An attempt to traffick stolen bicycles in Sitka has been foiled, and the suspect is facing felony charges.
A Juneau grand jury last week (12-6-18) indicted 35-year old Walter Lee Boyd on one count of theft in the second degree for allegedly stealing a pair of bicycles and later selling them on social media.
Bike theft is typically a misdemeanor offense, however, Boyd has two prior convictions — pushing this latest charge to the felony level.
According to court records, Boyd allegedly stole a Specialized Stump Jumper mountain bike parked at the Sitka Public Library on March 6 of this year. The owner promptly reported the theft to the police. Later the same day, another resident reported to police that his Specialized Hardrock mountain bike had been stolen from the Westmark Hotel.
Three months later — in June — the owner of the Hardrock bike discovered someone riding his bike, who said he had borrowed it from a Sitka couple who owned it.
Police contacted the couple, who said that they had purchased both bikes from the Facebook page “Sitka For Sale.” They could not remember the name of the person who sold them the bikes, but were able to identify Boyd in a photo lineup provided by police.
Boyd was arraigned in Sitka Superior Court on Tuesday, December 11. His address on the criminal complaint is listed as “homeless.” He has a Louisiana drivers license. Boyd remains in supervised custody of the Alaska Department of Corrections, pending a trial scheduled for February 2019.
