<Complaint by Kei>
My son's bike was stolen from the school compound last monday. He cycles to school everyday and parks his bike inside the school, at the bicycle bay. Most bikes there are not locked.
Last monday, a P2 girl who never cycle to school, took his bike and cycled home. Luckily there was a witness who pointed the girl out to me. The next day (day 2), I asked the culprit's mum and she denied ever having seen my son's blue bike when the witness clearly saw it parked at their corridor.
Day 2 afternoon, witness saw both girl and mother spray painting the blue bike red, at the void deck. She helped me take pictures. I called the cops. Many hours later, the mother confessed, not after saying some cock and bull stories.
What appalled me was the school's attitude. Yes, from now on, he will lock up his bike, even in school. We know that already. But the school keeps reiterating that he should have locked his bike and never once condemn the thief's behavior. Also, the P went so far as to say that it's the school's policy that students should not cycle to school. Can there be such a policy? Why do I feel that cyclists always lose?
The police was worse. They said it's only considered a theft if the girl had to break a lock. Since no lock was broken, it's not a theft and they will likely not be charged. I wasn't aware of this at all. Plus, it's up to the mother to compensate or not. She might not even be liable since she wasn't the one who took the bike.
Anyway, the whole family went down to NPC to exchange our locks for a U Lock FOC. We also registered our bikes. Let this be a cautionary tale to all cyclists. And yeah, I'm kinda disheartened by the whole thing.
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