Serial Bike Thief Nabbed After Theft In Riverside, Cops Say

RIVERSIDE, IL — A man suspected of stealing several bikes parked near Metra stations throughout Chicagoland has been arrested after police in Riverside say they've connected him to a bike theft reported there on Sept. 26. Michael Kovac, 52, was arrested at his home in Aurora and faces a felony theft charge.

Riverside police say Kovac told them he would ride the Metra weekly from Aurora to Chicago and panhandle or steal property on his return trip from Chicago. But on Sept. 26, police say he only had enough money to get to Riverside so got off the train and used a bolt cutter to steal a bike that was locked on the rack on the north side of the Burlington Northern/Metra railroad station just off the Longcommon/Pine area. Police were called there at 5:40 p.m. that day and spoke with a woman who said she parked and locked the bike, a black Cannondale Quick 6 worth $500, there before getting on the train that morning.

Police say that bike wasn't in Kovac's possession at his home in Aurora, but other bikes reported stolen out of Western Springs and Winnetka were. Kovac allegedly told police that he did steal the bike in Riverside and rode it to Western Springs, where he said he abandoned it for a "better bike."

Kovac was stealing bikes on a weekly basis and was able to do so by carrying bolt cutters in a backpack at all times, police said.

Police in Riverside were connected to their suspect while investigating the Sept. 26 theft. An officer on the case was reviewing CCTV camera footage from the Metra station and saw a man they later identified as Kovac walking in the area for more than an hour before pulling a bolt cutter out of his backpack, cutting the lock on the bike and fleeing on the bike westbound on Pine Avenue.

The officer shared the suspect's image with other police departments, and soon later a detective with the Clarendon Hills Police Department identified him as Kovac and had a recent address associated with him.

Kovac was on parole for a theft conviction when he was arrested, police said.