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Surveillance camera captures thieves stealing bikes from locked storage in Southwest Portland

Karen Bowen lost two bikes totaling thousands of dollars.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Most people learn how to ride a bike at a young age. It then becomes a way of life. That was the case for Karen Bowen.

"Any time I get a down moment, I'll go on a bike ride which I wanted to do this weekend," said Bowen. "I didn't have a bike to ride."

Bowen was out of luck after bike thieves zeroed in on the secure bike lounge inside her apartment building on Southwest Virginia Avenue in the Johns Landing neighborhood. Building management notified residents. Bowen learned the news from her kids.

"They called me crying," she said. "Afraid to be in my apartment now. Saying your bike was stolen."

Surveillance video confirmed it. A little after 3 a.m. on Oct. 16, two people leisurely walked into the bike lounge and less than 10 minutes later they left with two of Bowen's bikes. 

Credit: Karen Bowen
Karen Bowen with her prized possession.

"It cuts me up at night," she said. "I'm sickened about it. I don't know if I'll ever buy an expensive bike again."

Bowen is not the only one down in the dumps. She says just days earlier, some of her neighbors had their bikes stolen too.

"It looks like people have taken their bikes out of the bike lounge now," said Bowen. "I'll never put anything in there again, obviously."

Credit: Karen Bowen
Surveillance camera captures someone stealing a bike on Oct. 11.

None of this is terribly surprising. According to a New York Times report, bike theft in Portland was up 18% between January and August compared to the same time last year.

"It's very upsetting," said Bowen.

Bowen knows getting her bikes back is unlikely, but she also knows not all hope is lost.

"Now that we have footage we can catch some of those thieves and get them off our Portland streets."

Anyone with information about this case should contact the Portland Police Bureau.

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