Both Ross's and Jim's bikes (fiets) were stolen last week. Right from in front of Ross's apartment where they were securely locked.
I guess it was only a matter of time. Our neighbors had already warned us of the rampant crime here in Belgium. Well, at least the crime of bicycle theft which as it turns out, is probably also the most prevalent crime in Belgium.
The U.S. has about 4 times the crime per capita as Belgium which has about the same crime rate as Canada.
We've heard that when your bike is stolen it's best to go right away to the train station because often someone steals your bike strictly for transportation to the station. Then they ditch it. We decided that probably wasn't the motive in this case since it was in the middle of the night and they came packing bolt cutters.
And why not steal these two fine bikes? I still have mine that I paid €50 for, but Jim and Ross ride their bikes a lot more and had much nicer bikes each costing 10x that. Ross had the good idea of looking on Kapaza (Belgium's equivalent to Craig's List) to see if anyone tried to sell them. They haven't yet.
There are tens of thousands of bikes in Belgium. If you have two working legs, you own a bike. It's mandatory for getting around. Every street here - highways, country roads, city streets - all have a bike lane and often on both sides of the road.
While the U.S. is expanding their highway systems and spreading their cities out, Europe seems to be doing just the opposite - making it nearly impossible to drive a car - at least in the city. Narrow cobblestone streets, numerous one ways, barriers to certain streets at certain times, parking spaces at a premium . . . bikes and trains and busses are much easier and cheaper.
Well, unless someone steals your bike.
Ross filed a police report and when he left the police station they told him 'let us know if you see them'.
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