When someone gets their bike stolen, the usual response is to contact the police and hope for the best. But for one Austin resident, that wasn’t enough. Determined to retrieve their $2,000 high-end electric bicycle, they took matters into their own hands. They had hidden an AirTag inside the bike, and thanks to that bit of foresight, they were able to track it to a homeless encampment between Vi Collina Apartments and Building 21 on East Oltorf Street in Austin, Texas.
What they found there was shocking. As soon as they got close, they were confronted by aggressive dogs, some on leashes and others roaming freely. One person in the camp even shouted death threats at them, warning them never to return. Despite the danger, that brief visit was enough for Reddit user GrundelStiltskinn to get a disturbing look at what appeared to be a large-scale bicycle theft operation.
Dozens of bikes were scattered throughout the encampment. Some looked brand new and untouched, while others had been stripped down for parts. Tents, tarps, and makeshift shelters filled the area, with the aggressive dogs seemingly used as a form of protection.
Deeply concerned by what they had seen, the Austin resident shared their story on Reddit, urging others in the community to report the encampment to the authorities. They had already contacted the Austin Police Department themselves, and later that afternoon, three APD units and animal control arrived at the scene. Officers went into the camp while instructing the resident to wait by their vehicles.
Eventually, the police were able to recover the stolen e-bike. However, no arrests were made. In their post, GrundelStiltskinn advised other cyclists to hide AirTags securely on or inside their bicycles to improve the chances of recovery if stolen.
Many Redditors who saw GrundelStiltskinn’s post expressed frustration and criticized the Austin Police Department for failing to arrest anyone. They believed this lack of action was a key reason bike thefts continue to happen across the city. One commenter wrote, “I’m seriously getting tired of these ass****s stealing people’s bikes and transportation. Just the fact that they threatened to kill you should warrant a police response. I’ll call 311 for sure.”
Another user mentioned a similar situation they had witnessed near Shoal Creek in Allandale, where a homeless encampment was surrounded by numerous bikes. “I once saw one of them riding a BMX bike with competition tags still attached,” they said.
Others were shocked by what they saw as the police’s passive response. “With the city encouraging biking with all the new bike lanes, I’m surprised they’re so lax when it comes to helping people get their bikes back so they can actually use these new resources,” one commenter wrote.
