I was photographing a place on Angus Drive (between Matthews and King Edward) this afternoon for the Vancouver Heritage Foundation, and in the couple of minutes between when I switched lenses and came back to my bike to hop on and shoot the next house, someone got off their (red, crappy, 1960-1980-era road) bike, hopped on my grey Trek 1000 road bike--with a pannier containing a lens, flash, a couple of miscellaneous cables, tripod, and head--and took off.

If you were this person and are reading this because you took a look at the business cards in my camera bag and are curious as to whose bike and gear you just ripped off, know this: the police are now looking for you. If you're feeling remorse and would like to make yourself whole, let me know and I'm willing to meet on neutral turf somewhere in Vancouver and take everything back, no questions asked. Use that big 'get in touch' button up there at the top of the browser window. (Getting your original bike back is left as an exercise for you and the cops, fellow, ahem, cyclist).

And for the rest of you, here's what to keep an eye out for, should it show up at your local bike shop or camera store:

•  54cm Trek 1000 road bike, around 2005 vintage. Distinguishing marks:
  - grey aluminum with blue decal highlights
  - yellow 'Bait Bike' sticker, small '1008' number on top of top tube
  - Shimano Tiagra shifters and rear derailleur, Shimano 600 brakes (front + rear)
  - black rear rack
  - carbon fiber seatpost (with ergonomic seat) and carbon front fork
  - black full-coverage fenders on front and rear, rear fender rubber torn
• Canon 24-105 f/4 IS L lens, s/n 4180400 - with hood but without front cap
• Canon 580EX flash, s/n 149034, containing 4 Eneloop AA batteries (serial unrecorded)
• Canon flash extension cord
•  Canon remote release switch
• Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod (serial A1900290) with Sirui ballhead (no serial)
• Blue Tamrac sling-style camera bag

Thankfully, I still have all the images and the camera…and I was on the tail end of the shoot, and I have backup gear for most of this so I'm not out of business.  Could have been far worse.

The bike you're looking for:

…only with Shimano combo pedals and slightly different shifters.