Police Bust Bicycle Truckee-Tahoe Bicycle Theft Operation Out Of San Francisco

TRUCKEE (CBS13) - Truckee police, along with help from the Placer County Sheriff's Department, has reportedly thwarted an ongoing bike-theft operation and uncovered more than $70,000 worth of stolen high-end bikes and bike parts.

In June, police started receiving reports of multiple bicycle thefts most commonly being taken from vehicle racks, despite being locked up. The thefts took place in the area of Truckee, Tahoe City, Squaw Valley and Carson City, according to a statement from Truckee police.

Detectives say they used bait bikes and analyzed surveillance images but couldn't positively identify the suspects. All they were able to determine was the make and model of the suspects' vehicle but didn't have a license plate number.

"Although we did establish a possible vehicle description later on in the investigation, we were hesitant to release that information because it was our only link to identifying the suspects and we didn't want the suspects switching vehicles," said Truckee P.D. Detective Sgt. Danny Renfrow.

On Saturday, August 19, an officer was patrolling the area where bikes had been stolen and noticed a vehicle matching a description of the suspects' vehicle. He pulled the vehicle over, and, with help from other officers, established enough information to arrest Jesus Gallardo (25), Sergio Gallardo (23), Martin Gallardo (27), and Juan Carlos Gallardo (29) -- all brothers -- out of San Francisco for bicycle theft.

Police searched the suspects' vehicle and a residence in San Francisco and recovered about $70,000 worth of stolen mountain bikes, road bikes, and other components believed to be stolen. However, the total dollar amount of things stolen in the Tahoe/Truckee region is over $125,000.

The brothers were booked into the Truckee Jail on charges of grand theft, conspiracy, and possession of stolen property. Bond for the suspects has been set at $750,000.

Police are making an accounting of all of the bicycles and ask that victims not contact them as they continue to process the evidence and match up the stolen bikes with the reports.