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Cyclist re-steals own bike in perfectly executed heist, leaving 'thief' dumbfounded

A cyclist pulled off the ultimate revenge when she swindled an alleged thief who she claimed pinched her pushbike - by stealing it back.

Jenni Morton-Humphreys perfectly executed the ultimate heist thanks to a helpful stranger who spotted an online ad selling a bike she listed on Facebook as stolen.

The angry British cyclist said her bike was busted from locked chain in Bristol's city centre, while she was out at brunch.

A helpful stranger spotted an online ad selling a bike Jenni Morton-Humphreys listed on Facebook as stolen just hours earlier. Picture: Supplied
A helpful stranger spotted an online ad selling a bike Jenni Morton-Humphreys listed on Facebook as stolen just hours earlier. Picture: Supplied

After hatching a plan together, the stranger used the pseudonym "Chris" to respond to the ad, and arranged for the cyclist to meet the seller, who called himself Bebop, on a street corner the next morning.

She had her friend Matt secretly watch from a safe distance as she pretended to take the bike for a test ride, after handing him a cigarette packet and set of keys to hold before she pedalled away.

Ms Morton-Humphreys said she rode as fast as she could, leaving the man, whom she assumed stole the bike, dumbfounded when she didn't return, according to her watching mate.

She told the Bristol Post she was forced to take the operation into her own hands after reporting the theft and advertisement to police, who she claimed refused to accompany her on the sting, and discouraged her from going ahead with it.

The person selling the bike used the pseudonym
The person selling the bike used the pseudonym

The 30-year-old feared someone else would buy the bicycle, so she wasted no time to put her plan into action.

“I pretended to be interested and asked silly questions about the bike,” she said.

“I said the saddle was too high, and asked if I could get on it to test it out.

“I didn’t look back to see if they were chasing me. My main thought was that I was worried because I didn’t really know where I was, where I was going, or the area at all, and I was worried that I might have to go back that way or end up going round in a circle."

Beebop messaged Chris to tell him the girl had rode away with the bike, and demanded $160. Picture: Supplied
Beebop messaged Chris to tell him the girl had rode away with the bike, and demanded $160. Picture: Supplied

Watching the plot unfold, Matt told the cyclist the alleged thief stood mystified, before someone else shouted "she’s not coming back".

The cigarette packet was reportedly empty aside from a broken lighter, and the keys were ironically the keys to the chain the thief cut to nick the bike the previous day.

Bebop messaged Chris to tell him the girl had ridden away with the bike, and demanded $160 ("95 quid").

Chris told him the heist was a lesson not to steal from the cycling community. Picture: Jenni Morton-Humphreys/Instagram
Chris told him the heist was a lesson not to steal from the cycling community. Picture: Jenni Morton-Humphreys/Instagram

“She’s probably took it straight home,” said Chris responded.

“Not surprised though, because it is her bike that was stolen yesterday."

Telling Bebop he had "played himself", Chris told him the heist was a lesson not to steal from the cycling community.

The heist reportedly happened in April, but the story only emerged this month after a friend shared the story on a bike lock blog.