Vermont crime in NYT

Ted Cohen/Patch.com and WCAX

BURLINGTON, VT -

When it comes to keeping tabs on bike thieves, Torie Huddleston is ever vigilant.

Huddleston is a key member of a group of crime fighters in Vermont's largest city, working 24/7 to return stolen bikes to their owners.

Huddleston and fellow Burlington-area residents, fed up after their bikes were swiped, are taking action, posting photos and video to a new Facebook group designed to help track them down.

The crime fighting efforts have now attracted the notice of The New York Times.

Grace Bevelheimer had her bike stolen from under her deck.

“I’m like really mad and sad," Bevelheimer said. I just want my bike back."

“I use it every day and it was a big investment for me," she added. "It’s a large problem where there’s a ton of people getting their stuff stolen; it’s just not fair.”

In response to what appears to be a growing problem, several frustrated residents like Bryce Turner joined together to create BTV Stolen Bike Report and Recovery, a public group on Facebook.

“Just keep bikes in the hands of owners, and if they go missing, get them back in the hands of their owners,” Turner said.

Multiple times a day, photos of bikes are posted to the group. But how is the public supposed to know if they were actually stolen?

“Part of it is just trust, trusting your neighbors. That’s why we’re asking people to record everything within the bounds of law, within the bounds of decency. If you see a guy cutting a lock, video it. If you see several bikes ditched in the woods, take a photo. Ask the right questions to make sure they’re getting back to who they belong to,” Turner said.

Burlington Police Deputy Chief Wade Labrecque says staffing levels are making it difficult for the department to follow up on many complaints.

“It’s not like we’re trying to say those other things aren’t important -- because they are -- but we obviously have to look at what’s the greatest risk to the public, safety-wise, and work our way down from there,” he said.

The police department maintains a bike registry here where you can list your bike, serial number and photos.

Huddleston, one of the most active group members, said police have been very supportive of the bike-find efforts.

She has a passionate interest in improving her adopted hometown of Burlington, where she has lived for two decades.

Huddleston explained how she does her work, which entails being constantly on the lookout for suspects - as well as for bikes left or dumped in strange places.

"I can look at the serial number under the bike if it’s readable and look it up online at bike index to see if anyone has registered the bike as there bike or to see if it’s reported stolen on bike index," Huddleston explained. "This is what I’ve been doing when I find an abandoned bike."

Group members say it’s important to go to the police and avoid taking matters into your own hands. “We’re not trying to be vigilantes, we’re not trying to be the other cops," Turner said.

"Nobody is trying to think of themselves as Batman. We just want to make sure that if a bike gets stolen and somebody sees it, it gets recovered,” he said.

Other bikers say they’ve invested in strong bike locks and oftentimes use more than one.

Facebook group members recommend checking in with a bike’s owner before posting or assuming a bike seen in the community was stolen.