How to catch a Bike Thief (Part 2)

A suspected bike thief is caught trying to sell a stolen bike to a decoy buyer near USC. He is questioned yet refuses our requests to call the police.
A USC student had his bike stolen on May 25, 2009. Two days later he sees his bike advertised on Craigslist. The student calls a local LA bicycle activist who assembles a team of bicyclists who will attempt to recover the stolen bike. They call the suspect and express interest in purchasing the bike. A decoy buyer meets the suspect, though he is backed up other bicyclists. They mill around at bus stops, ride by the location on bikes, etc. When the bike is positively identified, the team moves in. They question the suspect at length. This video shows how they repeatedly suggest calling the police, yet the suspect prefers to give the bike back to the rightful owner without police intervention.

Was this dangerous? Yes. Was it well-planned? Yes. But the best of plans do not always work out. We got lucky. We a got a stolen bike back to its rightful owner. One success story out of thousands of thefts. We fully intended to involve the police. In the end, the suspect wanted to give the bike back. Maybe he will spread the word...bicycle theft doesn't pay. At least this time it didn't.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Bike Thief
• USC
• Los Angeles

[DirfitChoi]

you guys are so fucking stupid...

the thief obviously didnt recieve any consquences and he was obviously lying about buying it. so why didnt you guys just call the cops?

millions of bikes are stolen in los angeles. you got one back today. the thief didnt learn anything.

nice job bravo

[apex001]

dude i'm all for stopping bike theft and what not. BUT THE FUCKEN CAMERA MAN IS SO FUCKEN GAY AND ANNOYING I JUST WANNA STEALL HIS BIKE FOR FUCKEN PRINCIPLE ... hes fucking asking tittie boy why he bought a bike on craigslist and tried to resell it... is he a fucken moron or what? so by that logic anyone who buys anything who wants to resell it to try and make a profit is a thief? fucken moron i'm glad they stole his bike...for thinking like an idiot ....

[juicethenatural1]

Getting your bike stolen is just something you have to expect. Pretty much every bike I ever had since I was a kid has been stolen from me. If your dumb enough to invest so much money in a bike and think its not going to be stolen that's the owners problem. He should have just called the cops and had him arrested. Doing an undercover sting like that is what gets people killed over stupid shit like this. Bike thief=scumbag. Bike owner= douchebag. This is not a race thing either, this a soc

[Fuzzymango1]

I dont think the fat foo can ride a bike O.o

[djoejoe08]

let that fat fuck have the bike, he needs to burn off some calories

[agasd67654asdga]

without getting the police involved, you are basically a gang of thugs stealing a bike from someone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!

fucking losers

[maneherrera14]

@livinglinkz im saying he is stupid for NOT kicking his ass

[livinglinkz]

@maneherrera14 If you bought a bike like that and someone stole it and youre looking at the person who stole it you would kick his ass stupid.

[D00bias]

You should have kicked the fat bastards head in & his chico mate as well. Danced all over the two of them & teach them a lesson!! YOU LET THEM AWAY TO STEAL ANOTHER DAY!!!

[maneherrera14]

fuck you make a big scene about your bike being stolen but you fuckin let him go shit

[VoodooPolitico]

Can that bike even hold that fat fucking mexican? That burrito stuffing fuck would flatten the tires.

[KiDFRANKKK]

@MrHOLLYWOOD76 No, I dont know the laws in whatever state they are in, but the thief, by not rejecting being filmed, gave implied consent. Again, it may be that recording conversations in that state without the other person's permission is perfectly legal, but if its not, the thief didnt object, so it wouldnt hold up in court