Posted on Tue, Mar 26, 2013 : 7:26 p.m.
Parents conduct their own sting to get back son's stolen dirt bike
By Cindy Heflin
A man and woman from Whitmore Lake were taken into custody Saturday after a couple posed as buyers for their son’s stolen dirt bike, the Daily Press & Argus reported.
Mike and Melissa Adkins of Livingston County’s Cohoctah Township found their 5-year-old son’s stolen dirt bike listed on Craigslist and arranged to meet the seller at a Walmart parking lot in Lyon Township in Oakland County Saturday, the newspaper reported.
When they told the seller the bike was stolen, the man pulled out a knife, but Mike Adkins and some friends who came with him subdued him, according to the report. Oakland County sheriff’s deputies took the man and his girlfriend, who accompanied him to Walmart, into custody, the newspaper reported.
Comments
PineyWoodsGuy
Thu, Mar 28, 2013 : 4:03 a.m.
The victims probably live in a trailer. Just saying . . .
jcj
Thu, Mar 28, 2013 : 11:28 p.m.
And you probably live in the woods. Just Saying...
Linda Peck
Thu, Mar 28, 2013 : 12:29 a.m.
Good for them. I am glad they took friends to help.
RoboLogic
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 6:57 p.m.
I would surmise that they did not call police beforehand in case this was NOT the stolen item. If they were wrong it would have wasted resources and caused embarrassment . They could only act after confirming it was, and they were smart to have back-up with them. I think they handled it as best as they could...and it turned out well. Nobody innocent got hurt and the bad guy goes to jail.
jcj
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 7:20 p.m.
Actually they knew from a photo on craigs list that it was theirs because of the homemade training wheels. Apart from that your logic is sound.
Jack Gladney
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 5:22 p.m.
You should always bring a gun to a knife fight.
mady
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 2:03 p.m.
Mike and Melissa, you Rock!!
GoNavy
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 1:57 p.m.
Considering that Michigan has plenty of CCW permit holders, I'm shocked that people still "pull knives."
Brad
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 12:47 p.m.
Let's see ... steal a 5 year old's motorcycle ... get suckered in by an amateur sting ... get your butt kicked in a Walmart parking lot ... time to go back to Whitmore Lake!
Doug
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 3:05 p.m.
He certainly couldn't be from "safe city" Ann Arbor!
A2comments
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 11:52 a.m.
This was foolhardy. Their "friends" could have called the police and no knife would have been pulled. And, if this is a motorized dirt bike for a 5 year old, I hope the police look into that also.
jcj
Thu, Mar 28, 2013 : 11:30 p.m.
Hey woodsy You don't have a clue! And I know I am jumping to conclusions just like you!
PineyWoodsGuy
Thu, Mar 28, 2013 : 4:01 a.m.
Why would Any parent in their Right Mind allow their 5 yr old ride a Dirt Bike? Stupid is as stupid does. Over the years I have learned that you cannot cure "Stupid." (My personal spin: The thief did the parents a service by stealing their 5 yr old son's "dirt bike.")(Bet they don't equip their wee lad with a helmet!!!).
jcj
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 12:39 p.m.
I agree it might have been questionable to pursue this on their own. But this is old news (2 weeks old). And the bike has training wheels that look like side cars to keep it from tipping. I would prefer my grand kids do this ( supervised)over some of the things some parents let their kids do.
Robert Granville
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 12:21 p.m.
Some people are DIY to their very core. I've recovered a couple stolen bikes for my family in the past. Police don't take it seriously. There is often no other way. Even if the bike is worth as much as this motorbike.
Halima
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 1:47 a.m.
I believe the idea was good, but dangerous.. Glad they were not hurt!
cibachrome
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 1:42 a.m.
The Honda dirt bike was worth about $600 - $700 and being sold for $500. Plus, the phone number in the C.L. ad also revealed a dozen or so other items for sale that are probably also stolen. They should have had a sheriff deputy with them instead of the wild west show.
Silly Sally
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 1:26 p.m.
What if the cops refused to show up? THey should have been given the chance, though.
5c0++ H4d13y
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 1:32 a.m.
The bike really can't be worth all that. Stupid is as stupid does.
mady
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 2:05 p.m.
hey, you steal from my kid and All Bets Are Off. believe that!!!!
jcj
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 12:41 p.m.
Yea the right thing to do woulkd have been toi crawl back in their shell like a turtle! lol.
Poorman
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 12:42 a.m.
People of Wallmart. LOL... He pulls a knife, really? Over a 5 year old's mini bike.
jcj
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 1 p.m.
Could have just as easily met at Van Maur. I doubt the suspect knew it belonged to a 5 year old when he stole it. Because EVERYONE here knows its a 10 year felony for a 5 year old to have a dirt bike.
Dr. Fate
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 12:25 p.m.
He probably pulled the knife because he didn't want to go back to jail. Kids' dirt bikes start at $500+.
YpsiLivin
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 1:06 a.m.
It raises a question about who would steal a 5-year old's bike in the first place.
Brad
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 12:18 a.m.
I hope he was thoroughly "subdued" like they did to Rodney King.
Peter
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 9:11 p.m.
I don't follow, perhaps you could expand on that thought.
a2citizen
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 8:56 p.m.
"...Malice Green..." said someone that doesn't dare go to Detroit, except for a Tigers game...
Peter
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 6:34 p.m.
Oo oo let's see some apologism for the murder of Malice Green next. Maybe you can do Kelly Thomas after that.
Silly Sally
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 1:23 p.m.
If you watched the whole trial, as I did, you would know that Rodney King did not respond to any of the officer's commands after being chased. The other two that were with him, did, and nothing happened to them. If not for the LAPD, King would be dead, since he was advancing on a small female CHP officer who had her gun pointed at him. The behavior of the LAPD was excessive, partly due to the procedures then in place. They were charged, not "unpunished". The officers were found innocent during the first trial since the prosecutor over reached and charged them with attempted murder. If they had intended to kill Rodney King, he would be dead. These same officers later were charged under federal charges of a conspiracy to violate his civil rights, This was a wrong charge since they never had time to plan their excessive assault on King, it just developed. It was also double jeopardy. The original charge should have been excessive force or battery, and the 4 officers would have been found guilty and no riots would have happened. The 4 officers all spent time in jail - King belonged in jail, too
Brad
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 12:08 p.m.
Except for the racism part, yes I do.
Peter
Wed, Mar 27, 2013 : 3:33 a.m.
You hope his civil rights were violated in a brutal assault that went unpunished because of system racism?