Man Allegedly Steals Bike at Knifepoint
Police Arrest Him 30 Minutes Later
Santa Barbara police arrested 28-year-old Joseph Gay on Sunday night for allegedly stealing a bicycle from the hands of its owner. According to Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Lorenzo Duarte, officers were dispatched to 3993 State Street and made contact with the robbery victim.
The man told police he had been walking his bike on South La Cumbre Road near State Street when he was approached by Gay, who said, “Nice bike.” The victim told police he then noticed Gay was holding a 5- to 7-inch knife. “Don’t do it,” the victim reportedly said, to which Gay responded, “Someone stole my bike, and I’m homeless, so I’m taking yours.”
Gay reportedly took the bike and left riding on La Cumbre Road. Around 30 minutes later, officers located him on foot in the 100 block of North La Cumbre Road but were unable to find the bike — a white Aero 2 road bike worth around $1,000 — or the knife. Gay was arrested and booked into County Jail for robbery.
