Lesh's Cannondale hybrid was stolen after he loaned it to a friend who'd secured it with a cable lock, which are easy to cut if you're a theft with a pair of boltcutters handy.


But Lesh located the bike on Craiglist shortly after last weekend's theft -- his bike had a prominent sticker on it, so he was certain it was his.

He arranged to buy his bike back. A man came out of an alley at 5th and Longfellow streets NW with the bike, and Lesh took it for a "test ride."

Lesh simply rode off without paying.


"This guy finally started calling me, and left a message saying he was going to call the police," Lesh said, laughing.

When Lesh got home, he put up his own post on Craigslist, warning other site users about the thief, saying high-end bikes listed for low prices could be stolen.

"Honestly... I couldn't help feeling bad for all the other people he'd stolen bikes from," Lesh said.

D.C. Police advise citizens against trying to recover stolen property on their own, but Lesh was glad to rip off the crook he says got him first.

source: somd