Earlier this month we brought you news of a bike theft from Seven Corners Cycles in southeast Portland. A thief had made off with a Surly Long Haul trucker by removing the window pane near the front door, lifting the window out, and then riding away on the bike. Now we’re happy to report that the bike has been recovered and the thief has been arrested.
Southeast Portland bike shop Seven Corners Cycles was broken into this morning. The thieves (or thief) made out with one new bike (a large, black Surly Long Haul Trucker), seven Chrome messenger bags, and some lights and locks.
According to shop owner Corey Cartwright, they entered the store by carefully removing a glass panel next to the front door — using the same method as the “window pane bandit” that hit several bikes shops back in November.
A thief who has (nearly) mastered the ability to remove large windows without breaking them has hit several bike shops and other businesses in the past week.
A total of six businesses (including three bike shops and one bike rack store) have been burglarized since November 1st by what police feel is the same criminal. Two bicycles stolen from windows have since been recovered (officers found them being ridden by people at the site of Occupy Portland) and now Crime Stoppers of Oregon is offering a $1,000 reward to catch the suspect who’s responsible for the string of thefts.
In each of the incidents, the suspect expertly removed a large window without smashing it (or at least trying to not smash it).