Always assume a thief is watching and secure your bike accordingly. Credit:iStock Smith claims to have stolen “a few thousand” bikes over the past 18 years, with his record standing at 10 in a single night. He usually sells them to a friend who moves them out of the state to lessen the chance that victims will find them, or he “piranha attacks” them for parts, which he either keeps for himself or trades with other thieves. Occasionally he'll get a shopping list—someone asking him to seek out disc brakes from a specific road bike. Though he has “a fetish for Peugeots,” Smith says brands such as Trek or Giant are bountiful and easy to resell. Given the choice, he'll go for fixies or triathlete-favoured Felt bikes, the latter yielding the biggest financial return in terms of resaleable parts. Stealing bicycles is his main gig but he says he'd give it all up if he had a job, which is hard to believe. Most stolen bikes go for about $100, but they can fetch upwards of $500 if they're new models with a carbon frame. Smith is a methodical thief. He'll drive around in his van casing popular sites such as university campuses, or near bars. “Fridays and Saturdays are the best,” he says. “F…ers are so drunk you can do it right in front of them without them noticing.” Occasionally, he'll see a bike he likes and stalk the owner; learning their routine and waiting for the right opportunity to pounce.

His weapon of choice is a bolt cutter, though he carries several other variations in his toolbox (cable, rebar and side cutters). Depending on the job, he also uses a hacksaw, hammer and chisel or hydraulic bottle jack. But nothing beats his trusty aluminum-handled bolt cutter, which he keeps blunt to “crush the lock”. If he can't get the job done in under a minute, he won't risk it. Where to lock your bike When it comes to the best way to protect your bike, Smith is emphatic: “Leave it inside.” If this isn't an option for you, he recommends locking it in a well-lit place with plenty of foot traffic and making small adjustments to your usual routine. “Never lock it on the end of a bike rack. The end of the rack is more visible to thieves, so lock it in the middle. I can still get it if I want, but it's riskier,” he says. “To be honest, it really isn't safe anywhere, but if you have to lock it up outside, look for something metal and large. Avoid signposts and parking meters because I can tie a rope to a bike and hoist it up. Also be aware that some bike racks can be unbolted or they can cut the rack.”

What lock to use In terms of hardware, he recommends avoiding cable locks and going with a hardened chain such as an ABUS (which he uses) with a mini u-lock or aKryptonite Fahgettaboudit U-Lock. Just make sure to lock it using the frame and, preferably, through the wheels. If you want to be really diligent, he recommends buying the lock you're considering along with a pair of bolt cutters and trying to steal your own bike. “But be sure to keep the receipt on you, in case someone thinks you're actually stealing it,” he says. Buy a crappy bike, or disguise a good one Apart from keeping it inside, Smith says the only foolproof way to ensure your ride's safety is to buy “a f…ing ugly bike”. Fit a sticker that identifies your bike as being an inexpensive brand. Failing that, he suggests wrapping electrical tape around the frame so it's easier to identify and therefore harder to sell.

If all else fails, just keep it close Oddly enough, the best protection may be using none at all. “A bike left outside a store with no lock is the easiest way to get caught because the owner will report it in less than 10 minutes,” he says. “Locked bikes are the best to steal because you know the owner might not be back for a long time.” He says if you stop somewhere for longer than 10 minutes, it's best to bring a friend to wait outside. And if none are available? “Then your bike is mine.” Vocativ is a leading US-based website that specialises in deep web reporting. The award-winning site publishes trending worldwide stories and documentary-style videos for broadcast online and on television.