Student helps catch suspected multi-state bike thief

(CBS) BOULDER, Colo.- A Boulder man who had his $3,000 mountain bike stolen from the University of Colorado campus did his own investigation, stumbled across an ad on eBay, and recovered the bike. His efforts also helped lead to the arrest of a man wanted for stealing bicycles in five states, CBS Denver reported.

Nicolais Bayou, a CU student, reported the theft to police when it happened in March, and then did some online sleuthing.

"I set up ads on Craigslist all across Colorado and so every day I would get emails and I was like 'Ah, that's not my bike,' " Bayou told CBS Denver.

A few months later he stumbled across a video on eBay and he knew right away the bike was his. The serial number also matched.

"We have success stories from other states where bikes have ended up in Arizona or on the East Coast and we've been able to track them down and return them to their owner," University of Colorado police spokesman Ryan Huff said.

Investigators say Bayou's bike had been sold to a pawn shop by Wayne Cron, who police described as a transient.

Cron, 40, is charged with three felonies so far, and more charges are pending in five states, according to CBS Denver.

Cron has been arrested twice in the past in bicycle theft cases.

CU student  Bayou said a few parts on his were missing when he got it back, and the repairs totaled about $600.