Ride On Bikes owner Jason McKenzie uses social media to recover stolen bike

Jason McKenzie did something stupid.

He left a nearly $6,000 electric bicycle unlocked on a rack attached to the back of his SUV in Midtown Columbus during the lunch hour Wednesday.

"I know," McKenzie said Friday as he recounted the story. "I know."

The red Specialized bike was stolen.

Feeling like an idiot and angry with himself, McKenzie, co-owner of Ride on Bikes, took to social media and his cellphone contact list to let people know his bicycle had been stolen.

He pumped out about 100 text messages with a photo of the bike on the back of the vehicle. He also posted a picture of the bike on his personal Facebook page and the Ride On Bikes Facebook page.

And the photo was fresh, taken minutes before the bike was stolen. One of McKenzie's friends had been in the same meeting he attended, left early, saw the unlocked bike on the back of the vehicle, snapped a photo and texted McKenzie questioning his judgment.

"I know," McKenzie said.

But that photo ended up being a crucial element in finding the stolen bike.

McKenzie's two Facebook posts quickly turned into more than 270 direct shares. Others posted the photo from the text message.

About the time McKenzie's misfortune was hitting social media, Lee County Sheriff's Office investigator Jennifer Bosler was leaving lunch near the Phenix City Walmart when she noticed a car driving erratically and a red bicycle sticking out of the trunk.

Bosler is a cyclist and knew the bike was valuable.

"I thought it was $500 or $600," she said. "I had no idea it was $6,000."

One of the passengers told Bosler the bike belonged to him. The report of the stolen bike had not hit the crime database. There was little Bosler could do, so she let them go.

Later that day, Bosler was checking a neighborhood watch Facebook page when she saw McKenzie's photo of the bike. She quickly reached out to a mutual friend who got her in touch with McKenzie.

He didn't have a bike, but he now had a clue when Bosler gave him a name and a description of vehicle she pulled over.

McKenzie returned to social media posting the name the detective gave him and the description. About four hours later, McKenzie got a message from the wife of the man who owned the car Bosler described. He called her.

"The guy driving the car answered the phone," McKenzie said. "When I told him it was a $6,000 bike, he turned on the two guys who were in the car with him. He knew it was grand larceny."

The man gave McKenzie a name. McKenzie tracked that name to a man in Bibb City.

Other information pointed to the possibility that the bike had been sold to a scrap metal yard in East Alabama. McKenzie went back to work Thursday morning, checking out all of the scrap metal yards.

"I went to one place and this kid was dancing around all of my questions," McKenzie said. "So, I went back and met with the owner. I talked to him -- small-business owner to small-business owner."

About 30 minutes after he left, McKenzie got a call from the owner.

"He told me to come back and he would have the bike," McKenzie said.

By 12:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon -- 24 hours after the bike was stolen -- McKenzie had his ride back.

Columbus Police, Lee County Sheriff's Office and the Russell County Sheriff's Office were all involved in the investigation.

But the social media presence was key, McKenzie said.

"I understand that a stolen bike is not the highest priority for police," McKenzie said. "Sometimes you just have to be proactive and that is what I was doing. Social media knows no jurisdiction."

Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones said sometimes social media can hinder a law enforcement investigation.

"But not this time," he said. "This is a good example of the positive way social media can impact an investigation. It contributed to successful recovery of stolen property."

Friday afternoon warrants were being issued in Lee County and Columbus for two individuals believed to be responsible for the theft, Bosler said.

This story was originally published January 16, 2015 at 1:54 PM with the headline "Ride On Bikes owner Jason McKenzie uses social media to recover stolen bike."