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Woman Steals Back Her Stolen Bike

By Andrew Chow, Esq. on November 13, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

When a Colorado woman spotted her stolen bike on Craigslist, she felt there was only one way to handle the situation. She stole her bike back.

Kathryn Lucas, 25, left her bike -- without a lock -- outside a sports bar in Boulder, Colo., where she met some friends to watch a football game. By the end of the night, her bike was gone.

Lucas went online to file a police report. Her roommate suggested she should also check Craigslist's online classified ads.

Lo and behold, the bike was there -- complete with a photo of the bike's red handlebar tape and water bottle holder, which Lucas instantly recognized.

Lucas sent an email to the bike's seller, and geared up for a confrontation with the man who responded.

But retrieving her stolen bike on Craigslist was easier than Lucas thought. She showed up at the seller's house, asked to take the bike for a test ride, and then pedaled off into the horizon.

After the daring deed was done, Lucas called police.

"They told me for future reference that I probably would not want to do that by myself," Lucas told KMGH-TV.

The seller, Denzel O'Neal Crawford, 18, admitted to the crime when confronted, police said.

Crawford will likely face charges of theft. To convict, prosecutors will have to prove that Crawford took Lucas' bike without her consent, and intended to deprive her of her property.

This is actually the second time this year that a Colorado woman stole back her stolen bike. In the first incident, the woman arranged to take a look at the stolen bike on Craigslist -- but police showed up at the seller's house instead.

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