LOS ALTOS, Calif. (BRAIN) — An employee at the Bicycle Outfitters store here was a key player in the quick recovery of two rare road bikes stolen from the Specialized headquarters in Morgan Hill, Calif., early this week.
Someone smashed in the front door of Specialized's building early Monday morning and took the bikes, which were on display in the lobby: They were the bike that Michal Kwiatkowski used to win the 2014 World Championships (an S-Works Tarmac) and an S-Works McLaren Tarmac, serial number 1 of a limited production run of 250. The McLaren Tarmac belongs to Mike Sinyard, Specialized founder. The limited-edition McLaren bikes retailed for $20,000.
Later this week, Steven Scheper, the lead mechanic at Bicycle Outfitters, received a text from an acquaintance asking if he was interested in buying two Specialized bikes. Scheper was unaware of the break-in at Specialized, but after seeing pictures of the bikes, he realized that they were something special. Through Vance Sprock, the owner of the nearby Cupertino Bike Shop, a Specialized dealer, Scheper got in touch with Specialized employees and, eventually, the police.
Scheper arranged to buy the bikes from the contact at a Morgan Hill strip mall. Police report they later arrested Ryan Balestrini, 34, who had three outstanding warrants for his arrest. During a search of a residence, both stolen bicycles were located concealed in a bedroom, according to the police report.
Scheper said Specialized has offered to give him a bike in thanks, but he's not being greedy.
"I'm OK. I might pick out a low-end dirt jumper. I don't need a reward. I'm glad the bikes are back because they are really one-of-a-kind," Scheper told BRAIN on Friday. "I wouldn't want some tweeker to just cut them up and sell off the parts."
According to a police report, Balestrini was arrested for felony possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine, possession of narcotic paraphernalia, warrants and violation of probation.
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The recovered bikes in the Morgan Hill Police Department.
