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Sting Operation Nets Bike Thief Outside Ralphs

By Eric Richardson
Published: Monday, March 15, 2010, at 12:17PM
Bicycle on Brick Eric Richardson []

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — A sting operation set up by LAPD detectives last Friday proved something that any experienced cyclist knows all too well: an unlocked or poorly locked bicycle isn't going to stick around too long.

Police arrested Matthew Mark Mellish, 28, after he attempted to ride away on a bicycle immediately after a detective left it outside the Coffee Bean at 9th and Hope.

“Most of the people had no idea what was happening as they saw the detectives pile out of a car and give chase,” Lt. Paul Vernon noted in a release.

Officers quickly caught up with Mellish, and one was able to kick the bike's back wheel. “Apparently, the thief hit his front break too hard which brought the rear wheel over the front,” Vernon said. “Obviously, he’s not a skilled rider.”

Mellish was arrested on a felony charge for committing a petty theft with a prior conviction. Bail was set at $20,000.

“The best thing about this arrest,” Vernon added, “was all the onlookers high-fiving the detectives after the arrest. Being a bike thief downtown won’t win you any friends.”

Bike thefts Downtown have been in the news a lot over the last few months, with Downtown's .

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User_32

Robyn on March 15, 2010, at 12:30PM – #1

Sting = does that mean they'll be doing more?


User_32

on March 15, 2010, at 01:07PM – #2

Can Lt. Paul Vernon please start a twitter account so we can get the skinny on downtown crime and follow all his hilarious comments? And please please please call it "@Sh*tLtVernonSays".


Eric Richardson () on March 15, 2010, at 01:36PM – #3

Robyn: Yep. Lt. Vernon says that they've done six so far this year, and plan to continue.


User_32

() on March 15, 2010, at 01:50PM – #4

Well done. Now let's egg the thief's house!


Kevin Tyler Zepeda-Compton on March 15, 2010, at 01:54PM – #5

I was there and it's also important to note that while screeching their undercover cars around the corner they came inches from hitting a pedestrian who was irate that he almost died due to a stolen bike (a mountain bike, not even a cool road bike with hipster handle bars).

In addition the officer pulled his fire arm while in pursuit. I'm glad they caught the thief as I hate bike thieves and I hope they do more stings. But the cowboy approach to it could get people hurt.


Guest 1

Guest on March 15, 2010, at 02:03PM – #6

I was there. A cop in plain close burst around the corning waiving a black 9 millimeter gun in the air and yelling, "I have a gun, stop running, stop running..." The alleged thief did stop in his tracks at that point, but the police officer decided to put the gun to the man's head. This is where myself and my colleagues stopped gakwing and started ducking behind the building.

As downtowner with a relatively high-priced single-speed bike,I was one of the people initially praising the police officers for the sting (Though I saw no one doing hi-fives). At the same time, a young hipster kid in the crosswalk almost got hit by the sting minivan that wheeled around the corner (unloading 5 or 6 cops).

I am thrilled that LAPD is down to "tackle" the stolen bike problem, however I doubt that pulling a loaded weapon out in broad daylight is really necessary. Thanks guys for catching the thief, but in the processI think you scared the sh*t out of downtown and probably terrified twenty FIDM mothers back in Kansas who learned of the story from their precious daughters.

All in all the bad guy is gone and no on got hurt.


Ricardo Galindo on March 16, 2010, at 09:24AM – #7

Here is a high 5 to them! My stolen bike still hurts when i think of it. Im so glad they are finally doing something. A little gun waving wont hurt anyone, but it will surely scare them, so i can finally park my hipster looking bike in peace where ever i please! I want to see some sting operations up in the gallery row area.


Jamie DeFrisco on March 16, 2010, at 11:32AM – #8

I'm glad that there's a crack down on stolen bikes. Personally I have no problem with them taking out a few hipsters in the process and showing people that stealing bikes is serious business.

I'm a casual bike rider, so it does worry me that if I go anywhere that my bike is not safe unless I keep an eye on it. It's amazing that in Japan there's a ton of bikes that just line the streets and theft doesn't appear to be common.


Guest 2

Guest on March 17, 2010, at 12:17PM – #9

Hooray for cops! And if they have to wave a gun or two to scare some bike thieves, more power to 'em. I had one bike stolen, and then the seat of my new bike stolen... I'm not so worried about "pulling a loaded weapon out in broad daylight." If it does the job, I'm all for it. And as for that "scared hipster"....I'm sure he'll recover from his traumatic experience. Folks, let's start worrying more about crime and less about "if people are scared or offended" by the crime-stoppers. No one wants martial law, but we downtowners definitely won't abide more stupid bike thieves.


Guest 3

Guest on March 19, 2010, at 11:18AM – #10

We need a website that keeps track of people caught stealing bikes downtown.


Guest 4

Guest on March 22, 2010, at 03:44PM – #11

i had my bike stolen the first day!!! it was a cheap bike from target 89 bucks and but only rode it once. i had a chain lock but it didn't help.

i dont think i will get another one.. well maybe a old used bike for 20 bucks from a yard sale. i would never buy a new bike at any price and park it anywhere downtown!


Eric Richardson () on March 22, 2010, at 04:57PM – #12

Guest: You'll find that a U-lock is far more secure than all but the toughest chains.


User_32

5thnSpring on March 29, 2010, at 12:07AM – #13

ALERT. Last week (March 14, 2010) my friend had her handlebars stolen from the bike racks on the parking garage at Union Station, level P1. Tonight biking home I noticed my handlebars were extremely loose-my guess is someone also tried to steal mine and somehow abandoned their plan. The last time I had my bike locked in public was this past Friday (March 26th) at the same location so I am assuming this is where it happened. I could have have a bad accident as a result, but I am happy to say I didn't. This location has been the subject of numerous bike thefts for years. I had a bike stolen there two years ago and I have learned of many others who have had the same experience at this location.

I'm not sure why handlebars are now being stolen but one guess is perhaps the thieves are attempting to cosmetically (& physically) alter a stolen bike for resale.


Guest 5

Guest on April 30, 2010, at 02:34AM – #14

You have to sit a wonder are these so called stings really legit you intise someone by leaving a expensive unlocked bike on the streets in a underprivledged neighborhood of course it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure if the bike will be tooken or not the real question is if the bike was never there would the would be criminal have tooken it



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