3 Suspects Arrested For South Bay Bike Thefts

REDONDO BEACH, CA – Have you noticed a spike in bicycle thefts? Three suspects were arrested Thursday in connection to an uptick in stolen bikes, Torrance police said. The alleged thefts often took place in apartment complex carports between January and March in the northern and western portions of Torrance, Sgt. Ronald Harris said.

"Investigators learned the suspects quickly dismantled most of the bicycles they stole then reassembled them beyond initial recognition," Harris said.

Torrance police investigators, with the help of citizens providing surveillance footage, led to the arrest of James Gideon, 29; Samantha Morgan, 23; and Bill Yeager, 39. The suspects were described as homeless with prior convictions, Harris said.

Gideon's prior convictions were for trespassing and narcotics. Yeager's convictions were for theft, narcotics and burglary. Morgan had a prior narcotics conviction.

Morgan was arrested on April 1, followed by Gideon's arrest on April 8. Yeager was already in custody for a different alleged crime when he was identified.

City News Service and Patch staffer Emily Holland contributed to this post; Image via Shutterstock / Sergey Ryzhov