I bet you do, just don't realize it. Some people go through life with blinders on.
Same as above
Same as above. And ive met plenty over my riding career. Go to a random meet, start talking to people and just look around. Several times ive met people at gtam meets that bragged about all sorts of things. Been offered 2 year old "track" bikes at 10-20% of their original cost, of course no ownership or blank frame. Put 2 and 2 together.
Go to a meet, grab a coffee, shut your mouth and just listen. You'd be amazed at what you hear.
I've even had one of the guys who got busted last year in the theft ring come out and check out my bike i had for sale hahah
He calls me and tells me he wants to check out my bike and where i live. I tell him street x and y in whatever city call me when you're there and ill tell you exactly. He calls me up and im sitting at the tim hortons with my buddy and tell him im right there. From the moment we started talking i sensed that he was up to no good, same with my friend. Started asking if i live near by etc... Had i invited to meet him at home im sure my bike would have been gone. He even bragged that he had "hook ups" and can get anything he wants from anyone's driveway.
Also for those of you who've been living under a rock there are bike shops and mechanics involved in all of this, so be careful where you go.
Hard to believe? I guess just as hard as the guy who organized the meets was a thief hahaha. Why go out and shop for bikes, get them to come to you. Sometimes life is stranger than fiction, but people are just too naive.
I said it before and ill say it again. 1/3 of the population is honest, but 2/3 aren't. That's the world we live in and that's why this thread will get very little response but a boston pizza thread will go on for years.