Photo: K. SteudelHere’s how car-dependent we are as a culture: Even bike thieves don’t ride bikes. Police in Iowa City report that a man who could have committed one criminal act — stealing an expensive bicycle — instead decided to commit two by drunk-driving his Jeep over to get it, rather than just riding the bike away.
According to Iowa City police criminal complaints, an officer was flagged down by a man about 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The man told police he caught a suspect putting his bicycle into the suspect’s vehicle after cutting off the lock. The bike had been locked to a pole at 10 S. Clinton St. in downtown Iowa City.
Police caught up with the suspect, later identified as 47-year-old Timothy B. Wilker, who had a bicycle in his Jeep. Wilker allegedly told the officers he paid $40 for the bike two weeks ago. Police said Wilker told the officers the person who sold him the bike didn’t have the key for the lock.
Bike theft sucks regardless, but using a car to do it is just adding insult to injury.
