SAFFORD – Elation turned to disappointment in a matter of seconds for a victim of theft when he learned his custom bicycle had been found then accidentally destroyed while being returned.
On July 14, a Safford officer was dispatched at about 10:40 p.m. regarding a bicycle theft. The victim said he had left his $3,000 custom bike leaning against a fence next to the sidewalk of his girlfriend’s residence on Relation Street for roughly five minutes as he went inside. When he went to retrieve the bike and bring it into the yard, he noticed it was gone.
The bicycle was described as being custom-built and sporting metallic red paint with gold flake. It also had various stickers, a “Rasta Chain” that was green, red and yellow, red grips, a black rear rim and a red front rim.
The officer canvassed the area and several residents said they would call if they received any information.
The following day, a resident on 13th Street informed the officer that her son had found the stolen bicycle.
The officer responded to the residence, and the juvenile said he saw a Caucasian male with the bike at GS Market at 1224 S. 8th Ave. The youth said he was able to retrieve it after confronting the person about it being stolen.
The officer noted the bicycle seemed to fit the description, so he attached it to his patrol vehicle’s front push bumper utilizing a couple of bungee cords with the intention of returning it to the victim.
While in route, however, a bungee cord snapped as the officer made a left turn onto Relation Street from 8th Avenue, and the officer ran over the bicycle as it fell onto the street. The bike was deemed a total loss.