OnGuard Rottweiler. I’ve since upgraded to an Onguard Mastiff.
I’m pretty sure I know the kids that did it. I literally watched out my window once as one of them ran off with my helmet. The timing corresponded with a bunch of other theft/vandalism in our area. The police think its all the same kids, but I never heard any updates.
if they get frustrated with your lock, they’ll sometimes just tear off the mirrors or snatch the cover. you know, cause that’s showing you.
@4 What part of C’ville do you live in? Sounds extreme…sorry to hear about all of that.
I think the cops need to make more of an effort around this area. I understand that there is not much they can do, but they refuse to finger print and when our bike was ripped apart, we even had the crow bar they used!!!! So the excuse that there are no prints, to me, seems lame. I know they could find something. And like Xelro said, these bikes are not cheap. If they had stolen my bike it would have been grand theft auto!!!!! They really need to get out there and put some pressure out on the streets. This has effected too much of our community to just shrug their shoulders and say “oh well, that is what you have insurance for”. No, that is why I pay taxes which in turn pays your paycheck!!!! DO SOMETHING!
To Xelor-This is all happening off of 5th street extended.
@10 - What do people consider “extended?”
South of Cherry/Elliot?
South of Harris and the Food Lion?
South of I-64?
My friend’s bike was stolen off of Grove St. Right near 9th.
@11 Stormy…. I agree that the definition of “extended” can be very subjective, and is invariably affected by 10 pints of beer and a male viewpoint.
One night last December, my husband’s scooter was chained to our porch and thieves cut the cable and stole the bike. Calling the police turned out to be a giant waste of time because our homeowner’s insurance wouldn’t cover the theft since a scooter is considered a “recreational vehicle.” If our lawnmower had been stolen, they’d have paid for it, and explaining that it was my husband’s only means of commuting to work didn’t help either. Meanwhile, Belmont, where we live, is swarming with kids on scooters. I have to wonder how these kids all got these scooters.
dang, i’m thinkin’ i need to pull the scooter inside the garage…. sorry for all those folks who don’t have one to protect their belongings…
Being a full time SCOOTER rider, I would like to point out that there is a significant difference between a “Scooter” and a “Moped.” I don’t see very many mopeds in c’ville, mostly scooters.
I find it funny to see most of them beat up and repainted black and half of them with out working running lights. I mean c’mon if the CPD wants to crack down on recovering stolen scooters they should be stopping these people for safety checks and running the VIN #’s while they are at it…
poor poor vespa-riding hipsters…
anyhoo. how do you know it’s kids and not other hipsters doing the stealing?