By John Brown
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 9, 1997

'Professional' bike thief busted

Arizona Daily Wildcat Benjamin V. Rada

University police nabbed a suspected serial bike thief in the act yesterday morning near the Administration building.

Benjamin V. Rada, 33, address unknown, was booked into Pima County Jail on one count of felony theft as well as third degree criminal trespassing and failure to pay on a marijuana possession charges. He was held in lieu of a $714 bond.

Yesterday marked the third time the University of Arizona Police Department has arrested Rada in connection with campus bike thefts. He was arrested in June and December of 1994 and police believe he has been targeting campus as early as 1992, said UAPD Sgt. Sal Celi.

"This confirms our belief that Benny is a professional bike thief and he does this for a living," Celi said of yesterday's arrest. "It appears he has no desire to stop what he's doing, even after numerous arrests."

Celi said Rada and his partner in 1994 would each steal an average of two bikes a day, Monday through Friday.

"It leads me to believe his partner might be around here," he said yesterday outside Modern Languages.

Leigh-Anne Brown Arizona Daily Wildcat Benjamin V. Rada,33, is arrested and taken into custody outside of the Modern Languages building yesterday. He was later charged with felony theft in connection with an attempted bicycle theft. Prior to yesterday, Rada had been arrested twice for bike theft on campus.

Celi said Rada, like many bike thieves, targets cable locks for his "business" and suggests students consider purchasing U-locks and to be selective when choosing a location to secure their bike.

Celi said it only takes a thief a few seconds to cut a cable lock and warns students to beware.

"There are people out there looking to steal your bike," Celi said.

Students have reported 122 bike thefts between Aug. 14 and Oct. 6.

UAPD Det. Jose Sprigg said he saw Rada loitering around the bicycle racks between Administration and Modern Languages around 11 a.m. He said he had encountered Rada before.

"I saw him walking back and forth through the racks shopping for a bike," Sprigg said.

He said he didn't think Rada recognized him as he walked by.

The detective went into Modern Languages about 11:15 a.m. and waited by a window for Rada to make his move, he said.

In the meantime, patrols cars were stationed in three locations, surrounding the area.

A few moments later, Sprigg said, Rada pulled a large red bolt cutter out of his back pack and cut the cable lock to a Specialized men's bicycle.

Sprigg ran down a flight of stairs and apprehended him.