Updated: A second stolen bike listed on Tucson’s public auction site?

February 7, 2013 • Posted by: Michael McKisson

Update II: Read this for new information about the bike.

Update: The auction has ended early. One of supervisors for TPD evidence unit is supposed to call me back this afternoon. I’m also checking with the auction site to see who ended it early.

A second bicycle reported to the Tucson Police Department as stolen appears to have turned up on the city’s public auction website.

We reported last week about Leif Abrell’s stolen Mercurio cargo bike, which was sold PublicSurplus.com.

Since the article, I set up a search for bicycles that are listed on the site in the Tucson and Phoenix area.

Today, I got an email for this listing for an Access mountain bike.

The bike looked familiar, so I went to search our stolen bike listings and found this listing for a stolen Access mountain bike.

Without being able to examine the serial number of the listed bike it’s impossible to confirm it is the stolen bike, but here is the description and image submitted in the listing by Lawrence Schoonover on June 13.

Unique traits: lots of reflective material on bike, Green Lantern symbols and Ergon pedals

Theft description: Was about to leave restaurant, when suspect was dropped off of another bike in front of mine, grabbed my bike off of rack, mounted it and pedaled off. I gave chase, but was unable to overtake because I was wearing flip-flops. I slipped in loose gravel and fell, allowing suspect to escape.

Given the two photos, and the description I am confident that this is the same bike.

The interesting part is that Schoonover apparently filed a police report and included the serial number, yet Tucson Police apparently did not locate the owner of the bike.

I have a call into the Police Department to get more details. I’ve also emailed Schoonover, but have not heard back from him.

← Stolen bike: Diamondback crossbike

Link roundup: February 8 →

8 comments

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coginthemachine

I propose a new program that will allow the TPD and city to modernize and update their malfunctioning and inefficient stolen property division. They should partner with local grade school classrooms and let the kids match up stolen bicycle reports with recovered property. Wasted taxpayer resources directed at operating the current program could be redirected to the classroom teachers' budgets, the kids would do a better job and learn about transportation and economics, and more people would get their stolen property back.

Red Star

This apparent malfunction might be something to take up at the next Tucson Pima BAC meeting.

OK....this auction ended early, around 10am this morning. Did the owner have to buy it back?

The answer is 'no'. I talked to Lawrence yesterday as we looked at his bike and kind of marveled at the sequence of events that led to its recovery. The take away from this is if your bike is stolen and you really want it back, don't quit on looking for it.

This one ended up in Sun Tran's lost and found which led to the way the cops handled it. No particular fault on them.

Sometimes all's well that ends well.