Citizen repossesses stolen bike in Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach resident Michelle had her third bike stolen on September 9. Three days later, her boyfriend Jay found it. But he had to fight to get it back.

At about 8:30 a.m. on September 12, Jay was walking two of his vacationing neighbor's dogs. He lives on Muir and was strolling on the Brighton Park grass when he noticed his girlfriend's bike lying in the bushes, partially covered up with a blanket and with some clothes in the front basket. Several homeless people were nearby. He picked up the bike, took out the clothes, and started to walk away with it. That's when the trouble started.

Two of the homeless, a man and a woman, started yelling at him, asking him what he thought he was doing. He told them it was his girlfriend’s bike and that he was taking it back. The woman started spitting on him and kicking him. At that point, Jay said about nine homeless people came over and started saying, “Why are you taking their bike? They’re homeless, you’re not.”

By then, 6’5”, 280-pound Jay said he was holding on to Michelle’s bike, the two dogs, and allowing the barrage of kicks and spitting to continue; he said he wasn’t fighting back. At some point during the melée, the homeless woman who had been spitting on him asked Jay to give her $100 for the bike...and quickly lowered the price to $75.

Jay said there were several Parks and Recreation people watching, along with some people in their motor homes. He shouted out for someone to call the police and someone did.

The police arrived and Jay said they were somewhat unhappy to hear that he didn’t call them before the conflict escalated. He told them he didn’t have a hand free to do that.

According to Jay, the homeless woman, who was very small, was telling police that she was assaulted by him. A man in the parking lot said he videotaped the altercation and offered it to the police, but they said they didn’t need it.

The police then asked Jay if he had a serial number for the bike. He responded by saying he had pictures of the bike and that he could unlock the lock in the basket. He then unlocked it.

According to Jay, the police then told the homeless to leave O.B. No arrests were made and everyone moved on.