Bicycle Thief Returns Bike, Tired Of Being Recognized From Surveillance Cam

[Burnette]

A bike thief that stole a $5,000 bicycle from a bike shop returned it because he was constantly recognized from surveillance video shown on TV. He has been linked to three other bike shop thefts.

The alleged thief, Paul Verdugo, Jr cut the drops off the bars to mimic "a climbing bike". The bike will be repaired and serviced a d sold for $4,000.

Story here;

After gaining the trust of the staff with his knowledge of high-end road bikes, Verdugo, 42, handed over an ID and did a few loops in the parking lot. Then he sprinted out to the street, disappearing around the corner and stealing what had been the shop’s most expensive bike for sale.

The thief explained who he was and that he wanted to return the bike, confessing that he was tired of everyone recognizing him from TV. His face had been broadcast all over local and national news, publicly connecting him to the theft. A former high-school classmate had recognized him. Even over in Europe, news stations had covered the theft and shown his face.

“He said, ‘I can’t go anywhere or do anything, everyone knows me and this bike,’” store manager Anthony Karambellas said. “He said he wanted to part ways and get this over with, but we told him, ‘That’s not quite how this works, dude.’”

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bic...-returns-bike/

[Veloo]

Part of me is curious about what compels a 42 year old adult to do this stuff. Upbringing, mental health issues, education, etc?

[Matthew]

Why does any adult be a douchebag? Glad the shop basically told him to get screwed. And if so many people knew him why wasn't he arrested prior to returning it? F this guy.

[cmg]

"After gaining the trust of the staff with his knowledge of high-end road bikes, Verdugo, 42, handed over an ID and did a few loops in the parking lot. Then he sprinted out to the street, disappearing around the corner and stealing what had been the shop’s most expensive bike for sale."

how does a 42 year old think that he is going to get away with it? doesn't his id have his address, license number traceable things....? what a surprise when he discovered that stealing a $5000 bike is a crime.

[Blue Jays]

Article indicates he has stolen multiple expensive bicycles using stolen identification.
Put him to work on a road crew repairing potholes to perfection with no sharp edges to damage bicycle wheels.

Failure to arrive each day for the full duration of his penalty should result in imprisonment.
Teaches a lesson, benefits society, and benefits cyclists. Make him pay "delta" of lost value to shop plus penalty.

[vincenz]

How he steals so many IDs with people who look like him is the real question.

[Jaybee]

You steal an ID of anyone, then put your picture in. Harder with modern ID tech, but any number of 19 yearr olds who wish they were 21 can do this or know someone who does.

[unterhausen]

just watch on mtbr for one of the fake id spammers whose posts seem to stay up for days.

[dgauthier]

What a wiper.

I love that he calls up to return the bike and can't figure out he'll be arrested. Stupidity and criminality go hand in hand...

[Hellgate]

Years ago I have a guy pull pretty much the same thing on me. He came in weekend over weekend to test ride high end mountain bikes. He liked the Nishiki Alien. The one day I failed to ask for his ID he rode off with it. $1,250.00 came put of my pay. Hard lesson to learn.

[beeatnik]

Originally Posted by vincenz

How he steals so many IDs with people who look like him is the real question.

Maybe, people only look at the color of the guy in the picture. One of the stories quotes the bike shop employee as being concerned that the person on the DL was in his 50s or "significantly older," but, ya know, they looked close enough alike.