# Cyclist mugging



## Tort (Nov 4, 2008)

I got this in an email today from my club...I did not take the time to confirm this but wanted to pass it along to anybody riding the east bay hills.

Subject: [GPC] robbery of cyclist in Oakland hills

This was on another Berkeley based cycling email list tonight.

Thot I'd let you know. My son works for Oakland Fire and is currently
stationed off of Skyline. He just called me. A bike rider came in to
the station to report his mugging.

This just happened at approx 3pm today. He was a solo bike rider. He
had just come down South Pinehurst and turned onto Redwood Rd. Just
past the Redwood Park entrance as he was heading up Redwood, a van
passed him, then pulled over, a guy jumped out to stop him. He was
able to manage his bike around the guy by going into opposing traffic
and continued as fast as he could up Redwood. The van took off again
after him and passed him again. The biker went to turn around and
there was another car involved who pulled up behind him. The guy
pulled a gun on the biker, took his gold chain necklace, then took the
bike and threw it in the van.

The van was a 2 tone gray (dark & light gray) 70'ish. It was like one
of those workstyle Econo vans with window in the back and the side
door. The car was a Nissan 200SX, possibly red in color.

Please let everyone know. This was a brazen crime and there will no
doubt be more until these guys are caught. They have a lot of victims
out there waiting with all of us who do solo rides on these more
isolated back roads.


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## masornia925 (Jan 14, 2011)

just my luck, thats one of my fav rides and i happen to ride solo


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## Cyclin Dan (Sep 24, 2011)

Dude was wearing a gold chain while riding? That's big baller status right there.


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## T K (Feb 11, 2009)

Was this on the news? I haven't been watching regularly.


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## calrider61 (Jul 1, 2012)

When through there about 1:00PM yesterday. Noticed a car with a really nice new copper metallic paint job cruising back and forth. No plates. Could have been a Nissan 200sx. Unusual stop on roadbed and watched me roll by him a few miles south of Pinehurst turnoff. Lone male driver, mid 20's, 5'6", Asian.


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## heythorp (Feb 17, 2005)

This is just scary. 

Interestingly enough, I was thinking about safety for my wife out on the road. I started thinking about almost this scenario. Where a van pulls up and kidnaps the cyclist. 

Having a gun pulled on you is some frightening stuff. I really hope the police take this seriously and don't just brush it off. These people will continue to do this until they are caught. 

Please everyone be careful out there. I almost got hit 7 times this week. If I did not pay attention as much as I do, I would be dead right now.


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## rzims (Nov 15, 2005)

This is crazy....that's one of my favorite after work rides. Almost always by myself although I see lots of other solo riders out there as well....
Hope the sheriff's take this seriously...


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## txzen (Apr 6, 2005)

Seems too weird to be true. Odd that there's no description of the attackers. 

Naturally, I'm hoping it's not true as it's one of my favorite rides. Great. Thought this was one place I could shed those thoughts.


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## txzen (Apr 6, 2005)

*I take it all back.*

I take it all back. WTF is going on out there? Same spot, same week, I think, as the cyclist mugging - the KTVU crew was mugged reporting on a cyclist who died on the downhill portion that day. 

This is such a no-mans-land area, it's just amazing that while they are about to film a spot, a group of men just happens to show up, with a gun, and robs them. This isn't just a place you 'happen' to come across. 



> KTVU reporter Debra Villalon was sitting in her news van Thursday night, waiting to go on the air with a story about a serious bike crash in the Oakland hills, when several men accosted her and cameraman Alan Leong.
> 
> "Shoot the b***h!" one yelled as the men pushed their way into the van on Redwood Road and stole Villalon's laptop computer and workbag, a camera and a tripod. Villalon called for help on her two-way radio as the men drove off, and station officials called Oakland police.
> 
> Villalon and Leong were unharmed but shaken by the incident, one of several crimes in recent weeks in which members of the news media have been singled out in Oakland.


Oakland: Media the victims in rash of robberies - SFGate


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## Tort (Nov 4, 2008)

It did finally show up as a story in the SF Chronicle the other day. It is just plain scary to think the places we choose to ride to avoid traffic and find peace of mind through exertion and enjoy mother nature has become a hunting ground for criminals.


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## Charles50 (Jul 25, 2012)

This is not the first time this has happened on Redwood Rd. Back in the 1980's a lady was ridding on Redwood rd and she was pushed off her bike and it was taken.This also happened again in the 1990's. I used to work at a bike shop in Pleasant Hill back in the 80's and remember it well. I ride now with a small can of mace.


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