Bike Thief Lived, Ate And Slept With Prey
Newcastle Herald
Saturday March 20, 2004
IT was simply a case of notifying the next of kin, but when police arrived at the dead man's house they found it packed with bicycles.
Police knew the man had died while attempting to steal a bicycle, but they didn't expect to find his home packed to the rafters with them.
In the man's Geelong home were 1000 bicycles and boxloads of bike parts.
Police Superintendent Steve Barber said it was understood the man, who was aged in his 60s, died ``in the progress of stealing a bike in Swanston Street in Melbourne last week".
Mr Barber said it was unclear how many of the bikes were stolen, as the man also ``had a habit of buying bicycles as well".
``It appears the man was well known to a number of bicycle premises in Geelong," he said.
``He had also come to be known to police in regards to stealing bicycles."
Mr Barber said police were working around the clock to try to clear the house of all the bikes which ranged in style and value.
He said it took police four hours and two trucks just to move 100 bikes from the scene.
It's understood most of the stolen bikes were taken from Melbourne.
Senior Sergeant Adrian Benny, who is working on the case, said he had never seen anything like it.
``In every room including his bedroom, bathroom and kitchen there are bikes, bike helmets, parts, chains, seats and tyres ... it's something else," Senior Sergeant Benny said.
© 2004 Newcastle Herald
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