Palo Alto police arrested an alleged bike thief Wednesday after he posted an ad on Craigslist for a bicycle that had been stolen from Palo Alto on Nov. 4, Palo Alto Police Agent Dan Ryan said.
Ryan said police received a report that a bike had been stolen from a secure building in the 100 block of Alma Street on Nov. 4 and that the thief had been caught on video. Several days later, the bicycle owner told police that he spotted his bike for sale on Craigslist, and Palo Alto police arranged to meet the seller in Mountain View on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Upon arrival, police recognized the alleged thief from the video footage and confirmed the bike was the same that had been reported stolen.
Police arrested Paul Kenneth Jones, 33, a resident of Palo Alto, without incident. Jones was arrested on charges of petty theft with a prior offense, possession of stolen property and grand theft and was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail in San Jose without bail due to a probation violation.
Ryan credited good police cooperation among three Palo Alto officers -- one in plainclothes posing as the buyer and two uniformed officers in a squad car -- for the arrest.
"It was a good bit of teamwork," Ryan said.
Comments
Adobe-Meadow
on Nov 12, 2009 at 6:29 pm
on Nov 12, 2009 at 6:29 pm
Is this the same Paul Jones that works at HP?
Midtown
on Nov 12, 2009 at 6:42 pm
on Nov 12, 2009 at 6:42 pm
or the same Paul Jones who went to palo alto hs
Los Altos
on Nov 12, 2009 at 11:01 pm
on Nov 12, 2009 at 11:01 pm
you have to admit Paul Jones is a pretty common name.
Professorville
on Nov 13, 2009 at 8:19 am
on Nov 13, 2009 at 8:19 am
His naval ancestor John Paul Jones would be ashamed of his thieving descendent. A modern day horse thief.
Professorville
on Nov 13, 2009 at 9:51 am
on Nov 13, 2009 at 9:51 am
on the other hand..."I have not yet begun to hacksaw" :)
Mountain View
on Nov 13, 2009 at 10:57 am
on Nov 13, 2009 at 10:57 am
That is a great ending to a sad story. Used to be you had to go to the flea market on Saturday to look for your stolen bike. Kudos to the police.
Menlo Park
on Nov 13, 2009 at 11:37 am
on Nov 13, 2009 at 11:37 am
Hmmm, kind of makes you wonder what else he has posted ads for in the past, doesn't it? Can't wait to see what the police find when they search his computer hard drive, that is, if they actually take that next step.
another community
on Nov 13, 2009 at 1:32 pm
on Nov 13, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Good point Steve (the previous poster), I'm sure police will subpoena Craigslist records as well...
Menlo Park
on Nov 13, 2009 at 1:52 pm
on Nov 13, 2009 at 1:52 pm
John Paul Jones is a distant relative of mine, or so my grandmother used to tell me. I hope they caught a guy for whom this was a regular business.
Community Center
on Nov 14, 2009 at 5:55 am
on Nov 14, 2009 at 5:55 am
Good coorperation between three police officers? The video and victim did most of the work.
Barron Park
on Nov 14, 2009 at 11:04 am
on Nov 14, 2009 at 11:04 am
Nice work police officers! Bike theft should be more than a petty crime. Bikes can be worth a lot these days.
another community
on Nov 14, 2009 at 3:10 pm
on Nov 14, 2009 at 3:10 pm
How right you are Pat! the victim did the work, and police took the credit! lol