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Metropolis crews take away giant variety of used bicycles from road encampment on SE Alder

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Cycling

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Truck with people loading bicycles and bike parts into it from a pile on the sidewalk.

Crews from Fast Response transfer bikes from the sidewalk on SE Alder close to thirtieth.
(Photographs: Taylor Griggs/BikePortland)

Piles of bikes and bike parts on a sidewalk next to a chainlink fence.

Taylor Griggs contributed to this story.

This morning Portland Bureau of Transportation workers and a crew from Fast Response Bio Clear eliminated property from a road encampment on Southeast Alder close to thirtieth. The placement was flagged by neighbors over considerations in regards to the giant variety of bicycles components lined up on the sidewalk.

We have been first made conscious of this location at the moment when it got here up in a thread posted on the Shift e-mail checklist by individuals who referred to it as a “bike chop store” and mentioned it has been reported to authorities a number of instances previously. “The stock of bikes adjustments each few days,” an individual wrote.

A neighborhood bike store proprietor who’s well-aware of this location chimed in to say crews have been at present on the website and, “That chop store has extra stock than I do. There’s a signal that claims ‘bike store’. I want a allow for industrial signage. I additionally want a enterprise license.”

BikePortland reporter Taylor Griggs arrived on the scene as Fast Response crew members loaded bikes and components into the rear of a big flatbed truck. There have been no police on the scene, however there have been PBOT Parking Enforcement employees watching the method unfold. They informed Griggs campers willingly gave up their area and property and that they’ll be provided area in a shelter.

People standing on the street next to a white City of Portland vehicle.

PBOT workers outdoors their car.

One man referred to himself because the supervisor of the camp. He informed Griggs he desires to run a motorbike restore store for mates and different campers and the bikes weren’t stolen. Lots of people merely give away “very nice bikes” he mentioned. He didn’t deny some individuals do steal bikes. He additionally mentioned he’s glad to speak to anybody whos assume their stolen bike is on the camp. If they’ll show it belongs to them, he’d give it again. “No person desires to speak to me. They arrive by with leers and jeers,” he mentioned.

Gianna Bortoli, who lives a block away from the camp, mentioned she’s seen the variety of bikes skyrocket previously few months and that full bikes will usually be dropped at the location and get shortly dismantled. “I can’t say if the individuals there are stealing them or if individuals are dropping them off, however I’ve seen extraordinarily costly bikes there together with a number of model new wanting bikes.”

Allegations of enormous scale chop retailers at road camps have been round for years. They’ve all the time been very difficult for the town to deal with given there’s usually no strategy to show in the event that they’re harboring stolen bikes. In Could 2020, the (now defunct) Portland Police Bureau Bike Theft Job Drive made two arrests and recovered 15 stolen bikes from an encampment.

Bikes are a quite common and precious mode of transportation for individuals who dwell on the road. They supply of us an affordable strategy to get across the metropolis to succeed in jobs and medical appointments, and to attach with mates — all the identical stuff you employ your bike for! If you happen to see bikes in encampments, please don’t assume the worst. Everyone seems to be harmless till confirmed responsible and these of us deserve the identical respect you’d present anybody else.

The Metropolis of Portland was sued final yr by homeless residents over the dealing with of seized property. Yesterday the town enacted new insurance policies to adjust to the calls for within the lawsuit. See this new metropolis web site to study extra.