A Greensburg theft victim’s personal sleuthing after his electric bicycle disappeared off a downtown street the day after Christmas resulted in criminal charges being filed against a city man this week.
Dalton J. Shepard, 20, was charged with receiving stolen property by city police Lt. Rob Jones in connection with the theft of a CIVI BIKES Cheetah along John Reese Way on Dec. 26.
The owner, Joe Nardizzi, told police he parked the $2,600, battery-powered bicycle near a dumpster about 4 p.m, but when he returned minutes later, the bike was gone.
Two weeks later, Jones reported in court papers Nardizzi called the Southern California company that manufactures the bicycle and asked whether anyone in this region had recently purchased a special $39 charger needed for the battery. According to court documents, CIVI BIKES officials gave Nardizzi the name of a Connellsville man “who had never purchased a bike from them in the past” but who recently bought a charger.
Jones called Connellsville police in Fayette County and they spoke with the suspect, who initially denied having the bicycle or buying a charger. A short time later, however, the man turned the bike over to Connellsville police, Jones reported.
According to court documents, Connellsville Detective Pat Ruff, who is also assigned to the state police regional auto theft task force, informed Jones the Connellsville man told police he had been working with Shepard at a construction job in downtown Greensburg and “Shepard showed up at work one day riding the bike.”
The man said he bought the bicycle off Shepard for $20, Jones reported.
The Connellsville man has not been charged. Shepard could not be reached for comment.
The complaint against Shepard was filed before District Judge Chris Flanigan. A preliminary hearing has not been scheduled.
