The only thing people really have to worry about being stolen in Hohhot is bikes, phones, and iPods. Sure, every now and then other things get nicked, but these are the hot ticket items. I have been very lucky so far, I haven't lost a bike in 9 months (though to be honest, three month of that times was winter, and the bike never left my apartment!). One of our teachers has been here for 3 months, and is already on his 3rd bike.
Today I bring you an epic tale that was concluded only hours ago, and for once, it ended well for the bike owner.
Last night, we went out to dinner at a restaurant we go to quite often. When we arrived, there were two mopeds outside, so we added our 3 bicycles to the mix, and went inside to enjoy some scrumptious food. About an hour and a half later, we emerged to only 2 bicycles. Dan, the teacher whose bike was missing, was perfectly sure he had locked his bike, which means someone cut it, and then stole his bike. Rob had seen a suspicious man lurking around outside the restaurant when he came in, but had thought nothing of it at the time.
Cut to today, Rob and I biking around, enjoying the nice weather. I stopped to check out some shirts they were selling on the street. I turned around to tell Rob I wanted to look for a minute, but I saw him turning around on his bike and going the opposite way. Assuming he was distracted by something shiny, I went back to my looking. Less than two minutes later, Rob rode past me on his bike, toting another bike with him. He wasn't stopping so I jumped on my bike, and pedaled away with him, wondering if he decided to dabble in the criminal world for any great reason. but the bike he was leading home? The one that Dan had had stolen the night before! Here is what I missed apparently: He was riding along, and saw the man that he had noticed the night before outside the restaurant. Then he realized that the man was riding Dan's bike! He turned round and confronted the man, and for lack of a better way of saying it, stole the bike back. The man tried to argue but when he realized that 1) it was a Westerners bike he had stolen, and 2) he had been caught on the bike, he gave way and let Rob take it.
The real kicker to the story? The guy that stole the bike put new pedals and a new seat on the bike, and cleaned it up really nice. And, the place that we caught the guy with the bike was literally around the corner from the restaurant where it was nicked the night before. Moral of the story? If you steal a bike you should maybe keep it off the road till you can disguise it, and hope that the buddies of the person you stole it from don't see you around!
Today I bring you an epic tale that was concluded only hours ago, and for once, it ended well for the bike owner.
Last night, we went out to dinner at a restaurant we go to quite often. When we arrived, there were two mopeds outside, so we added our 3 bicycles to the mix, and went inside to enjoy some scrumptious food. About an hour and a half later, we emerged to only 2 bicycles. Dan, the teacher whose bike was missing, was perfectly sure he had locked his bike, which means someone cut it, and then stole his bike. Rob had seen a suspicious man lurking around outside the restaurant when he came in, but had thought nothing of it at the time.
Cut to today, Rob and I biking around, enjoying the nice weather. I stopped to check out some shirts they were selling on the street. I turned around to tell Rob I wanted to look for a minute, but I saw him turning around on his bike and going the opposite way. Assuming he was distracted by something shiny, I went back to my looking. Less than two minutes later, Rob rode past me on his bike, toting another bike with him. He wasn't stopping so I jumped on my bike, and pedaled away with him, wondering if he decided to dabble in the criminal world for any great reason. but the bike he was leading home? The one that Dan had had stolen the night before! Here is what I missed apparently: He was riding along, and saw the man that he had noticed the night before outside the restaurant. Then he realized that the man was riding Dan's bike! He turned round and confronted the man, and for lack of a better way of saying it, stole the bike back. The man tried to argue but when he realized that 1) it was a Westerners bike he had stolen, and 2) he had been caught on the bike, he gave way and let Rob take it.
The real kicker to the story? The guy that stole the bike put new pedals and a new seat on the bike, and cleaned it up really nice. And, the place that we caught the guy with the bike was literally around the corner from the restaurant where it was nicked the night before. Moral of the story? If you steal a bike you should maybe keep it off the road till you can disguise it, and hope that the buddies of the person you stole it from don't see you around!
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