A cyclist reclaimed her stolen bike from a thief who was selling it online in a cunning sting operation. Jenni Morton-Humphreys hatched the plot when she spotted her cherished blue cycle being advertised on Facebook hours after it was taken.
The 30-year-old appealed for help on social media site’s Bristol Cycling page after the bike was stolen from the city centre on July 9.
A keen-eyed user saw the expensive bike up for sale and offered to arrange a viewing with the man selling it, the Bristol Post reported. Last Monday a meet-up was arranged, with Ms Morton-Humphreys going along posing as an interested buyer.
She said, police advised her against the plan, which officers warned could put her in danger, and said they could not accompany her. But, worried someone might buy the bike, she met the man anyway.
“I pretended to be interested and asked silly questions about the bike,” she told the newspaper. “I said, the saddle was too high, and asked if I could get on it to test it out.
“I made sure I had nothing on me, no possessions at all apart from the stuff in my hands - and they were a cigarette packet and a set of keys. I handed them to this guy as I got on the bike and said ‘here, hold my stuff’.
The Independent