I think I saw a bike being stolen

[InfamousG]

This past weekend my girlfriend's family and I were taking my girlfriend up to Northern Michigan University to move her into the dorms. There was some sort of Mountain Bike tour going on (Marquette, MI), I'm not sure of the details on it.

Anyway, as we left dinner, there was a beat up green Mercury Topaz (I think) parked a few feet from the stop sign. The passenger, a tatoo'd and long dreadlock'd white male was strugling and hurriedly trying to fit a shiny orange MTB (didn't catch the brand name) into the back seat of the car. The driver, a black male waved us past and was seeming to encourage the passenger to hurry up.

I was in the back seat of our car and we didn't realize that a theft may be involved until after we had passed them.

After a bit of debate, we didn't call the police since we didn't have a plate number or a good description of the driver or anything significant about the car other than Color/Make/(Possible Model). We also weren't sure about what streets we were on since this was our first time in that area.

We didn't want to risk any interaction with the possible theives as we (a) Were in a borrowed car, (b) had no way to prove they were stealing it other than their seemingly hurried actions, and (c) had no way of actually stopping the theft other than physical interaction.

All night I had a sick feeling that I didn't do anything when I should have.

I've never witnessed a bike being stolen other than this potential theft and I'm wondering:
What is the proper course of action?
Do you call the local police or 911?
What can the police actually do?

[twahl]

Get a plate number and description, identify location, and call in a report of suspicious activity with details. That way the police can make a stop and check it out without a direct accusation. People aren't generally nervous when they are doing something that's OK to do.

[Yoshi]

How did you not realize immediately that a theft was occuring? I mean, one was black and the other tattooed! OBVIOUSLY they were commiting a crime!

How do you know that the tattooed guy didn't just finish the tour and had his friend come pick him up? And that the driver was getting impatient because the guy was fumbling trying to get his bike into the backseat, possibly causing a backup in traffic behind them?

I'm not saying it wasn't a theft, but honestly it doesn't sound like it was (of course, I wasn't there, so maybe I'm missing something).

[lilHinault]

Yep get that plate number, veh. description, etc that bike may be some streight-A student's beloved friend.

[InfamousG]

How did you not realize immediately that a theft was occuring? I mean, one was black and the other tattooed! OBVIOUSLY they were commiting a crime!

I never said that I think it was a theft because of their personal descriptions. I described what I saw. The minor details of the persons is really irrelevant and I only put that in because I was describing what I saw and there is the possibility that the person who did own the bike (if it were stolen) may live in the area and may see the people again.

I'm not one to judge someone solely on what they look like.

How do you know that the tattooed guy didn't just finish the tour and had his friend come pick him up?
The passenger was wearing baggy black jeans and some band T-Shirt. I did not see a helmet or any other riding apparel other than the bike itself. He also had a wide-eyed "oh crap" look when he saw all of us were watching him.

And that the driver was getting impatient because the guy was fumbling trying to get his bike into
the backseat, possibly causing a backup in traffic behind them?
We were the only other traffic in either direction at that time.

I'm not saying it wasn't a theft, but honestly it doesn't sound like it was (of course, I wasn't there, so maybe I'm missing something).
Yes, aparently you are.


As to the other comments:
I did not get a plate number since I didn't realize what may have been happening until after we had passed.

What do I do if I don't have a plate number?

[Yoshi]

I never said that I think it was a theft because of their personal descriptions. I described what I saw. The minor details of the persons is really irrelevant and I only put that in because I was describing what I saw and there is the possibility that the person who did own the bike (if it were stolen) may live in the area and may see the people again.

I'm not one to judge someone solely on what they look like.


The passenger was wearing baggy black jeans and some band T-Shirt. I did not see a helmet or any other riding apparel other than the bike itself. He also had a wide-eyed "oh crap" look when he saw all of us were watching him.


We were the only other traffic in either direction at that time.


Yes, aparently you are.


As to the other comments:
I did not get a plate number since I didn't realize what may have been happening until after we had passed.

What do I do if I don't have a plate number?

In your original post about the only information you gave was a description of the people (black and tattooed) and the state of the car they were driving (beat up). As such it seemed that there appearance was the basis of your belief that they were stealing the bike. Had you said that the guy had an "Oh Crap!" look on his face when he noticed you, that he didn't appear to have any cycling gear and that there was little reason for them to be rushing to shove the bike in the car, my response would have been different.

I apologize if my post sounded accusatory, but since you described the people in detail and not the situation that led you to believe they were thieves, it made it sound like you were jumping to conclusions.