Cyclist Sees Stolen Bike on Craigslist, Steals it Back
A passionate cyclist had to take matters into his own hands to recover his bike that had been stolen after he saw the bike listed on the Craigslist.
Danny Lesh lives in Washington D.C. and is an avid bike rider, but his bike was stolen after he had let his friend borrow the bike. The thief was able to steal the bike after he cut the cable lock the bike was secured with, according to WTOP.
A short while later he saw the bike being advertised for sale on Craigslist for $100. Lesh was able to identify that it was his bike after he recognized a decal that he had put on the bike.
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Lesh called the number on the advertisement and set up an appointment to meet. He then called local police to inform them of the situation but was told that officers were not able to respond at that time. Fearing that this was the only chance he had to get his bike back he took matters into his own hands.
"I knew I had to do it that day, or else I'd never see the bike again," Lesh told local media.
He arraigned to meet the "seller" in northwest D.C. and crafted a way to get the bike back. When he met the person whom he would "pay" for his bike he asked the person if he could take it for a "test ride." Once on the bike he simply rode off without paying.
"This guy finally started calling me and left a message saying he was going to call the police," Lesh said.
Once safely back at home he posted a warning on Craigslist about the thief and cautioned buyers of high-end bikes at low prices.
District Police Chief Cathy Lanier stated that they would have helped Lesh if they were given more time and cautioned anyone who thinks of taking matters into their own hands because "you really never know who you're dealing with."
