RANGELEY — Rangeley police worked with Auburn police and a U.S. Border Patrol agent to find out who stole a mountain bike valued at $6,000 and tried to sell it on Craig’s List.

Rangeley Sgt. Jared Austin and Auburn Detective Nate Westleigh arrested Randall Thompson, 18, of Rangeley on Monday night on a felony charge of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer in Auburn, Rangeley Chief Dennis Leahy said.

He was also charged on a misdemeanor charge of criminal mischief.

Leahy received a report of two mountain bikes stolen from the Old Mill Landing Condominiums on Main Street in Rangeley on Aug. 1.

The Fairfield bike owners, who were on vacation, said two bicycles had been locked on a bike holder on the back of their car. A 3/8-inch cable that had been locked around the bicycles was cut, Leahy said. 

One bike was a 2014 Juliana Furtado Premeiro valued at $6,000 and the other was a Scott Model Spark valued at $1,700, he said.

The department had contacted all the bike shops and pawn shops in the area and gave them a description of the stolen bikes.

Rangeley police received information on Aug. 16 that the a bike fitting the description of the Juliana Furtado bike was on Craigslist.

Rangeley police contacted Border Patrol Agent Matthew Lambert, who was knowledgeable about cycling, Lambert said.

He agreed to contact the person who posted the bike ad. The person who put the bike up for sale and the agent texted each other back and forth about the bike and Lambert got a photo of the bike. 

The bike was for sale for $4,800.

A meeting between the two was set up at the parking lot of the Auburn Mall in Auburn, Leahy said.

Lambert didn’t go to the meeting.

Austin worked with Auburn police Lt. Tim Cougle, Sgt. Eric Audet, officer Brian Parker and Westleigh.

When they saw a car coming into the parking lot, Austin recognized the car and told Auburn police that.

Two detectives from Auburn Police Department approached the car and asked if Thompson had the bike. He said he had it and took it out of the trunk of the car, Leahy said.

Westleigh identified himself as a police officer and Thompson was taken into custody and brought to the Auburn Police Station to be interviewed, he said.

During the interview Thompson told police he stole the bikes with another person and they cut the cable with bolt cutters and dismantled the bikes, he said.

Thompson also told police that they hid the bikes in Thompson’s apartment on Center Street in Rangeley, Leahy said.

On Monday night, Leahy contacted Thompson’s mother, who owns the building Thompson lives in, and received consent to search the property for the other bike.

All the parts to the second bike and more parts to the bike Furtado bike were located, he said.

The investigation is ongoing.

Leahy said Austin told him that Auburn police and Lambert did a fantastic job during the investigation.

Thompson posted $500 cash bail to be released from the Franklin County jail in Farmington either late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

dperry@sunjournal.com