Trek Alpha 1.5

Recovered
Trek Alpha 1.5

What happened

My bike was stolen in broad daylight off of a bike rack in front of my office building. The thief cut through my u-lock with some type of saw or grinder. There are marks on the lock where you can see trenches cut by the blade.

Bike details

Type
Road Bike
Color
Black
Size
58
Condition
New with fenders.

Theft circumstances

Date
Aug 17, 2011
Lock type
Newer U-Lock w/ Flat Key
Locked to
Locked to bike rack.
How locked
Locked through rear wheel and frame to object.
How defeated
Lock was cut, and left at the scene.
Duration
Up to 8 hours.
Area
Sidewalk in front of an open business.

Recovery notes

On Tuesday 8/30/2011 another victim went to a S. side flea market widely known to be a fencing point for stolen bicycles to look for his girlfriend's bike, but thoughtfully prepared to look for other victims' bikes in the process; he saw the Trek Alpha for sale, recognized it from this registry, and called the owner, who came down and called police. Police eventually helped return the bike although at first were insistent that the owner need proof of ownership in hand (he had come straight down from work.) Fortunately he was able to get the police report number from this listing. The vendor at which the bike was found claimed to have paid $250 for the Alpha. There was no consequence to the vendor other than the loss of whatever amount he had paid for it.