Two similar smash-and-grab robberies at bike shops in San Luis Obispo have left owners and police looking for answers. The latest break-in happened early Saturday morning at Cambria Bike Outfitter on Monterey Street.
Store manager Garrett Doolittle described the scene as “chaos,” with glass, bikes, and broken counters strewn everywhere after a stolen pickup truck reversed into the storefront window.
Only one bike was taken in the heist, but damages are estimated in the tens of thousands of dollars, including the truck itself, which apparently broke down during the suspect’s escape attempt.
The crime closely resembles another incident in early November at Art’s Cyclery, located on the other side of town. That case also involved a stolen pickup truck, which police say is similar to the one used this weekend.
Additionally, both suspects appeared to use similar methods, including deploying a fire extinguisher in an attempt to obscure security camera footage. The main difference: Art’s Cyclery was protected by a scissor gate, which prevented the truck from fully entering. Cambria Bike Outfitter did not have one.
“Cambria just got hammered,” Art's Cyclery sales associate Hudson Robbins said. “The truck went all the way through, smashed in a bunch of bikes.”
The San Luis Obispo Police Department calls these types of crimes “quite common,” pointing to the high value of bicycles, which can easily cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.
Robbins says that although the damage hasn't affected business, it has changed the atmosphere of the shop.
“It’s crazy how much of a target bike shops are… Having the front door boarded up really bums us out, especially when we want the shop to feel lively,” he said.
Investigators are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect and are encouraging residents to register their bikes with the San Luis Obispo Police Department. You can do that here.
Cambria Bike Outfitter plans to install a gate to prevent another incident in the future.
“We’re all just kind of wondering why this is happening,” Doolittle said. “It’s not like whoever did it is going to come back and clean it up.”
This is still an active investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to call Officer Kuhn at (805) 594-8037 or Crime Stoppers at (805) 549-STOP to provide information anonymously.
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