The U-lock was bent into a figure 8 shape. I was told by the officer (with whom I filed my report) that the condition of the lock was a result of the method in which the bike was stolen. Apparently thieves working as a team lift the bike up, flip it up side down, and then spin it like a cork-screw until the tension in the locking mechanism reaches a critical mass. The lock pops and the thieves are off.
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