A Thief Leaves a Note?!

Have you ever seen the TV show, something to do with- 'Dumb Criminals'? Well, you never think anything like that could happen to you, right? Wrong.

I have a three wheeled bike that I have had for well over six years now. Shortly after buying it, I ended up hurting my hip, and was unable to ride it. So we kept it. Since then it has rusted, the brakes no longer work, and we have to use vice grips to hold it together where it separates for travel.

Now that I am able to move around freely, I started riding it. We determined it needed pedals and went to the store and bought some. I asked my husband would he put them on the following day, and he agreed.

So, now it is the next day, hubby takes the pedals and heads outside to get my bike. In the basket I had a box, cut in half so I could ride my dog in it without hurting her paws. The box was on my exercise machine, and in it was a note.

The note explained that my bike had been taken, to give to another person who needed it more. And at the bottom of the note, he signed his name.

The man, who did this, is known for taking a bike from one resident and selling it to another for profit. Many in my area have lost bikes because of him. This is not assumed, many have seen him, and several have even caught him in the act!

So we called the police. The Sheriffs Deputy came and read the note, and then brought up the mans information on the computer. The photo on the screen, shown the man in question. The officer told us there was nothing he could do about it, no one seen this man take it, and no one has it on video, and that there was no statute about theft. He did however say, if he seen the man, he would in fact question him. That was it.

Later that evening, the man who left the note, and took my bike came over. I had my sons with me, and several neighbors. The thief wanted a light for his cigarette, so everyone offered him one, and sat him in down on our lawn furniture. I went quietly to the drive way, and called the police.

The thief apologized, and told me he was sorry for taking my bike. He told me the lady was disabled and that "someone" had stolen her bike before, and she needed one. I marched right in front of him, lifted up my skirt to expose my hip, and showed him my scarring from my hip surgery. I said, I too was disabled, and was excited to finally be able to ride my bike, and then mine gets stolen. I asked how that was right. I was angry, and yes- I had an attitude!

He agreed, what he done wasn't right, that was why he was here to make it right. He then proceeds to give us the address to the bike, and tells us to go get it. After learning that the fact that possession is 9/10^th of the law, and that laws are for criminals, he wants us to go and steal my bike back?! I don't think so!

He then tells me that he fixed my bike, put new pedals on it, and a bolt where the bike separated rather then vice grips. He also said even cleaned up my bike. Did he want applause or what?!

The police show up, and ask the man if he in fact took my bike, and if he was the one that left the note. The man stated: "I signed my name to it didn't I? Yeah, it was me!" The officer asked the man, if he would return the bike. And the man said yes, take me to it.

In the meantime, my husband requested to put a "No Trespass" on the man. So the deputy started filling out that paper work, and put the man into the cruiser to take him to where he claimed the bike was located. My husband was to follow, to get the bike in question.

At the location, the man and the deputy walk up to the porch and knock. A woman answers the door. The deputy explains, as the thief lowers his head in shame. The woman asks to put a "No Trespass" on this man, explaining she was sick and tired of his games, and never wants to see him again, that he has screwed her way too many times. The deputy cannot do it, because it is a different territory.

The woman gets the bike and gives it to the deputy, and the deputy has my husband inspect it, to be certain it is my bike. And it is, rust and all. My husband starts loading it into my vehicle, and the Deputy offers to put the man into jail. My husband says, "I don't want my tax dollars feeding him, he'll get back out in three days, just like before. Why bother?"

Free to go, the deputy releases the thief. As the thief starts walking away, he heads into the yard next door to the ladies house, and takes another bicycle, and speeds away.

And by the way, the things the man claimed to have fixed on my bike, he didn't. He was just trying to make himself look like a good guy.

I never thought I would be able to say I met one of 'America's Dumbest Criminals' but apparently, I was mistaken.