Cops: St. Pete Bike Thief's Ride is Over

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The St. Petersburg Police Department has made an arrest in a rash of bicycle thefts that have plagued the downtown area since the beginning of the year.

The agency announced the arrest of Kibali Jamal Mangrum, 45, Thursday. Police say Mangrum was found in possession of bolt cutters and was charged with a single count of grand theft of a bicycle. Mangrum also faces dealing in stolen property charges after being accused of pawning another bicycle stolen from the downtown area.

Since Jan. 1, the department has fielded more than 39 complaints about stolen bicycles, the agency stated in an email to media. Many of those bikes were “expensive models that were secured with cable locks at the time they were taken,” the email stated.

While Mangrum is charged in only two cases at this time, detectives believe he is responsible for more.

Additional charges are pending further investigation.

Mangrum was being held in the Pinellas County Jail Thursday in lieu of $12,000 bond.

Booking photo courtesy of the St. Petersburg Police Department