Watertown Man Sees His Stolen Bike on Craigslist; Arrest Made

The following arrest information was supplied by the Watertown Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.

Police say a Watertown man whose bike was stolen then saw a Craigslist advertisement offering his bike for sale. The discovery led police to a 28-year-old man who was charged with stealing a half dozen bikes, said Watertown Police Lt. Michael Lawn.

Nicholas Alexander Scheff, 28, of 86 Prentiss St., Watertown, was arrested on Aug. 22 and charged with larceny over $250 and five counts of receiving stolen property. Scheff was also charged with Class A drug possession after police found he had heroin, Lawn said.

On Aug. 22, an East Watertown resident reported his Specialized Hard Rock mountain bike had been stolen sometime the day before. The man had then gone on the Craigslist website where he saw an ad for the bike, Lawn said.

When detectives contacted by phone the man who advertised the bike on Craigslist, they were told the bike had been sold, but several other bikes were available. Undercover police went to the address given and found a man they identified as Scheff in possession of five stolen bikes, Lawn said.

After arresting Scheff, police were able to find the bike Scheff had already sold and return it to its owner, Lawn said. In total, Scheff was charged with stealing six bikes, including on Belmont and Keenan streets, Lawn said.

Several of the bikes stolen in East Watertown by Scheff have not yet been claimed by their owners, Lawn said. Those seeking information on recovering a stolen bike may contact Watertown police.