[gregg]

from an article on the BRAIN website:
http://www.bicycleretailer.com/bicy...article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001738441

DECEMBER 28, 2005 -- HONOLULU, HI (BRAIN)-The Kalihi Valley instructional bike exchange had bicycles and specialty tools stolen from its workshop Christmas night.

"The tools hurt us more than the loss of the bikes," said Gary Gill, Kalihi Valley Instructional Bike Exchange (K-Vibe) program coordinator. Adding that some of the tools can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, he implied that these guys knew about bikes, according to a report in the Honolulu Star Bulletin.

The $200 stolen from the cash box had been donated or given to the bike exchange to pay for participants' city bike registrations. Gill said the nonprofit doesn't have the funds to replace the missing tools and will have to make do. Some types of repairs, he added, just won't be done.

K-Vibe encourages kids and residents of Kalihi to stay healthy on two wheels. Bicycles are donated by the community and program participants learn to fix bikes.

Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call the Kalihi police at (808) 529-3128 or Gill at (808) 227-9218.

 

[MTBKauai]

Dark Aloha

That's fücked up.

 

[Gflash]

from an article on the BRAIN website:
http://www.bicycleretailer.com/bicy...article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001738441

DECEMBER 28, 2005 -- HONOLULU, HI (BRAIN)-The Kalihi Valley instructional bike exchange had bicycles and specialty tools stolen from its workshop Christmas night.

"The tools hurt us more than the loss of the bikes," said Gary Gill, Kalihi Valley Instructional Bike Exchange (K-Vibe) program coordinator. Adding that some of the tools can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, he implied that these guys knew about bikes, according to a report in the Honolulu Star Bulletin.

The $200 stolen from the cash box had been donated or given to the bike exchange to pay for participants' city bike registrations. Gill said the nonprofit doesn't have the funds to replace the missing tools and will have to make do. Some types of repairs, he added, just won't be done.

K-Vibe encourages kids and residents of Kalihi to stay healthy on two wheels. Bicycles are donated by the community and program participants learn to fix bikes.

Anyone with information on the theft is asked to call the Kalihi police at (808) 529-3128 or Gill at (808) 227-9218.

Around 6 months ago, I was riding the Pearl Harbor bike path and rode past Blaisdell Park and noticed someone who set up some type of bike repair/chop shop under one of the picnic pavilions near the bike path. Saw him/them spray painting a BMX bike frame as well as other bikes and bike parts under the pavilion. I did not want to be overly curious and basically rode past it and rode looking over my shoulder a lot the rest of the way. A couple of months ago I rode past the same area and the shop was gone.

Theorize that some crackheads are stealing bikes and setting up these roving chop shops to help finance their habit. They paint over the bike frame to hide licenses, change colors and/or exchange parts, just like car chop shops. They sell the stolen bikes to other crackheads, to the homeless, or others who know who to contact. To do this, these guys need tools and I wouldn't be surprised if someone who does this was involved in the theft. Very, Very f**ked up