Sheriff’s deputies placed the bike at an undisclosed trailhead in Summit County with a GPS tracker on board. It is unclear whether it was locked.
When the planted wheels started to turn, the chase was on. Authorities tracked it to a vehicle parked in the driveway of a Trailside home.
The man inside admitted to riding the bike, putting it in his car and taking it home.
The man is now facing a felony charge for the bicycle valued between $1,500 and $5,000, punishable by up to five years in prison or up to a $5,000 fine.
It’s the second such bait bike charge since the sheriff’s office introduced the program this summer.
The first alleged thief, a 35-year-old Pinebrook man, was accused of taking a less expensive bike. Earlier this month, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge.
The first bait bike thief will not face jail time or a fine after completing an 18-month probation and “thinking errors" course.
The second man accused of taking the bait is expected in court this December.