Stolen scooters in Boston

MollyMads · Post by **MollyMads** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:14 pm

Nevermind.

ed85379 · Post by **ed85379** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:16 pm

Nevermind also

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 7:52 pm

I've seen a couple of people in Boston without a helmet. Last person I saw was going down Dot ave in Dorchester - no helmet, weaving back and forth...

Sometimes I wonder if I should call the police when I see stuff like that.

claygone · Post by **claygone** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 8:15 pm

ed85379 wrote:
mukaiboston wrote:I'm in Charlestown right now and just on my way over here I've seen two people on scooters who were not following traffic laws. The last guy I saw had no helmet and no registration visible.

Every time I see an occurrence like that I always wonder if its a stolen scooter.
No helmet? Almost certainly stolen.
Then again, I don't think helmets are technically required for 50cc scoots.

I've never seen someone riding without a helmet. But then, most of my riding is at or just after rush-hour, when thieves are not on the road.

I believe in Mass you have to have a DOT approved helmet to ride any scooter.

mukaiboston · Post by **mukaiboston** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:52 pm

ed85379 wrote:
No helmet? Almost certainly stolen.

Hmm, I think that girl in South Boston did the right thing by snapping that shot. The next time I see something that doesn't look right, I'll take a picture.

50CC Cape Cod · Post by **50CC Cape Cod** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 12:41 am

MollyMads wrote:
50CC - It was good meeting you on Saturday, though I wish it had been under happier circumstances. Still no decision on the 2T vs. 4T?

There will be happier times. Local scooter events etc. Saturday as you know was hot, humid and my wife and Westie (looks like the dog on your posts) was ready to leave and the 2T was not set up so could only test the 4T and was overall impressed with the Stella. Also you may want to check out LoJack I think they have anti theft stickers which can be applied to the frame and help deter stealing 2 wheelers.

MollyMads · Post by **MollyMads** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:03 am

Tonight, while standing in the shop at Scooters Go Green to pick up the second of our new 170i's, we got a call that the red Buddy had been recovered and the rider was arrested for motor vehicle theft. The SGG guys are keeping the 170 for another night, and off we went to the Field's Corner police station in Dorchester, and then to the tow lot...

The red Buddy is also in rough shape. The wheels were spray painted like the white Buddy, both mirrors were missing and the ignition and seat latch were both jacked. The rider was pulled over for not wearing a helmet, though there was one strapped to the scooter (unfortunately not the one was stolen with the scooter). I guess if they were smart they wouldn't be criminals...

The red Buddy is now sitting in our living room with his white Buddy friend.

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 3:19 am

Glad you got your scoots back and hopefully it"ll teach those rudies to do something more constructive with their life other than steal for something they want. It's not that hard to save for what you want if you try...

Mutt the Hoople · Post by **Mutt the Hoople** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 4:08 am

Glad you got both Buddies back home again sorry it happened in the first place though. There is just too much of that crap going around. I was riding down Manchester Road here and I often see two scooters and a moped parked on the street in front of a store. One scooter is a blue Honda Metro. I've seen that one being ridden as well. Yesterday I rode by where they usually are and the Metro was trashed. The seat was ripped off, the pet carrier ripped out and engine and wires hanging out. Don't know what exactly happened... It did not look like it had been in an accident. It looked vandalized. It was disturbing. Saw it. Few days prior and it was fine. Then last night I was at a coffee shop up the street and a group of kids trashed someone's bike. They hung it in a tree and then preceded to hang from it. Then they offered to sell it. For a long time no one said or did anything. One woman finally called the police and they threatened her. I went out to my scooter to leave and several of them were hanging around that and I was getting out one kid grabbed my crash bar and asked how fast it went. It was my GTV and I made sure that no cars were coming amd fave that throttle quite a twist and sent the brat flying. I hope it hurt the little prick. There were several cop cars about two blocks up and I told them what is going on. I carry pepper spray but it was in my pocket. These kids are completely out of hand. Kids. I mean thugs.

mlo71 · Post by **mlo71** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:57 am

Thats great news! are you going to repair and keep the red one?

spr0k3t · Post by **spr0k3t** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 12:15 pm

Glad to see them both back where they belong. Overall, how much damage monetary wise was done?

skully93 · Post by **skully93** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 1:36 pm

Mutt the Hoople wrote:Glad you got both Buddies back home again sorry it happened in the first place though. There is just too much of that crap going around. I was riding down Manchester Road here and I often see two scooters and a moped parked on the street in front of a store. One scooter is a blue Honda Metro. I've seen that one being ridden as well. Yesterday I rode by where they usually are and the Metro was trashed. The seat was ripped off, the pet carrier ripped out and engine and wires hanging out. Don't know what exactly happened... It did not look like it had been in an accident. It looked vandalized. It was disturbing. Saw it. Few days prior and it was fine. Then last night I was at a coffee shop up the street and a group of kids trashed someone's bike. They hung it in a tree and then preceded to hang from it. Then they offered to sell it. For a long time no one said or did anything. One woman finally called the police and they threatened her. I went out to my scooter to leave and several of them were hanging around that and I was getting out one kid grabbed my crash bar and asked how fast it went. It was my GTV and I made sure that no cars were coming amd fave that throttle quite a twist and sent the brat flying. I hope it hurt the little prick. There were several cop cars about two blocks up and I told them what is going on. I carry pepper spray but it was in my pocket. These kids are completely out of hand. Kids. I mean thugs.

That's ridiculous! as much as I want to often, I can't advocate hurting someone under normal circumstances. But, that was kind of threatening. I would've done the same thing.

Mutt the Hoople · Post by **Mutt the Hoople** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:01 pm

If I had not done what i did, I would have been on my butt on the street and the jerks would have been joyriding on my scooter. They hang out in the public parking lot behind where I live and hassle people. In the broad daylight. It is really intimidating to suddenly have six or seven kids pop out around you from between cars. I have not taken my Buddy out for a ride for at least two weeks since these kids started hanging in groups. First it was a weekend problem. Now it's every day. A student was riding her scooter, I think it was a Yamaha Vino up the street next to me and a couple of kids grabbed her back rack and one got hold of her handlebars and threw her off. Their joyride did not get very far and the cops nabbed them but again, it was in the daytime. Love my Buddy, but with that crap it is too light and easy to grab.

I don't like hurting anyone either, but I already got robbed once. And these kids do not care. Look at the local Saint Louis news. We have had incidents of kids playing "the knockout king" where they randomly pick some unsuspecting person, male or female, and go out them until they are out gold. The kid who knocks the victim out is the "winner". At least one death has occurred in this manner. A couple got attacked after visiting Shaw's Garden. Sorry, but under the circumstance, I don't care if they get hurt while trying to attack or intimidate someone. My brother worked at TSC ... Wish I had bought a cattle prod.

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:02 pm

If I read Mutt the hoople's post correctly it sounded like she did that more out of fear for her own scoot and/or her life if it was the same kid participating in that anti-social behavior. This is JUST MY un-informed OPPINION as I don't condone violence either but sometimes you have no choice....

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:04 pm

she beat me to the post...

MollyMads · Post by **MollyMads** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:27 pm

Mutt - good work on sending the scumbag flying. I would've done exactly the same thing, and I hope he did get hurt.

As of now, my understanding is that the person riding the red Buddy is a legal adult, not a kid, and will be charged as such. We will be picking up a copy of the arrest report today so I'll know more later. I hope he's enjoying his stay at the Suffolk County House of Correction.

Our plan was to sell the 50's and upgrade to the 170's. Now we're faced with whether we should sell them as-is or try to fix them up and sell them. It's going to cost about $250 each just to get them back on the road (ignitions, mirrors, seat locks), and about $1,000 each to restore them to their pre-stolen condition (which just isn't going to happen). We're already about $600 in, just with paying the tow fees and replacing the chains and helmet.

pdxrita · Post by **pdxrita** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:52 pm

I'm so glad they caught the scumbags that stole your scooters and recovered them for you. The amount of damage they did to them just sucks. I can tell you that, had you been insured, the insurance company almost certainly would have called both of them totaled with that amount of damage. I'd say cut your losses and sell them as-is, or do the minimal fixes like ignition and seat latch and then sell them. If you put $1,000 into fixing them, you'll be lucky to come close to breaking even.

Mutt - glad you were able to get away and possibly inflict a bit of pain on your tormentor. I don't think I could even bring myself to ride under those circumstances. Something has gone seriously awry in your community for that many kids to be that uncivil. How very sad.

heatherkay · Post by **heatherkay** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:54 pm

I read Skully as AGREEING with what you did. Normally Skully doesn't think violence should be employed BUT the kids were kind of threatening and he or she would have done the same thing.

Mutt the Hoople · Post by **Mutt the Hoople** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:57 pm

MollyMads wrote:Mutt - good work on sending the scumbag flying. I would've done exactly the same thing, and I hope he did get hurt.

As of now, my understanding is that the person riding the red Buddy is a legal adult, not a kid, and will be charged as such. We will be picking up a copy of the arrest report today so I'll know more later. I hope he's enjoying his stay at the Suffolk County House of Correction.

Our plan was to sell the 50's and upgrade to the 170's. Now we're faced with whether we should sell them as-is or try to fix them up and sell them. It's going to cost about $250 each just to get them back on the road (ignitions, mirrors, seat locks), and about $1,000 each to restore them to their pre-stolen condition (which just isn't going to happen). We're already about $600 in, just with paying the tow fees and replacing the chains and helmet.

Suffolk County House of Correction. Hope he enjoys his stay... Wonder if he's "married" yet

???

I feel so bad for you. Realistically, if you have to pay to get the scooters going again, and you are already out about $600... Would you even break even if you sold them? It sounds like a dismal situation. And it is just so wrong. I hope the jerk that got caught gets the book thrown at him. I don't have a lot of faith in the system though. Twenty years ago when I worked at a high end retail store, we had two young women buy a lot of items that were not age appropriate and wrote a check. The check was a large amount and I thought their ID was suspicious so I called a manager and tried to subtly tell her that there was something bogus about it, but she was on her way to lunch and was pissed that I interrupted her and she signed off on the check. I called the bank and found that the check was written on a closed account. The two had spent large amounts in other departments as well. We called the police, I was taken into an office and was shown two binders of suspects. I positively ID'd both of them, and so did one other person. We got called into a grand jury where the suspects relatives saw us, and we had to tell what happened. Guess what? They threw out our testimony because we were white, the suspects were African American, and the jury told us that as a white person I could not distinguish one black person from another and that to "us"'all black people look alike. That was in Dayton Ohio and every person on that grand jury was white. Forget that I made two positive IDs. They never asked how I was so sure it was them. (I'm an artist, I've done portraiture, I also have a photographic memory). It was insulting. So good luck, and I really hope the creeps get their just reward. It's even worse that it is your only mode of transportation. You'rw the one who worked and saved the money for your scooters. Ugh. I'm just really sorry for what you went through.

Drum Pro · Post by **Drum Pro** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 3:34 pm

My bad skully. I fully appoligize for any offence...

Mutt the Hoople · Post by **Mutt the Hoople** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 5:07 pm

Skully's alright. Only thing that offends me is thugs and thieves.

50CC Cape Cod · Post by **50CC Cape Cod** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:01 pm

MollyMads wrote:
The red Buddy is now sitting in our living room with his white Buddy friend.

It is a bad, frustration, situation but at least you have them back and this part of the experience is out of the way. Have to chalk it up to a bad learning experience. If you do not sell them perhaps they could be donated to charity and used on your taxes for the year. Just make sure it would be a reputable charity if you do there are some others out there.

PeteH · Post by **PeteH** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:17 pm

Maybe your local MSF can use 'em for folks who want to learn on a scoot. It seems that the few courses that offer scooters never have enough.

easy · Post by **easy** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 7:23 pm

rock salt is good for somethings i'm not sure who needs it the kids or the parents

pdxrita · Post by **pdxrita** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 8:04 pm

PeteH wrote:Maybe your local MSF can use 'em for folks who want to learn on a scoot. It seems that the few courses that offer scooters never have enough.

This is a fabulous idea. Since you're not going to get anything out of them by trying to fix them and sell them, you'd probably get the most from taking a tax writeoff for a donation, while at the same time you could feel good about putting them to a worthy use. I wouldn't think that the MSF would need to fix much of the damage to use them.

MollyMads · Post by **MollyMads** » Thu Jul 19, 2012 1:24 pm

We took them apart last night and worked on cleaning them up. The damage isn't as bad as we initially thought. They were REALLY dirty, so several of what we though were scrapes were actually just dirt/black grease. The white one had about 200 miles put on her in the 6 days she was gone, and the red one had about 300 miles put on him in 10 days.

We talked about it last night and we're not sure we can let them go to new homes. We just love them too much...

Hi, my name is Melissa, and I'm a scooter hoarder.