Theft victim traps burglar after finding stolen bike on Gumtree

James Barnes, who faced court last week. Picture Facebook The victim of a bike theft has foiled a burglar’s plan to sell the stolen item on Gumtree by responding to the online ad and trapping the offender. As part of a 2022 crime spree, James Edward Barnes also stole a church donation box and cut out a McDonald’s front counter cash drawer that ended up being empty.

The 27-year-old has pleaded guilty to dozens of charges, many of which will now be dealt with in the ACT Supreme Court. They included multiple counts of burglary and obtaining property by deception, with further charges against the man recently withdrawn. According to documents tendered to the court, Barnes took a Merida One-Twenty 400 mountain bike from an apartment building’s secure storage cage on May 27, 2022.

The bike’s retail price is about $2000. After speaking with police, the victim searched online marketplace website Gumtree and immediately found an advertisement matching his stolen bike. James Barnes, who pleaded guilty to dozens of offences.

Picture Facebook The victim’s wife contacted the ad’s creator, who listed his name as “James”, and arranged to meet in Dickson on the same day. Barnes arrived while riding the stolen property and the group engaged in conversation before the victim confirm the bike was indeed his. He confronted Barnes and said the bike had been stolen from his home earlier that day.

The offender denied the allegation and claimed he purchased the bike in order to fix it up and sell it. The victim’s friend, who attended the meeting in support, placed the bike in his car boot and began filming Barnes, who was informed police were on their way and that he should stay and wait for them. Barnes walked away after he said words to the effect of: “I’m not waiting around for that shit.

” MORE COURT AND CRIME NEWS : Stalker’s new clothes fail to fool media after guilty pleas Coroner seeking community information about ‘suspicious’ death Grandma allegedly involved in vigilante attack ‘means business’ The offender had sold another mountain bike for $1000 through Gumtree a month prior. Barnes faced the ACT Magistrates Court last week, when the majority of his numerous charges were committed for assessment in the higher court’s drug and alcohol sentencing list next month. Some of those charges relate to the May 2022 burglary of the Blackfriars Holy Rosary Parish Church in Watson.

A priest reported the burglary, with stolen items including a donation box containing an unknown sum of money, “three distinctive gold-plated chalices” and a set of keys. Police found one door with a clear footprint and signs a jemmy tool had been used to open it, draws that appeared to have been rummaged through left open, and broken glass and damage to another door frame. Blood found on one of the church’s filing cabinets matched Barnes’ DNA.

The man also pleaded guilty to a string of other burglary charges, which included cutting out an empty cash drawer from the front counter of McDonald’s Canberra Centre in June of last year. Related incidents also included Barnes attempting to forcibly enter a tattoo removalist and a medical centre, stealing a safe and two electric bicycles, and breaking into a nail salon and Gungahlin’s Grease Monkey. Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community.

This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: Bookmark canberratimes. com. au Download our app Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy TP Tim Piccione Court reporter Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts.

He came to the nation’s capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim. piccione@austcommunitymedia.

com. au. Tim is a journalist with the Canberra Times covering the ACT courts.

He came to the nation’s capital via the Daily Advertiser in Wagga. Contact: tim. piccione@austcommunitymedia.

com. au. More from Canberra How Canberra universities fared in world rankings No comment s Vacancy tax won’t fix ACT housing affordability, inquiry finds No comment s Killer says suspected child burner ‘a compulsive liar’ Where is the promised royal commission into the pandemic? No comment s More from Canberra How Canberra universities fared in world rankings No comment s Vacancy tax won’t fix ACT housing affordability, inquiry finds No comment s Killer says suspected child burner ‘a compulsive liar’ Where is the promised royal commission into the pandemic? No comment s How will Australia answer this pivotal moment for Palestine? No comment s Theft victim traps burglar after finding stolen bike on Gumtree More from Canberra How Canberra universities fared in world rankings No comment s Vacancy tax won’t fix ACT housing affordability, inquiry finds No comment s Killer says suspected child burner ‘a compulsive liar’ Where is the promised royal commission into the pandemic? No comment s How will Australia answer this pivotal moment for Palestine? No comment s Theft victim traps burglar after finding stolen bike on Gumtree.