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Subscribe to RSSIf you've had your bike stolen, this story about a Portland, Ore. man confronting an alleged bike thief is for you.
Here’s what happened: On Aug. 3, Jake Gillum, a scruffy, 28-year-old who describes himself as blue collar, according to Digital Trends, found that his 2009 Fuji Team road bike had been stolen.
Gillum scoured Craigslist.org, where he spotted, four days later, his $2,500 bike for sale in Seattle.
He resolved to get his bike back, but first, he would start growing out his beard to look tougher and older, he told Digital Trends.
He would contact the thief, posing as a prospective buyer. He would use the iPhone Burner app so the alleged thief would think he was calling from Seattle and not Portland, where the bike was stolen.
The two would meet – in Seattle’s upscale University Village mall -- and as Gillum stalled the alleged thief by asking questions, his friends would call the police. He would wear running shoes, thick Carhartt pants and a sweatshirt to look bigger.
The police would arrive, the bad guy would get arrested and Gillum would get his bike back.
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That’s what happened on Saturday, pretty much, plus a very slow bike chase and a surprisingly civil confrontation between thieved and (alleged) thief that could have been inspired by Reno 911!
“I would like you to apologize,” Gillum says in the video.
“For what?” the alleged thief asks.
“For stealing my bicycle.”
The alleged thief, Craig Ackerman, 22, does not apologize. Later he claims he bought the bike from Craigslist, knowing it was stolen.
“It’s not illegal to buy stolen stuff. I looked it up, dude,” Ackerman tells Gillum.
“Well you’re in possession of stolen property and you’re going to jail,” Gillum shoots back.
“You don’t go to jail for that! You got it back, dude.”
“Dude, you go to jail.”
“For what?”
“For stealing my bike.”
“I didn’t steal it!”
“You stole it.”
“I didn’t.”
And so on, until the police arrive, the alleged thief is apprehended and the thank-you credits role.
Postscript, not available in the video: Ackerman was booked Saturday on suspicion of felony trafficking of stolen property and released Monday evening. No charges have been filed -- the case has not yet been referred to the King County Prosecutor's Office, according to spokesman Dan Donohoe.
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Leave a Comment:
I hope the man is charged with possession of stolen property. Attempt to sell said stolen property. The owner deserves his justice. The thief should be made public to as being a thief. He is fortunate this guy wasn't unhinged and just shot his ass. When some one does the Right thing they should be rewarded, not the other way around.
Must of been a slow day there if it takes that many cops for a bike thief. In Arizona it takes forever for cops come when someone breaks into your home.
Where did this "must of" come from? It's fairly recent and just so sloppy. Try "must have."
Too bad they didn't catch the girlfriend. That b*%$# deserved a good smack in her ugly, gap toothed face!
and WTF hasn't this guy been charged yet? They have all the evidence they need!
Plus I love the fact that when they showed the pic of their car getting towed there was another bicycle on the back of it. So why aren't they investigating that too?
Carolyn-1500288--it comes from not reading. It's easy to hear "must of" when someone says "must've." If joebob had read a book, he wouldn't make that mistake. It's not that recent either--I taught writing at the university level decades ago, and began to see it then. Along with "taking it for granite." ;^)
Denouement: Thank you for your observation. I'm a retired technical writer, and casn vouch for the fact that an apalling (spelling?) prfoportion of our population seems constitutionally incapable of spelling. I've even had to show ome editors correct spellings of words. Just words, mind you not difficult technical terms. Oh, by the way, I think your comment about taking things for granite is just marbelous. Sorry. I ouldn't resist.
It's mind-bottling that people can't remember a simple saying like "taking it for granted."
I know, right? Like when your thoughts get all trapped, like in a bottle...?
Heck, on our local news in Tucson, AZ last night even the reporters were talking about catching and arresting the "taggers" who are "yielding" (huh, not wielding?) the spray paint cans. Because, you see, until they are caught they won't yield a damn thing!
Most Cops nowadays seem to want to give the bad guys time to get away so they don't shoot back at them. It seems IMHO the police now only want to shoot unarmed people.
Ask the Santa Ana, Pasadena or Fullerton Police departments here in California. They will tell you.
Or better yet...just watch the nightly news.
I love all of the spelling comments. I am currently going to school to be a spec ed teacher and one of my greatest pet peeves is people who cannot spell or do not know the proper use of a word or group of words. Irregardless is the one that bothers me the most; there is no such word, you mean to say regardless or "without regard".
It was lucky for everyone involved, as well as bystanders, that neither had a gun. Ended peacefully with no one physically hurt.
How about when you want to ask someone something. The new way is to say aks me or ax me instead of ask me.
They should charge both. stolen property and false arrest and imprisonment or kidnapping for the guy who was stupid enough to leave his back unprotected. You can't scare people just cause you're mad. He should be sued too.
Can't believe the thief didn't get a beat-down. A baseball bat would correct his problem more than the justice??? system turning him loose to continue preying on other people.
Hillary 2016: Theft of an item worth $2,600 is a felony and a citizen's arrest is still legal in this country.
And he did have a friend to watch his back.
Sorry but you're wrong Hillary. Completely legal. Look it up, and don't use the same legal source the thief did when he checked if receiving stolen goods was legal. That part was priceless.
That kind of do nothing thinking is what is wrong with America. We as members of society have a responsibility to let other's know that their inappropriate behavior is unwanted. If in a case such as this where a citizen has witnessed a felony, it is all together right and proper to arrest the offender. If the perp committed these acts against the arresting individual, all the more motivation.
biker,
I agree with you on all counts.
I have seen many signs that ask for info on stolen motorcycles, and state that "police will not be involved". Sometimes and idiot steals from the wrong person.
A few years ago a friend of mine had his "next years model" skis stolen from him. He waited and watched the lift line. Once he found his skis (being skied on by the thief) he did not need the police. Crime doesn't pay if you are an idiot as well as a thief.
Hahahahaa!
Where I live, dealing in stolen goods while knowing that they are stolen (and the bozo admitted that), is a penal felony. I hope It's likewise in the USA.
Great job!
He didn't mention in the video but I hope he showed the cops where the thief threw something over that fence (drugs of some sort?).
Good job on getting the bike back and making a dirt bag look like a P.O.S.
I think it was the seat of the bike...
I don't buy the crook's story one bit, he stole it. Its the oldest trick in the book to say you bought it, but that is why, knowingly obtain stolen property is a felony. There is a good bet that the crook will get off, but there is one constellation, this crook will never lead a decent life and will have to watch his back for the rest of his life and would be better off in jail.
It is of little consolation that there is a constellation in this story.
I bought it off craig's list. LOL. let me see your phone logs or interent logs to show you communicated with that unamed seller before the original owner set you up to look like the dregs of society.
Good for him! I'm glad he got his bike back and hope the thief goes to prison for at least 2-3 years.
Dude
Sweet
Dude
Sweet
Dude...where's my bike?
Good for him...and hopefully the scum he busted gets the full sentence. I don't buy the "but I bought it!" defense, and even if there was a SHRED of truth, the fact he knew it was stolen makes him just as guilty. Trafficking in stolen goods is against the law in all 50 states, and that is precisely what he did when he shopped it online.
Too bad we don't hear more good news stories like this...
August 2012 my $15 commuter bike was not where i parked it as I got off the train after a long days work. Yes it had been stolen no evidence of the lock or cable all evidence had vanished. Well pissed off instead of reporting it to the local PD I began my trek home. Lo and behold about 100 yards from the train station I see a bike that looks remarkably like mine being walked by a fellow who was just about to cross the street. I sped up as something about this bike had peaked my interest, as I drew closer it began to look more and more familiar, then bang it was my bike. Immediate rush of adreniline and I charged the culprit who was taken completely by surprise as he was smashed to the ground wondering wtf. I was about to administer Judge Dredd justice but the guy offered no resistence and was well lubricated from cheap liquor. I put my foot on his neck and summonsed five-oh. They arrived to a scene of me with my foot on this guys head and a bike on the ground on the main st. To cut a long story short I got my $15 bike back the guy pissed himself in the squad car and I'm told was about to spenf the night in the local lockup, never heard anything else a year later. That friends is my story..
In Maricopa County, AZ the dumb deputies would have arrested you for assault.
...and then asked to see your documentation that you were a legal resisdent.
You trollers have really got to get a life. Joe would have had this guy's back all along and put the thief in a pink jumpsuit where he belongs.
4 words, numskull: possession of stolen property. Doesn't matter if you bought it or what. If it's stolen, and you know it, clap your hands. Behind your back.
He wont go to jail! The courts may send someone to jail but its' the prison guard union who runs the prisons.If the prisoner to jailer ratio get too high,the union will complain and demand the ratios be lower.There are two ways to do that,one is to let out non violent prisoners early and second is not to send ,non violent offenders to jail.If you think I'm dilutional,pay attention to your home state and you will see! Another big union demand thateffects us all ! These unons just are incapable of empathy for their fellow citizens!
With so many for profit jails and prisons, I'm sure the system will have no trouble finding private housing for the thief.
I got my TV stolen. Never found it.
Well folks, that's my story.
because cops and the government do not care anymore about what is right or wrong.. it is the wild wild west.....
Why do you think the NRA wants everyone to have a gun, they WANT the wild wild west back...maybe they liked the movies.....
thieves can do what they want to in this country.. cops are too busy making revenue.. the best thing to do is take care of business yourself and tell no one.. cops and the system are not on our side anymore.. we are totally on our own....
A similar thing happened to me when my bike was stolen from outside my work. The lock was cut. Months later I saw a guy riding it, I jumped out of the car I was a passenger in and confronted him. He jumped off the bike and started running away and I chased after him. He ran towards a place with gang members outside drinking. I returned later to the place in a police car to identify him, but he was gone. The other gang members threw signs at me while the cop dumped out their beers. At least I got my bike back.
Wow... I guess nothing INTERESTING happened today.
In my area a guy saw his stolen car at a swap meet. He called the cops, showed them the title, and the cops refused to do anything.
"It's not illegal! I looked it up!" What a knuckle head.
“It’s not illegal to buy stolen stuff. I looked it up, dude,” HAHAHA, and the earth is flat, the moon is made of green cheese...
Credits roll. The roles are what the credits describe.
Credits roll. They don't role.
It would have been very nice if NBC News could've given us at least a 'not safe for work' or some other warning about the swearing in the vid. I was excited to show it to my son but obviously after the second eff bomb - I think it was even a muther eff bomb - we turned it off. Not cool, NBC. Not cool at all.
PS - We're from Portland...
You make a good point Malarson. I remember being a little surprised to hear the F bombs but I'm probably too desensitized to think about it much. There should have been a mention in the body of the story or a warning at the beginning of the vid. Good catch.
OUTSTANDING! Most excellent video, audio, and execution of plan. It's great to see people taking things into their own hands again. Bravo, and let the awakening continue! For anyone who feels what these guys did was foolish or wrong, you go ahead and rely on due process. In other words carry on feeling fearful, oppressed, and resentful of yourselves.
Right, and not a single shot (bullet) fired. Take note.
I can't help but ask Jake, how much was Craig trying to get for the bike?
haha! Excellent!
a little bay back for all of us who loved and needed our bikes and have had them stolen.
nice to live through you a bit