Local business owner says $37,000 worth of electric, mountain bikes stolen

    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) -- Jeff Greiner, who owns the Adventure Center of Asheville, is doing his own detective work after he says thieves broke into his locked bike shop on the property and stole eight bikes worth more than $37,000.

“It was so frustrating and disappointing,” said Greiner.

Three of the bikes were electric and for guest use. Electric bikes run in the thousands.

Another expensive bike belonged to a camper at a bike camp. The other bikes belonged to the staff.

“It’s pretty rough,” said Evan Kearse who had two bikes stolen from the bike shop. He also runs Greiner’s bike camp.

Kearse had saved for more than a year to buy one of the bikes that cost over $7,500, which was a specialty trail bike ordered from a manufacturer called Transition.

"It was the first bike I had saved up for and bought on my own,” said Kearse. “I was really excited for it. We’re all pretty emotionally attached to them."

Greiner said that due to the Asheville Police Department's (APD) staffing shortage, no detective has come out to investigate the theft. Since the incident, Greiner has gone door to door to area businesses.

Greiner said that due to the Asheville Police Department's (APD) staffing shortage, no detective has come out to investigate the theft. Since the incident, Greiner has gone door to door to area businesses.

"They’re very challenged with the shortage of staff that they have,” said Greiner. “Their indication is their focus has to be on violent crime and I get that. We, unfortunately, have been broken into before and police officers were able to come out – multiple police officers."

But not this time.

Rick Rice, spokesman for APD, acknowledged that the department continues to have a staff shortage. Rice said that an APD staff member did take information on the case the same day Greiner filed a report.

"It appears that Mr. Greiner entered the theft into P2C (Police To Citizen) on August 9 with minimal information,” Rice said by email. “A member of the Asheville Police Department reached out to him the same day requesting additional information and was able to obtain more details like the specific items stolen and their serial numbers. Those items were then entered by that staff member into the NCIC registry.”

Rice said Greiner can submit the surveillance stills. News 13 asked for specific numbers of officers assigned to the larceny or theft unit now, compared to when the department is fully staffed. Rice said he would provide the numbers to News 13 in the next week.

“In this case, it’s been a situation where they just don’t have the resources,” said Greiner. “So it’s been me all week long.”

Greiner and staff have been posting photos of the stolen bikes, hoping someone will see one or more of them and call them with a tip.

Greiner said he did have video cameras, but they had technical issues and did not capture footage. He said he is investing in more surveillance equipment and reinforcing locks moving forward.

“I’ve got some listings on Facebook as well,” said Kearse, who is still holding out hope someone will see his Transition Spire bike he loved.

After News 13 contacted APD, Greiner said a detective called him to discuss the theft.