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Bicycle Thefts in Boulder — January 2023 – February 2024
About this report
This report documents several dozen bicycle theft incidents in Boulder, Colorado. It is based primarily on police reports and other public records. Summaries here were reconstructed with resources available at the time.
Bicycle theft is one of Boulder’s most persistent and widely experienced property crimes, affecting students, commuters, recreational cyclists, delivery workers, and residents throughout the community. This city has long experienced unusually high levels of bicycle theft relative to its size, reflecting the city’s large cycling population, extensive bicycle infrastructure, high-value outdoor bike storage, and active secondary resale market for stolen bicycles.
Most stolen bikes are never recovered. I could never write a piece that was a statistically representative sampling, because it would mostly be this giant pile of depressing stories about bikes that vanished and were never seen again. Instead, I’ve focused on bikes that were recovered, and thefts that were interesting in some other way, such as brazenness, other charges involved, and cost of the bike(s).
Key takeaways:
* Register your bike at www.bikeindex.org
* Take numerous pictures of your bike and record the serial number
* Have an AirTag (or 2 or 3) (newer iPhones only)
* Learn how to correctly lock your bike
* Don’t trust bike cages in condos/apts
* Do not rely on a cable lock
* Theft can happen any time of day
* Theft can happen in high traffic areas, such as the mall, the library, or outside of a city council meeting
* Do not assume nearby security cameras are functional, that you’ll be able to obtain the footage, or that it will be helpful
* Scour Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, etc. – stolen bikes can turn up weeks or even months later
Glossary:
ebike = electric bike
BPD = Boulder Police Department
BCSO = Boulder County Sheriff’s Office
1/2/23
An apartment complex near 30th and Pearl
A man discovers that a shared bicycle storage unit in his apartment complex has been broken into, and three of his bikes have been stolen. He tells officers that the bikes all had expensive locks; he concludes they must have been ground off. He takes photos of the scene and files a report. Lost are a $5,000 ebike, a $3,500 mountain bike, and a $500 commuter bike.
On 4/4, an employee at BPD learns that one of the bikes – the mountain bike – was recovered that day in rideable/good condition by BCSO from a storage unit on East Arapahoe. The employee also learns there is a suspect and he is currently in jail. The owner is notified for recovery.
1/22/23
Broadway and Table Mesa
11:05 AM
An officer contacts a woman regarding the theft of her ebike. She says it was stolen between 9:00 and 10:00 that morning; she’d had it locked to a bike rack as she was running errands around the shopping center. She says it was her primary mode of transportation, as she is unable to drive a car due to vision issues.
The officer searches the area but does not find it. He enters the ebike into the stolen bike database, as the victim is able to provide the serial number and a stock photo.
The ebike and panniers are not recovered. It is valued at approximately $5,000.
1/29/23
An apartment complex near 30th and Iris
A woman returns from out of town and finds her locked storage unit at her apartment garage has been broken into. Her road bike is laying on the ground by her car, and her $3,300 mountain bike is missing. She notes that other bikes in the garage were secured with only a cable lock, and out in the open, but were not taken.
On 2/4, officers on foot patrol near Foothills and Arapahoe contact a woman camping who has an open flame inside her tent. They identify her and learn she has a felony warrant out of BCSO. They arrest her.
The officers approach three men loitering nearby who immediately walk away. They notice “high end bicycles and other property strewn about.” They contact one of the men, then release him from the scene after he identifies himself. The officers find the missing mountain bike, along with a Buddy scooter with its ignition punched out which was reported stolen 1/20.
2/8/23
An apartment complex near 30th and Arapahoe
A man discovers that two bikes are missing from his storage locker in his underground parking garage. The unit was double locked, and both locks were in place; however the fencing on top of the unit had been cut and peeled back, allowing extraction. The property manager reports to police that two people were seen 2/6 riding away from the property on bikes; however no suspects are identified. The bikes are a $6,600 mountain bike and a $2,500 gravel bike.
3/5/23
13th and Pearl
A man locks his $1,000 bike with panniers up outside an eatery on the mall about 6 PM. He leaves it there overnight. When he returns at 11:30 AM the next day, it is gone. No suspects are identified.
3/15/23
Near Broadway and Alpine
A man leaves his $2,000 electric bike outside a grocery store for about 4 minutes. When he returns, it is gone. He notes it can’t be started without the key and weighs over 110 lbs, so it would be difficult to move.
On 3/23, officers are conducting camp cleanup operations with city employees around 9th and Canyon. They find the ebike. Three people in the camp say it showed up at their camp recently. An officer runs the serial number and discovers it was the one stolen. An officer calls the bike’s owner, and they return the bike to his residence.
3/15/23
Near 30th and Pearl
A man reports to police that he has located his bike, which was stolen the day before from CU’s engineering school, in a parking garage near 30th and Pearl. An officer responds and finds the bike in an enclosed storage area. He confirms the serial number matches the stolen bike. He runs it through BPD dispatch, which does not say it was stolen; however Bike Index does, and CU has the report on file. He retrieves the bike and returns it to its owner, who is waiting at the entrance to the parking garage. He gives the man and his bike a ride home.
4/5/23
Area of Tantra Lake
A man discovers that his bicycle has been stolen from his garage overnight. He reports it to police and says the garage door was locked. The bike is valued at $3,700.
On 8/14, the victim spots his bike on Craigslist, with various distinctive features unchanged. He reaches out to the seller, who agrees to meet him at a gas station in central Boulder. He calls police, who stage officers in the area from 9:00-9:30 PM.
At 9:28 PM, the victim contacts officers to say he sees the suspect at the gas station. Officers move in and approach the suspect, who is cooperative. They confirm the bike matches the one stolen. They also learn the suspect has a felony DOC warrant for parole violation.
At the jail, the man is read his rights. He tells an officer he bought the bike about 3-4 weeks ago for $300 at a park at 21st and Canyon. He provides the first name of the seller, which an officer immediately recognizes as a man having a history of bike theft. The suspect is not charged with burglary (breaking into the garage); however, he is charged with theft and the parole violation warrant.
4/6/23
Near Folsom and Glenwood
A man finds the back door to his garage open and his $3,000 mountain bike gone. He concludes it was stolen overnight.
On 4/10, the man sees his bike listed for sale on Craigslist for $800. He calls police to ask for help getting it back; they agree to do so after verifying the bike is his. However, the seller backs out of their agreed meeting.
On 4/11, the man updates police. He says he decided to simply buy the bike back for $700, as it was less than 20% of the cost of replacing it. The seller is described, but not identified. When an officer asks why he didn’t have the police go with him, he says he just wanted to buy his bicycle back so he could go biking with his friend.
4/8/23
Near 30th and Pearl
A man discovers his $910 custom bicycle, which was locked in his apartment complex storage unit with a U-lock, is gone.
On 5/1, the man sees his bike for sale on Facebook Marketplace for $800. He shows a police officer the thread, and also pictures proving it’s his bike. He books a meeting with the seller at a gas station in south Boulder. The officer accompanies him.
The seller is found with the bike beside his car. He says he bought the bike from a stranger on Facebook Marketplace about a month ago. He is not able to substantiate this, nor that he bought it in some other way, nor his claim that he regularly does such business online. In the end, he willingly relinquishes the bike to the owner, who declines to press charges and “was just glad to have his bicycle back.”
Another officer following up learns the bike was submitted to a pawn shop in Longmont. He learns the suspect has numerous other pawns that “appear to be associated with other crimes in and around the City of Boulder.”
4/11/23
Near 38th and Arapahoe
A man reports that his $6,000 mountain bike, which was locked to the back of his vehicle, was stolen outside a business around 6 PM the night before. The following morning, he receives a signal from his AirTag hidden under the seat. He finds the bike in Lafayette, on South Boulder Road, between a utility box and a fence. Except for being dusty and having one tire low on air, the bike has no apparent damage. He updates officers on recovering his bike. No suspects are identified.
4/11/23
1001 Arapahoe, Boulder Public Library
A man locks his $3,000 mountain bike to a rack outside the library on the north side of the creek (outside the auditorium) at 3:30 PM. He notes it is in view of the security desk inside. At 4:30 PM, he returns and finds the bike and the lock missing. No suspects are identified.
4/12/23
Near 20th and Arapahoe
10:00 AM
A man walks out of his home and discovers his $800 bike is gone and the cut lock laying on the ground. Remembering that he has an AirTag hidden in the taillight, he checks his phone and sees that it’s still in the area. He finds his bike locked up with another bike nearby.
BPD is able to confirm the bike was registered with CU. They use bolt cutters to cut the lock, which they take and submit as evidence.
4/14/23
Near 19th and Canyon
Officers respond to a cold burglary downtown. They speak with the victim, whose apartment was broken into the night before. Among many items missing are a $1,800 electric bike. The bike does have an AirTag pinging its location nearby; however the officers do not find it.
On 4/17, the victim emails police with an updated nearby location from his AirTag. Officers find the bike against a fence behind a building. They find the AirTag duct taped under the seat. The owner arrives with keys for the ebike. He provides the correct serial number, and it is returned to him.
4/21/23
Near 29th and Valmont
A man discovers his apartment storage locker has been broken into and his $3,666 mountain bike is gone.
On 5/3, another man finds the bike abandoned on his property near 9th and Arapahoe. He calls police, suspecting it was stolen as it appears to be expensive. An officer responds and scans the QR code on the underside of the bike that links to the Bike Index website. He identifies it as the mountain bike stolen and contacts the owner.
4/22/23
This is the day my own beloved recumbent trike was stolen in the middle of the day from outside a business in north Boulder. It was never recovered. I did start a Gofundme, and I was eventually able to replace it. Thank you to everyone who donated.
4/24/23
13th and Pearl
A woman locks her $2,000 mountain bike outside an eatery on the mall. When she comes back at 4:36 PM, it is gone.
On 8/9, a records employee at BPD learns the bike was recovered in “very good condition” by the Boulder County Drug Task Force from a residence in east Boulder. She notifies the owner for recovery.
5/4/23
1604 Arapahoe, Boulder High School
A woman reports that her 15 year old son’s $599 bike was stolen from Boulder High School while he was in class. She says it was a gift from his grandmother one month before. Officers locate footage of a man with tattoos on his arms and legs using a saw to cut the lock, then riding it away about one minute later.
On 5/11, officers respond regarding an attempted theft of an ebike from this same location. This time they have a suspect, who is read his rights and agrees to speak with them. He says he attempted to steal the bike from BHS as “a crime attempted out of pure opportunity.” He describes an associate whom he suspects from the 5/4 theft and who camps with his girlfriend in various places, including Central Park. An officer identifies the unknown associate but does not have probable cause to arrest him.
On 6/19, an officer responds regarding a disturbance at a restaurant near 28th and Glenwood. The suspect – a third man – flees but leaves his bike behind. The abandoned bike is identified as the ebike stolen 5/4. It is returned to its owner.
5/4/23
Near 18th and Colorado
A CU employee gets off work and finds her $500 bike missing from the rack outside her building.
The woman calls officers en route to a retirement party near 22nd and Arapahoe. She informs them the bike was stolen and that it has an AirTag attached to it. She also says her husband saw an unknown man riding the bike downtown.
Officers search around 17th and Arapahoe, per the last ping, and they find it in the rear of a building behind a fence. As they walk over to it, a man approaches them and asks if they need any help. When they ask him about the bike, he says someone allowed him to borrow it so he could deliver food. He says he does not know the men who gave him the bike. Officers note the man has attached some of his belongings to it.
Officers write the man a summons for theft. They take the bike back to the owner, who is still at her retirement party.
5/5/23
13th St. and College
A man locks his $2,000 electric mountain bike up in an alley at 2:55 PM to attend a job interview on University Hill. When he returns at 3:26 PM, the bike and Kryptonite lock are gone. As he is talking on the phone with his parents about it, he notices a man looking at him, laughing, and smiling at him – especially when he mentions calling the police. He notes he saw the man earlier as well.
On 5/28, officers respond to a property in east Boulder regarding an electric mountain bike with the battery “torn out.” They find the bike minus its battery, but largely undamaged otherwise. They contact the owner.
5/9/23
Broadway and Pearl
4:33 PM
A man who was out with his family discovers his $3,500 electric mountain bike has been stolen from the mall. He calls police and tells them it has an AirTag; its last known location was 17th and Canyon. Officers check the area but do not find it.
At 8:18 PM, the man receives another ping from the area of Folsom and Taft. An officer responds to an encampment and finds a man sitting on the bike. He approaches the man while another man and woman flee on foot. The officer confirms the bike is the one which was stolen. The man tells the officer the bike was laying on the ground, and he was just using it to sit on. The officer determines the man was not involved in the theft, rather it was likely the other man who left. The officer contacts the owner, who retrieves his bike about 9:20 PM. He notes there are other bicycles inside the encampment but cannot verify any of them as stolen.
5/11/23
3rd and Canyon
A man discovers his $2,100 road bike was stolen the night before from his garage on CU campus. He files a report with CUPD. At 7:38 AM, he calls police after spotting it at an encampment near 3rd and Canyon.
An officer responds. He sees three people crossing the street with two bikes, including a woman pushing the possible stolen bike. The officer contacts her and learns she has trespassing warrants out of Arvada; however the jail won’t accept them. CUPD arrives and questions the woman. She cannot be confirmed as the suspect in the burglary; however she is given a felony summons for theft. Per the report, she did not need to be transported to the jail for her fingerprints and photo because they already had them on file.
5/11/23
1604 Arapahoe, Boulder High School
2:00 PM
A man is seen using bolt cutters to cut a lock off an electric bike in front of Boulder High School. Staff respond and see the man riding the bike east on Arapahoe. They are able to grab the back end of the bike. The man dismounts and runs south on 17th St. A security guard is able to catch him and hold him down. A CUPD officer passing by sees what’s happening, stops, and helps get the man into handcuffs.
BPD officers respond. A woman at the scene tells officers she came up from Denver to buy a bike (a different bike) from the man. Officers look at that bike and find it was reported stolen in Denver. They take possession of it. They keep the bolt cutters as evidence.
Officers take the man to the police station where he is questioned. When asked why he attempted to steal the bike, he says something to the effect of “I don’t know. I needed a ride home.”
The man is given a summons for theft ($2,000-5,000), possession of burglary tools, and 3rd degree criminal trespass.
5/22/23
Near 30th and Iris
8:15 AM
An officer on patrol notices a man looking through items in a trailer. He sees the man lock the trailer and leave on a bike. He is dispatched to another call but returns about 1:30 PM to follow up.
The officer finds the trailer with no license plate. He runs the VIN, which is on a sticker in plain view, and learns the $5,000 trailer was reported stolen out of Longmont. As he is on the phone with Longmont PD, he sees the man from earlier arrive, along with another man, both on bikes. The officer attempts to follow them, but they slip away.
The officer returns to the trailer and finds two people, a man and a woman, attempting to hook the trailer up to a van. He conducts a high risk vehicle stop. The woman runs away, although she is later identified. The man is taken into custody. The man says he was offered $100 to pick up the trailer and move it. He is able to corroborate this and is released.
Officers contact the trailer’s owner. He gives them permission to force it open and search it. They find many items, including:
~ a makeshift bunk bed with pillow and blankets
~ m/f clothing and other personal items
~ 1.4 lbs marijuana
~ 10.2g cocaine
~ 0.6g meth
~ a note with a phone number appearing to speak of dealing drugs
~ 2 scales
~ a CU student’s RTD bus pass
~ a $100 bill which is obviously counterfeit
~ a $700 guitar
~ an assortment of rodent deterrent smoke grenades
~ numerous fingerprints, which are collected
~ a receipt from a Boulder retailer, which is able to provide screenshots of the purchaser, who is recognized as the woman who fled
and
~ a $1,000 bicycle which was reported stolen 5/16 from a residence near 19th and Alpine.
5/24/23
Near 29th and Canyon
6:10 PM
A man at an eatery with his parents sees a man looking at his bike, which is parked inside the patio gate. He knocks on the window to get the suspect’s attention. The man jumps on the bike and rides off. The suspect and his mother chase after him but do not catch him.
The victim says he bought the bike a week ago for $4,000, although he’s aware it was worth more than that. The officer searches online and finds it retails for $5,000-6,500.
5/31/23
Near 18th and Grove
An officer responds regarding four bikes stolen from his van the night before. The victim says they were locked to his specialty bike rack and last seen 9 PM the night before. By 7 AM, the lock securing them was cut and the bikes were all gone. The victim recalls hearing his dog barking at 2:30 AM and guesses that’s when the thefts took place. A porch camera does not catch what happened. The four bikes, all kids bikes, totaled about $7,000.
6/2/23
Broadway and Marine
11:49 PM
Officers respond regarding a man trying to steal a bike. Dispatch advises the suspect has a dog, and one shoe, and he tried to hit the victim with a bucket.
Officers speak with the victim, who says he rode his bike to his friend’s house. He had discovered it missing about an hour earlier; he borrowed another bike to go look for it when he spotted the suspect riding it along Broadway. He yelled at the suspect, pushed him off the bike, and both men scuffled. The victim is able to show officers pictures proving it’s his bike.
The suspect says he bought the bike about an hour before from an unknown male for $400. (The bike is valued at $7,000.)
Officers learn the suspect has a FTA out of BCSO. They arrest him. He’s taken by AMR to BCH for a medical clearance, then to jail for a book-and-release with a summons for felony theft. What happened with his dog is not clear from the report.
* The suspect was contacted during a camp cleanup on 5/23 for having an aggressive dog off leash. He provided the name of his friend as his own, to avoid being arrested on his warrants, but was not able to correctly say how old he was. To his surprise, he learned that his friend whose name he had provided also had a warrant. He was identified, and despite also having someone else’s ID in his possession, he was released with a summons.
6/11/23
Near Foothills and Valmont
7:39 AM
A woman arrives home to find her garage door open, a $5,600 mountain bike missing, and another unknown bike left in its place. Officers note the door is damaged from being accessed.
Officers obtain 2 fingerprints. They ask neighbors about the unknown bike. No one claims it. The serial number on the bottom of it is illegible.
6/24/23
Near 28th and Pearl
A man leaves his $4,000 electric bike unsecured outside a retail store for about 5 minutes. When he returns, it’s gone. He explains to the responding officer that it requires a key to start, which he had with him, and it does not have any pedals.
The officer is able to locate footage of a man taking the bike and leaving. Although he is able to get a physical description, the suspect and bike are not located.
6/28/23
Near Folsom and Arapahoe
2:12 PM
An officer responds regarding two men trespassing in a parking garage. He finds them with their personal belongings laying on the ground around them. He learns that one of the men has five warrants for his arrest. He also learns the man’s bike, which he claims is his, was reported stolen out of Longmont. The man is arrested. He informs the officer about a small blue fentanyl pill he has in his pocket. The $1,200 mountain bike is recovered.
7/19/23
A bike shop downtown
10:15 AM
A man walks into a bike store. He is very friendly and talking to many people around him. He asks to test ride a bike. However, he says he does not have an ID or credit card on him, which are required for test rides. The man leaves.
A few minutes later, the man comes back in with another man he says is his best friend from high school and can vouch for him. This second man provides his license and credit card, and stays at the shop during the test ride. The first man leaves an oval container that he says contains $3,000 cash, which he will use to buy the $2,750 bike if he likes it. (He requests that no one open it, since he doesn’t want to get “jumped” for having that much cash on him.)
The man leaves for his test ride. He does not come back.
Officers speak with the second man. He tells them the first man, whom he didn’t actually know, approached him outside the store and asked him to vouch for him. Staff ultimately declines to charge this man, as the whole situation was suspicious, including that the bike was the wrong size for the suspect.
When opened, the oval case the suspect left behind contains no cash, just drug paraphernalia (needles/cook tin/cotton balls/distilled water), and a broken smart phone.
7/25/23
3170 Broadway
A man locks his electric bike (valued over $10,000) to a bike rack outside North Boulder Rec about 1 PM. When he comes back at 2:15 PM, the bike is gone, and the cut lock and helmet are laying on the grass nearby. Staff advises their security cameras only reach the racks closer to the door, which were full.
7/31/23
A bike shop near 28th and Canyon
A man walks into a bike shop and speaks with sales associates about getting a $3,999 electric bike. About 12:58 PM, the man leaves with the bike without paying for it and rides away. Shortly after, he is joined by a woman he appears to be with. An unknown bike is left behind at the store.
8/1/23
Near Broadway and Table Mesa
A man locks his $5,000 mountain bike outside a grocery store at about 1:00 PM. When he comes back, it is gone. No suspects are identified.
8/4/23
1001 Arapahoe, Boulder Public Library
A woman locks her $1,200 mountain bike by its front wheel outside the library about 5:45 PM. When she comes back about 30 minutes later, she finds the front wheel still locked up, but the rest of the bike is gone. No suspects are identified.
8/9/23
33rd and Arapahoe (this was 0.2 miles from the police station)
2:05 AM
An officer locates a man with a bike who had run away from another officer. The man repeatedly tries to walk away. The first officer arrives on scene; he immediately recognizes the man and knows he has active warrants, as well as probable cause for a different case. The man continues trying to walk away; the officers have to block him from leaving. They confirm the man has a felony warrant out of BCSO.
A third officer arrives on scene who immediately recognizes the $749 mountain bike as stolen. The man is arrested and taken to jail. Officers searching him find 0.1g meth and four blue fentanyl pills.
The bike itself had been stolen from outside the North Boulder Rec Center between 6:26 AM and 7:30 AM, while the owner was inside taking a class. It is recovered.
The suspect happens to be the man referenced in this post on Reddit.
8/24/23
1777 Broadway, Boulder Municipal Building
2:30 PM
Officers respond regarding a robbery of someone’s $600 mountain bike on the east side of the Municipal building. They meet with the victim, who says he saw three men smoking and selling fentanyl. He says he approached them to say there were families and children in the area. He says one of the men pulled out a gun and pointed it at him and demanded his bike; the other two men pulled out pocket knives. He immediately left without his bike. He is able to describe the bike in detail and provide proof of ownership.
The victim goes on to say he borrowed a bike from a friend and followed the man with the bike, who had ridden off toward the mall. He confronted the man in the 1300 block of Pearl and demanded his bike back; the suspect again threatened him.
Officers locate the suspect with the bike at 13th and Pearl. He unsuccessfully attempts to hop on the bike and leave. He says he knows nothing about the alleged robbery and that he got the bike from someone in Central Park, although he does not say who. He offers back the bike. Meanwhile, the HOT (homeless outreach) team is able to identify the other two men.
Whether anyone was arrested is not clear from the report. Repeated attempts to follow up with the victim are not answered.
There is more to this story, however I’m not able to share further details without risk of identifying the suspects involved.
8/28/23
Near 28th and Canyon
11:07 AM
A man locks his $3,300 bike up and enters a nearby bagel shop. When he returns 15 minutes later, it is gone. No suspects are identified.
8/28/23
1001 Arapahoe, Boulder Public Library
A man locks his $3,600 electric bike at the library with a “heavy duty” chain. When he comes back, the chain is cut and the bike is gone. No suspects are identified.
9/9/23
Broadway and Pearl
11:10 AM
An officer responds regarding two men tampering with bike locks. He parks his car and contacts one of the men based on his physical description. The officer convinces the man to speak with him. He then sees the other man nearby. When asked what they are doing in the area, they say “eating breakfast.”
An officer speaks with the first man, who denies being involved in any bike thefts. He insists on emptying his backpack and fanny pack to prove he doesn’t have any bike theft tools. An officer contacts the RP, who again describes his appearance and says she witnessed him cutting a lock on a bike and riding away on it. She also describes the bike stolen, which matches the bike he currently has in his possession (a $300 cruiser). The man is arrested and handcuffed; he’s read his rights and provides his identifying information. He’s given a summons for theft and released about 12:03 PM. Per the report, he was “verbally antagonistic.”
* The man was contacted 7/10 while trespassing in an unoccupied house near 13th and Arapahoe. He informed officers he had smoked fentanyl 2.5 hours earlier and was withdrawing. He was arrested for first degree trespassing and found with three fentanyl pills on his person.
9/27/23
A retailer near 29th and Canyon
A man parks his SUV in a busy parking lot near 28th and Canyon. It has his $4,700 road bike on a rear rack secured with a cable lock. When he returns, the cable is cut and the bike is gone. No suspects are identified.
10/10/23
Near 6th and Arapahoe
9:47 PM
Officers take a report of a woman who entered a yard, and then 2 bicycles disappeared, earlier in the day. They speak with the victim, who provides pictures of the suspect. They speak with the victim’s neighbor, who says the woman came to her door, handled her mail, and took 2 Amazon packages. Another neighbor says his propane tank was taken from his grill, and for some reason his neighbor’s mail had been placed in the grill.
Officers are able to identify the woman from security footage. They learn she had entered a nearby residence, opened the refrigerator, and started drinking out of a carton of milk. A resident confronted her and asked her to leave. While leaving, she checked out bikes in his yard; she also examined his trailer, and then got in it. The resident kept telling her to leave, which she finally did.
Officers locate the woman by the Municipal Building. In her possession, she has the 2 Amazon boxes and one of the stolen bikes. They ask to speak with her; she says “Now what do you guys want? I already spoke with you guys earlier today about the petty theft.” (She is referring to a criminal mischief case from 4:30 PM.)
Officers return the bike to the owner.
10/13/23
Near Folsom and Kalmia
12:08 PM
A man rides up to an open garage on a bike. He dumps the bike, enters the garage, mounts a $2,200 ebike, and rides away. This is caught on video.
The owners, who are tracking the stolen bike’s location via AirTag, contact police. After some confusion about where it is, the owners ultimately locate the suspect and yell at him. He drops the bike and runs away. Officers find and detain him.
The suspect provides varying identifying info. He is read his rights. He voluntarily says he was directed by a friend to pick up the bike; however he cannot identify his friend. He is arrested.
At the jail, the man provides a false name again. He is identified by his fingerprints. He is found to have a warrant out of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office. He also has two checks in his possession totalling $27,626 (over $27,000), which are later returned.
The ebike is returned to its owners. The bike which the man was originally riding is a $525 women’s mountain bike. It is booked as found property.
10/20/23
1777 Broadway, Boulder Municipal Building
A man locks his $2,000 cyclocross bike up at the Municipal building at 6 PM to attend the Boulder City Council meeting. After Open Comment, he leaves and discovers his bike is gone. He notes he was hoping the foot traffic and lights would keep it safe. It’s not clear whether a security camera nearby was real or captured anything.
10/20/23
Near 28th and Moorhead
A man locks his $800 mountain bike by its front wheel. When he wakes up, he discovers it is gone. He notes it is registered with CU bike index and has the details. He also notes the AirTag on it indicates it is rapidly leaving the area.
On 12/16, officers contact an encampment behind a grocery store near 30th and Arapahoe. They speak with a woman sitting outside of a tent. She says she is living in the tent, and two of three bicycles present belong to her. She gives them permission to run the serial number on one, but not the other. This second bike is found to be the mountain bike reported stolen 10/20, which is confirmed by its serial number. She says she was given the bike by a man she knows only by his street name (which happens to be the name of a villain from Batman). She is cited for theft. The bike is returned to its owner.
11/2/2023
1777 Broadway, Boulder Municipal Building
A city employee locks her new $2,500 electric bike outside the Municipal building at 9:00 AM. When she comes back at 10:30 AM, it is gone. No suspects are identified.
11/5/23
Cascade and 11th St
12:31 AM
An officer contacts two men with a bicycle and two electric scooters. The officer notes that there’s a CU football game going on, and that thefts, burglaries, and other crimes occur while a majority of residents on University Hill are at these games. He also notes the men have walkie talkies on their shoulders, which the officer knows are often used by criminals to communicate and avoid detection.
One man provides his name and is cleared. The other man provides a false name. Eventually, after being told he will be fingerprinted at the jail if needed, he provides his real name. He’s found to have a felony warrant (DOC) for aggravated motor vehicle theft. He’s also on parole for a stolen motor vehicle and possession of illegal firearms.
The man is arrested. He admits stealing the bike and one of the scooters. He produces a piece of tinfoil with half a blue fentanyl pill from his pocket. Officers search his backpack and find items including about 30 needles, a glass pipe, a plastic pipe, two sets of pliers, and a shaved key (used for stealing cars).
The total theft amount between the bike and two scooters is approximately $2,120. Other items recovered include a $1,400 laptop, 2 bank cards belonging to other people, a receipt showing a declined transaction, and many other items.
11/5/23
Near Foothills and Valmont
4:05 AM
A man forces entry into a garage and steals a $2,000 mountain bike after cutting its lock. The victim, who also has camera footage, reports the theft to police.
On 11/10/23, officers respond to a disturbance at a residence in northeast Boulder. Officers separate the parties and learn one has a protection order against contacting the homeowner.
Several bikes are found on the property. Officers are given permission to run the serial numbers. One of the bikes comes back as the stolen mountain bike. The suspect, who knew the code for the lock that was on it (proving it was in his possession), is arrested.
At the jail, the man is read his rights and speaks with officers. He says his girlfriend came home with it one day. Officers can’t verify he’s the one who broke into the garage, as the video (especially given the time of day) is not sufficiently clear. However he is still charged with felony theft.
The bike is returned to its owner, who is thankful.
11/7/23
1001 Arapahoe, Boulder Public Library
A woman locks her $700 electric scooter with a U lock outside the library at 10:15 AM. When she returns at 11:30 AM, both the scooter and the lock are gone. There are no cameras facing the area, and no suspects are identified.
11/12/23
Near 28th and College
A man discovers his $800 mountain bike is missing from the bike rack outside his residence. He notes the lock was cut in half and left behind. He also notes it has an AirTag on it. He watches as it travels all around the city.
On 11/18/23, an officer meets the victim near Howard Heuston Park, as the bike has been located next to an unoccupied tent. The victim says the bike has been there for about two days. The officer confirms it’s his bike and returns it to him.
11/17/23
Near 30th and Walnut
A man leaves his $3,300 ebike unlocked outside a small grocery store for about 15 minutes. When he comes out, it is gone. He looks and sees someone riding it away. He gives chase but can’t run fast enough to catch up. He notes the bike was visible from inside the store, but he did not see the theft.
On 11/21/23, an officer on foot patrol underneath Foothills at Arapahoe finds the bike. He recognizes it as stolen from an internal email. He confirms it’s the same bike and contacts the owner, who had recently run for city council.
11/19/23
Near 14th and Canyon
A man discovers two road bikes have been stolen from his vehicle while it was parked. The bikes were locked to the rack, but the rack was forced open. They are valued at $3,000 and $5,000.
On 11/29/23, an officer responds to calls about a man covering several bicycles with a tarp at Kalmia and Hazelwood Ct. He arrives to see “five bicycles in various states of completion.” He runs all five bikes through the database, and discovers the $5,000 bike stolen 11/19. He contacts the owner.
1/13/24
5660 Sioux, East Boulder Recreation Center
10:15 AM
A man approaches an officer who is assigned to the cold weather shelter being operated at East Boulder Rec. He says he had left his bicycle unlocked in the rack out front about 7:00 AM, and at 10:15 AM it was gone. He describes the bike as a $1,500 mountain bike. He is able to describe it in detail; however it is not located.
Per Weather Underground, the outdoor temperature during this time frame was about -10°F.
2/11/24
Near 28th and Shadow Creek
A man discovers his $1,800 electric bike, which was locked up in the secure parking garage under his apartment building, is gone and the cut lock is laying on the ground. He has an AirTag on it which is pinging from the area of 28th and Goose Creek. Officers respond and find the bike hidden in a bush. They contact a man in a tent nearby. He says he knows nothing about it. Officers note the man’s shoes do not match the footprints around the bike. They return the bike to the owner, who is waiting nearby.
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