Wed. Aug 13th, 2025

The Irvine Police Department posted a new #WANTEDWEDNESDAY in their social media today, asking for help identifying a suspected bike thief.

Around June, the male theft suspect entered the parking structure of an apartment complex on Steely. He used bolt cutters to cut through a fence and took an Aventon Pace e-bike worth at least $1,500.

The suspect may be driving a blue Toyota Tacoma with mixed-match wheels.

The suspect appears to be white with very short hair and a tightly cropped beard and moustache. He was wearing a green t-shirt during the theft.

If you can help, pedal that info to jhause@cityofirvine.org.

Here’s a summary of the potential penalties for the suspected bike thief:


California Bicycle Theft Penalties

If the suspect stole the Aventon Pacer e-bike in Irvine, California, here are the possible legal consequences:

  1. Petty Theft (if the bike is worth $950 or less):
    • Misdemeanor
    • Up to 6 months in county jail
    • Fine up to $1,000
  2. Grand Theft (if the bike is worth more than $950):
    • Can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony
    • Felony: Up to 3 years in jail
  3. Unlawful Taking (Joyriding):
    • Misdemeanor
    • Up to 3 months in jail
    • Fine up to $400
  4. Burglary (for breaking into a secured area with bolt cutters):
    • Felony
    • 1 to 3 years in jail

By Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.