Thief takes cops' bikes, puts them on bus
A brazen bandit who had the chutzpah to steal two police bicycles in Center City Saturday night did not have the stamina to ride them away from the scene and instead, tried to board a SEPTA bus with the cycles in tow, according to police.
Thief takes cops' bikes, puts them on bus
A brazen bandit who had the chutzpah to steal two police bicycles in Center City Saturday night did not have the stamina to ride them away from the scene and instead, tried to board a SEPTA bus with the cycles in tow, according to police.
Around 8:15 p.m., two bicycle cops secured their bikes to a pole at 17th and Moravia streets while conducting a security check, police said.
Somehow, the bandit was able to cut through the bike locks while the officers were away and, around 8:30 p.m., he put both bicycles on the front of a Route 16 SEPTA bus at Broad Street and South Penn Square and then tried to board the bus.
When the bus driver asked the man about the police-issued bicycles attached to the front of his vehicle, the thief took them off the bus and ran to the City Hall subway entrance, police said.
SEPTA police found the bicycles on the street and recovered the saddle bags from the bikes at the stairwell entrance, according to police.
The suspect remains on the run. He's described as a black man, between 45 and 47, with a thin build, a black Kangol hat, a black coat and white shirt.
Anyone with information is urged to call the department's tip line at 215-686-8477.
To funny. If these people put as much effort into finding a legit job as they did trying to scam a quick buck they would be a little further ahead in life.— 420-24-7- Absolutely funny and a bit sad.— donher
- I thought he would take the bikes one at a time and put them on a bus as prank. I didn't realize he was trying to actually steal them.— Phils_World_Champs
- What a dope. A greedy dope. If he had only stole ONE bike he could have ridden it away.— iodine
- Glad they were recovered. Philly cops need to learn about Abus ring locks for rear wheels. Even if a thief defeats the u-lock, it is improbable that he or she would be able to lift or drag two mountain bikes with gear. A lot of cops leave their bikes unattended and unlocked on kickstands for long periods - I'm surprised this guy went through all the extra trouble.— coreys
- maybe if there was 20 lb.s of weed on them they wouldnt have got stolen?— sgamble077
- MORAVIAN street, idiot. if you're gonna report the news report it accurately.— rudyhuxtable
- this slug never worked a day in his sorry life, product of the wefare system gimmee gimme gimme, and if you dont ill take it— wallycleaver
- Between 45 and 47 years old? Looooooserrrrrr!!! Whoever you are do us a favor? Blow your brains out so there will be more air for the rest of us to breath.— Kolitz
- "Somehow, the bandit was able to cut through the bike locks" -- it sounds like the cops didn't bother locking their bikes and were surprised to learn that their bikes were taken when they got back.— catnameddomino
- how does one determine that someone is 45-47 years old?— zangtron
- Do not question it. The locks were cut. End of story.— Tkat
