There has been a few bike jackings and beatings along the Santa Ana River Trail in the past few days. There was one back in October which happened at 6.30 pm, between Mcfadden and 1st street. The rider was jumped and knocked down by one guy while three others took his bike and belongings and kicked and punched him. Things went quiet for awhile and then this past Monday at 7:15 pm a UPS driver who commutes from Huntington Beach to Anaheim was jumped in the same location. Three guys using the same modus operandi. One tackled him while two others took his bike and belongings. So the thought WAS that riders should avoid riding the Santa Ana River Trail at night.
I emphasize the word was, because I just received reports of a similar attack taking place last Sunday, afternoon which was a sunny day when the Santa Ana River Trail is usually fairly busy. The unedited victim’s report follows:
Yesterday 2/5/12 about 2:30 PM I was riding the Santa Anna River path in S. California from the ocean to Hwy 91 and back. I made good time to the 91 and turned back to the beach to meet my wife. I was buzzing along at about 14 mph and if you ever have ridden this path you know that about every mile there is an auto overpass over the river and a underpass for bikes below the bridge. As I was rolling down the the (sic) grade to the 1st street underpass I noticed three punks standing along the side of the path with an old bike. Not really notable lots of people are always along the trail.
They tossed the junker bike right in front of me as I was rolling pretty good on the downhill and over the bars I went. Then two of the thugs started kicking and punching me while I was down letting the third one who was also showing a knife make off with the bike. The(y) (sic) got my new Madone 5.2, my cell phone and bike bag. I got bumps, scrapes, and a jammed wrist, bike helmets take kicks pretty good.
The thugs just had a spot were they were hidden from view by the overpass and could see up and down the trail, they also had a escape route to get away with the bike. Santa Anna Police were super and tried to find bike using my iPhone and helicopter. They told me that this was the second mugging involving an expensive bike in the last 16 hours. They are not happy with tourist's getting mugged and robbed.
These are obviously not random incidents. This appears to be the work of some gang. They are targeting solo riders with expensive looking bikes. Perhaps figuring riders of expensive bikes also tend to carry expensive smart phones and are carrying money as well. The bottom line, stay off the Santa Ana River Trail or ride as a group—a tight group in which no one sprints ahead or is dropped behind. I frequently have used that popular Central Orange County Trail on pre-work morning solo rides, but sadly no more.
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