Woman Thwarts Theft, Looking for Bike Owner
Phoenix Res was enjoying herself at a Starbucks on Court Street in Brooklyn Heights when she noticed a man pull out a pair of metal cutters from a black bag and cut the chain holding two bicycles together at a bike rack on Joralemon Street.
Acted Quickly
Res immediately left the coffee shop and confronted the thief who was trying to make off with both bikes. Res called out, “Hey, that’s not your bike!”
The thief then turned to Res and asked her if the bikes belonged to her. When she replied in the negative the thief cursed her and fled with one of the bikes, leaving the other one, which had an additional lock on it, behind.
Res then waited at the corner with the second bike for the owner, but no one ever came for it.
Looking for the Owner
That was two weeks ago, and Res has been hard at work looking for the owner ever since.
“It’s such an awful feeling to come out and see that someone has made off with your bike – especially a new bike,” said Res. “I couldn’t just leave the other one there for someone else to steal.”
When no one showed up for the rescued bike, Res took it to the police station on Hoyt Street, but the police over there were not able to be of service.
Still not daunted, last week she placed 25 posters within a one-block radius around the area where the bikes were left, with the following words on the flier:
“The robber was able to make off with the grey bike but I was able to rescue the black bike with a stronger lock,” Res wrote on the flier. “If this is your bike, it’s in good hands and I would love for you to have it back.”
On the bottom of the flier is her e-mail address for the owner to get in touch and get his or her bike back. Res will only give the bike to the person who can correctly identify the barcode which is scratched onto the underside of the bike. No one has contacted her yet.
A Gift From the Universe?
Although Res has been using the bicycle to get places, she would be more than pleased to return the bike to its rightful owner.
“I figured it could be a gift from the universe but I don’t want a gift like that,” said Res. “I figure I’ll give it a month. By then I’ll either just take it or sell it.”
If you believe this bike might be yours, send Res an e-mail at irescuedyourbike@gmail.com.
