Community Spoke Has Almost Everything Stolen

BostoInno  reports:

A Jamaica Plain-based volunteer bike co-op that helps Boston-area cyclists fix their rides for free has been shut down “indefinitely” after someone allegedly stole an abundance of equipment from the shop.

The Community Spoke, which provides bicycle repair services, instruction, bike parts, and reconditioned bikes for free to the Greater Boston area, announced on November 14 that “due to a break-in and burglary at our shop, the Spoke will be closed.”

“Tools, parts, and bikes were stolen,” according to the company’s website.  “It’s very sad to have to close under these circumstances.”

Someone took a photo of where the tools used to fix bikes were once hanging in the community work space and wrote, “[we are] now closed, effective immediately…due to selfish, greedy cowards.”

The Community Spoke’s Facebook page says:

Hey everyone,

Thanks so much for a great season! This has been our best season yet and we’re all happy and proud to have been able to do what we’ve done. However, due to a break-in and burglary at our shop, the Spoke will be closed indefinitely.

Tools, parts, and bikes were stolen. Please keep an eye out for a brown/copper colored ANT cycle truck (picture below) with a 20″ front wheel and a very
large front basket and an older steel metallic turquoise Miyata mountain bike with an Xtracycle conversion kit. These are very recognizable bikes, and we use them to transport our tools and mobile workshop supplies to do free bike repair away from the shop. If you have heard anything about our tools or bikes, please email us at [email protected] or call Alex at (910) 547-4843 or Dora at (516) 658-4224.

It’s very sad to have to close under these circumstances, but we will make every effort to reopen next season. Thanks again, y’all have been great.

The Community Spoke would like to make it clear that we are not involving the police in this matter, and we would like for you to do the same for the sake of the community, and for the house attached to the shop. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us. Do not contact the police. If you are questioned, please do not give them any information.

which sounds a little strange to me…but either way this is horrible. If you see those bikes contact them at the number/email above.

The Community Spoke has clarified their decision not to involve the police here:

Since our break-in was noticed on Tuesday, we’ve received more publicity and attention than we have in our entire two years of operation. This is both heartwarming and troubling. While we appreciate everyone’s generosity in reaching out, and we’re glad to have your support, we’re disappointed that it’s a negative event that has brought The Community Spoke! to the attention of the greater public.

I have personally turned down two television interviews in as many days and we’ve been mentioned in numerous blogs and online media sources. It’s becoming hard to distinguish between genuine concern and sensationalism in the responses to the break-in at our space. One question that has been asked by those concerned as well as those wishing to capitalize on our loss is “why have you chosen not to involve the police?”

The simple answer is that involving the police is at odds with our established points of unity. We have written and agreed that “we seek to challenge the root causes of social and environmental injustice by creating community-based alternatives and fostering a spirit of mutual aid” and that “our community workshop and mobile repair stations are safe spaces free from oppression, violence and weapons.” The police are an organization that doles out oppression and violence and we as a community can do better.

follow this link to read the rest.

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Help A Cyclist Find His Lost Time

Got this horrible email from a reader, seems he woke up in the hospital and doesn’t remember what happened. If you saw anything do contact him at [email protected]

———-

Hey, Boston Biker. Hope all is well. Last night after work on state st, about 5:15 I crashed my bike on Cambridge st down near blossom. Good
proximity to the ER. Anyway, I blacked out and woke up at said er.Don’t remember a thing. Dislocated shoulder, broken ribs. Just wondering if anyone was riding on Cambridge st at about 5:15 and happen to see it. I heard I clipped someones mirror and got flung into traffic. I don’t know, but be careful out there

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I Have Been Riding Through This The Last Couple Days

Hopefully it will end soon….

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Cyclist Dies After Being Hit In Brookline

22 year old Tracy Milillo was involved in a crash on Sept. 9th and passed away Sept 11. It seems that she was hit by a car, but details are still coming in. My thoughts go out to her family and I urge you all to be careful. Cyclist deaths are a rare occurrence, but all the more shocking and sad because of it. It is even more tragic that such a young person has been killed.

A 22-year-old bicyclist has died of head injuries from a crash in Coolidge Corner last week.

Police say Tracy Milillo, a recent Emmanuel College graduate from Holbrook, N.Y., died around 1:35 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11. Millio never regained consciousness after the crash, police said.

Police are still investigating how the crash occurred. Though initial reports from witnesses indicated Milillo had been struck by a motorist, Capt. Michael Gropman said the vehicle may have never made contact with Milillo’s bike.

…

Police believe Milillo was near 30 Longwood Ave. when the crash occurred. She was not wearing a helmet, they said.

Gropman said police are examining the bicycle and vehicle for any mechanical defects. Forensic reports could come back as early as this week, Gropman said.

Police are asking anyone who may witnessed the accident, which occurred around 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, on Longwood Avenue, to contact the department.

Brookline Police can be reached at 617-730-2222.(via Wicked Local Brookline)

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