80 Stolen Bikes Recovered in Grand Junction

If your bicycle has been stolen lately, there's a good chance it is one of 80 stolen bikes recovered this week in Grand Junction by local law enforcement.

Grand Junction used a $4,000 "bait" bike to attract a bike thief and caught him red-handed which ultimately resulted in seven arrests.

The bike, equipped with a GPS tracking device,  was locked into a bike rack. Sure enough, like a mouse after cheese, a bike thief took the bait.

The theft was captured on surveillance video showing the suspect, a white male with a neon green backpack, cutting the lock and riding away on the bike. There was also a female in the area on the video, also on a bike. Police recognized both suspects based on previous contacts.

The female was located at a residence on North 15th Street, where police were able to see into an open garage in plain sight, over 80 bike frames, a large amount of disassembled bike parts, a green neon backpack, and the seat from the stolen bike.

Investigators are working to connect these apparently stolen bikes with their owners.

The following seven individuals were arrested.

• Jefferi Orona, 35, arrested for False Info on a Pawn Slip, Theft
• Tristan Bales, 32, arrested for Felony Theft, as well as unrelated outstanding warrants
• Brenda Goff, 27, arrested for Theft and Complicity
• Raymond Ayers, 46, arrested for Theft and Complicity
• Hayley Kuntz, 22, arrested for Theft and Complicity
• Sydney Abeyta, 26, arrested for unrelated warrants
• James Farnsworth, 32, arrested for Providing False Info to Law Enforcement

Police are encouraging anyone who has had a bike stolen in the last two years but didn't report it, to contact police at this time. They also remind bike owners that by registering your bike for $1, you stand a great chance of getting back in the event it is ever stolen.