Bicyclist finds his stolen bike on Craigslist, thief arrested * By BILL NOVAK The Capital Times [email protected] | Posted: Monday, December 14, 2009 10:50 am
A Madison man whose bicycle was stolen in early December got his bike back, thanks to some modern-day detective work using a new tool: Craigslist.com<http://craigslist.com/>. The 20-year-old victim used the popular Web marketplace to find his stolen bike, then arranged with Madison police to meet the seller, who was arrested after the victim determined it was his bike, and when an officer recognized the seller as a burglar recently arrested in another case. Peter Gabriel Hamilton, 18, Madison, was tentatively charged with burglary, carrying a concealed weapon and bail jumping following his arrest at about 3 p.m. Saturday in the 400 block of North Lake Street. Police spokesman Joel DeSpain said the wheels for the arrest were set in motion when the victim started looking at bikes on Craigslist. "He had his Gary Fisher mountain bike stolen from the basement of his apartment complex during a Dec. 4 burglary," DeSpain said. "And right there on Craigslist was a bike for sale with the exact same specifications." The victim called police and worked out a plan. "The victim and the officer, dressed in street clothes, agreed to meet the seller, and if the victim felt it might be his bike, he would ask to take it on a test drive, which would be the signal to the officer that it was his," DeSpain said. The buyer and the seller agreed to meet at 3 p.m. Saturday in the pedestrian tunnel behind the Kohl Center. "When the seller arrived the officer immediately recognized him as a burglar recently arrested in another case," DeSpain said. The seller wanted $300 for the bike, saying it was a friend's bike who had gone off to law school. "The victim looked at the frame and spotted what he was looking for: a sticker for Village City Cycle Center, Chicago, Ill., which is where the victim purchased the bike," DeSpain said. The suspect rode off on the bike, but was stopped by the officer and a backup officer in a squad car. "When confronted, the suspect admitted his guilt," DeSpain said. Steve Meiers Safety educator (608) 267-1102 Box 2986 Madison WI 53701 [email protected]
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