Ari Recovers 288 Bikes Stolen in Shipping Scam
Ari Bikes has recovered most of its 337 bikes that were stolen in a shipping scam last month.
The 288 bikes that have been recovered are all in the sealed packaging they were shipped in, said Tyler Cloward, director of production at Ari Bikes. The bikes were supposed to be en route from a Los Angeles County port to Ari Bikes in Lindon, Utah.
"We got dozens and dozens of leads sent in," Cloward said. "We were able to chase down some information with that, pass that to the Cargo Cats division and they were able to track down these bikes."
The Cargo CATs (Cargo Criminal Apprehension Team) is a division of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department that investigates and prosecutes cargo thieves and stolen goods receivers.
Cargo CATs officers worked with Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents to execute a multi-location search warrant operation, leading to the arrest of eight suspects.
In addition to $1,359,226 worth of Ari bikes and parts, firearms, cash and stolen merchandise including coffee beans, Sony televisions, FlavCity Electrolyte mix, Kenwood speakers, air conditioners, hot chocolate, and L'Oreal Products were recovered.
Cargo theft is estimated to cost U.S. companies $1 billion annually, according to CargoNet, a cargo security firm
The new Timp Peak 2.0 and Signal Peak 3.0 bikes were among the Ari models stolen in the shipment. Soon after the theft, a man brought one of the stolen bikes to a Santa Clarita bike shop, which alerted authorities and aided in the case.
The bikes are now at Ari Bikes in Utah and are being checked out in their packaging to ensure everything is in good order, McCaul said.
While this is a huge relief for Ari Bikes, 49 of the stolen bikes haven't been accounted for. Anyone who sees an Ari Bike in the wild for a too-good-to-be true price or under other sketchy circumstances is encouraged to contact Ari Bikes at (801)-471-0440 or text (385)-220-7854.
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