Residents of north central Phoenix neighborhood says burglars on bikes prey on homes
PHOENIX (KSAZ) - Have you heard of the term "BOB" before?
It's slang or an acronym for Burglars on Bikes.
Residents in one north central Phoenix neighborhood say BOBs are rampant in their neighborhood and making life miserable.
Neighbors say these BOBs cruise around looking for crimes of opportunity like an open garage, a just delivered package sitting on a parch, or something of small value they can snatch and ride away with.
By no means is everyone on a bike with a backpack a burglar or someone who is up to no good, but Gina Sanderson says BOBs have changed her neighborhood near 15th Avenue and Dunlap for the worse.
"They're on a BMX and backpack on, and they're cruising the alleys, the streets at all times of day or night looking to rob opportunity," Sanderson said.
Fox 10 spotted a couple of young men with bikes and backpacks in front of a grocery store and asked them about so-called BOBs.
They said they were offended by the term.
"It's pretty judgemental. I ride a bike around just to ride a bike. Keeps me in shape, gives me something to do. You're not looking for open garages or stuff you can lift easily. No, I'm just looking for a new place to ride, new bike path, new park or just to meet people," said the bike rider.
Sanderson says she remains suspicious of some men on bikes.
"These are young men that should be working and they're not. They're loitering," Sanderson said. "Why do they have backpacks? Because they're looting, they're picking up property, they are stealing and that's the way it is and they can't deny it."
Sanderson says she and her neighbors are doing what they can to battle against the crime.
"This neighborhood is fighting back and any person who wants to victimize any of the neighbors in this day and age, we all have cameras. We are calling Crime Stop. We are not going to back down, we are going to take our neighborhood back," Sanderson said.
Phoenix Police say they stress another acronym, TLC. Take it, lock it, conceal it.
They say many of these crimes of opportunity can be thwarted if people stay vigilant about their property and belongings.