$82,000 in Prototype Bikes Stolen: Police Catch Suspect Red-Handed
On March 31, Driven Technologies headquarters in Boulder, Colo., reported an overnight burglary. Someone had broken into the building and made off with $82,000 in prototype bikes.
An individual or individuals did one thing right when they broke into Driven headquarters in late March — they hit high-value targets. They racked up an estimated $82,000 in value by swiping just three bicycles.
Driven develops components alongside CeramicSpeed. The custom bikes were loaded with modifications and prototype technology, so their estimated values soared.
Soon, though, things went a little haywire for the perpetrators. The day after the burglary, a man walked into Full Cycle bikes nearby with a flat tire on a $12,000 e-bike — and bolt cutters sticking out of his backpack.
Shop owner Russ Chandler sensed something was up.
“The guy came in with a flat, and we sold him a hand pump, then called police. He left, but the police caught up with him two hours later,” Chandler told Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN).
“It was so obvious that this guy was a thief. He even had bolt cutters in his backpack!” Chandler said in an email to Driven founder Jason Smith, which he shared with BRAIN.
Not to mention, the bike in question was Smith’s personal $12,000 Specialized Levo.
Boulder Police Nab Suspect
Full Cycle immediately called Boulder police, and officers arrested the man 2 hours later, according to CBS 4.
Soon, they had recovered all three stolen bikes. Police said that further investigation connected to the arrest led them to one of the other prototype bikes. Separately, a Boulderite spotted the second Driven bike in another part of the city and notified police.
The other two bikes included a $40,000 Cervelo P5 triathlon bike with heavy modifications like a concept shaft drive (read: not chain-driven) and high-end wheels. Driven valued the other bike, a Canyon Lux full-suspension mountain bike with the same shaft drive, at $30,000.
Full Cycle is located just 2 miles away from Driven headquarters in the heart of Boulder.
Arrest Yields Further Information, Evidence
The arrest also led police to a bevy of other stolen property, including bikes, electronics, and packages from vehicles. According to the department, detectives are still cataloging evidence and looking into multiple additional charges of burglary, vehicle trespassing, theft, and more.
“I am so proud of the great work done by everyone involved with these cases. I’d like to thank the community members who spotted these bikes, knew something didn’t look right and called us,” Boulder Police Chief Maris Herold said in the department’s statement.
The unidentified suspect faces multiple charges in the case and awaits trial.
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