IC man arrested after trying to sell stolen bike on Facebook

Hunter
8/14/19

An Iowa City man has been taken into custody after being accused of stealing a custom-made bicycle in June.

According to police, the owner of the bike reported to police that the bike was stolen from Big Grove Brewery on South Gilbert Street sometime after 10pm on the evening of June 2nd.

The victim noticed the bike, which is one of a kind and valued at approximately $10,000, was listed later for sale on Facebook Marketplace. He arranged to meet the seller, identified as 21-year-old Frank Ramos Martinez of Taft Avenue, and was accompanied by police when he met Ramos Martinez.

The man was able to recover the bike and most of the accessories, with the exception of a GPS unit.

Ramos Martinez told police that his roommate, “Blake,” had found the bike on the highway and asked him to sell it for him. When pressed for details, Ramos Ramirez said he didn’t know Blake’s last name or phone number.

A warrant was issued for Ramos Martinez’s arrest, and he was booked into the Johnson County Jail early Wednesday morning. He’s charged with 2nd degree Theft, a class D felony punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years.