It is a familiar sight outside many local kosher supermarkets, yeshivas, and shuls: a pile of expensive bicycles and scooters left resting against a fence or lying on the sidewalk, completely unsecured. While Crown Heights is a close-knit community, leaving valuable items unattended is a direct invitation for theft.
“It takes less than ten seconds for a thief to walk off with an unsecured bike,” notes Yaacov Prager, coordinator of Crown Heights Shmirah. He frequently deals with calls from frustrated parents whose children have had their rides stolen while they just “ran inside for a minute.”
According to local patrols, most bike thefts are crimes of opportunity. A person walking down the block sees an unlocked scooter and simply rides away on it. “Children should never leave their bikes or their scooters unlocked, anywhere, at any time,” Yaacov Prager advises. Parents are encouraged to buy heavy-duty locks and take the time to teach their children how to properly secure their bikes to a sturdy rack or post.
“When we teach our children to lock up their belongings, we are teaching them responsibility,” adds Yanky Prager. “We buy the locks, we make sure they wear their helmets and reflectors, and we teach them to be vigilant. We do our full part, and we rely on Hashem’s ultimate protection over our families and our community.”
I’ve created two new articles focused specifically on the bike and scooter safety points you mentioned, keeping the same tone and seamlessly integrating the quotes from Yanky, Yaakov, and Yaacov Prager. Let me know if you need any adjustments!
