Catch-a-Crook: Viewer tip leads to recovery of stolen electric bike

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - Springfield Police have made an arrest after a valuable electric bike was stolen from a local bike shop.

We featured this story on July 8 on Catch-a-Crook.

A man asked to test drive a $2,700 electric bike and never came back.

But now, the stolen e-bike was found and has been returned to the store.

It happened at A&B Cycle on South National Ave. on July 3. Sales associate Barrett Johnson said a man named Michael Benson left his ID and it matched what he looked like.

Benson has been arrested but hasn’t been charged yet.

The bike shop owner said police picked up Benson at another store for an unrelated crime on July 4, and the e-bike was sent to a tow lot.

The tow lot originally thought the bike was Benson’s.

Luckily, a viewer saw our Catch-a-Crook report and let police know the bike was stolen.

So the tow lot returned the bike to A&B Cycle.

Other than a little dust, Johnson said the bike was in fine shape.

But he said they’re making some changes after this episode.

“Customers who want to test drive they have to arrive here in a vehicle,” Johnson said. “We’re not going to be able to do people who walk up or arrive without a vehicle anymore. It seems like there’s kind of a correlation between people walking in without a vehicle and higher theft rate. And then we’re also on all test rides requiring both an ID and either a phone or a set of keys.”

Johnson said they don’t have many bikes stolen, but when it does happen the stolen merchandise is usually gone for good.

Johnson said he was relieved when the bike came back.

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