TEMPE, Ariz. -- A resourceful Arizona State University student turned the tables on a man suspected of stealing his $1,000 bike and set up his own sting, ending with the suspect's arrest.Michael Krifka discovered his Trek 8000 was missing from his home."I don't know if he was able to pry it open or what," Krifka said.Krifka said he was desperate to get the bike back. Not only was it worth hundreds of dollars, it helped the ASU junior save money on gas and parking.
"Especially with gas prices now. The bike is the ultimate," he said.So he started to do some sleuthing on his own. He logged on to Craigslist and found what appeared to be a match. His bike had a lot of after-market additions that were easy to spot."Like disc brakes," Krifka said. "You can tell they are added on."He acted as if were interested in purchasing the bike. Krifka said he got a call back from the seller while he was at the police station discussing his case.
"I continued to act like I wanted to see the bike," he said.Krifka met the seller Monday afternoon near a Tempe intersection. Police swooped in and arrested Daniel Shafer, 28, on suspicion of possessing of stolen property and driving with a suspended license.
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