It's a shame this happens so much now. When I was growing up I used to just ride my bike and leave it parked in my Moms driveway right at the side of the house. Never a worry, never a problem. At night my Mom would tell me to take it around back of the house into the back yard, but during the day it spent most of it's time right in my Moms driveway. I went the whole loop from tricycles all the way to my last two 10 speeds and did not lose a single one.
The only problems I have encountered with my bikes thus far in the CITY is ruining my brake wire. I guess the so and so got mad cause I had 3 bikes all locked together with 3 different types of locks and also locked to a post. I could tell the locks were moved and one bike was shifted around. So I guess in anger once they saw so many locks they decided to take it out on the adult bike.
The thing that gets me is this is right around a public pool. People are coming and going all the time too. How many people in here would say or do/question anyone that seemed to be taking too long or tampering the wrong way obviously without keys around a bike? Am I wrong to assume that most would just blindly turn and walk away.
Is there any neighborhood watch in your area Luv, maybe someone seen someone suspicious entering your backyard? I don't know if I would be more upset at the fact that the bike is gone or that someone accessed my backyard. My own private space. Is there accessable windows back there? I think I would be thinking of a lock on the gate/higher fence etc.... (barbed wire)