Crime & Safety
SJ Auto Shop Owner Accused Of Shipping Stolen Bikes To Mexico
An indictment unsealed Thursday describes nine high-end bicycles that were stolen between April 2020 and April 2021.
SAN JOSE, CA — A San Jose man appeared in federal court on Thursday to face charges he funneled stolen high-end bikes to Mexico as part of a fencing operation.
Victoriano Romero, 53, allegedly received the stolen bikes at his automotive shop in San Jose, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
He would allegedly take photos of the bicycles, take them apart and package them for shipping to a co-conspirator in Jalisco, Mexico. His accomplice, who has not been indicted, used the photos for online advertisements to sell the bicycles, using a Facebook sales page on a virtual private network so only buyers in Mexico could see them.
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Prosecutors allege Romero received a share of the profits from the bicycle fencing scheme. An indictment unsealed Thursday describes nine bicycles that were stolen between April 2020 and April 2021, during nighttime burglaries at homes in San Francisco and Redwood City.
The bikes ranged in value from $3,000 to $9,000, and included a Serotta Titanium bicycle, a Bulls Grinder Evo bicycle, and a Cervelo C3 Carbon bicycle.
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Romero is charged with one count of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in foreign commerce and two counts of transportation of stolen goods in foreign commerce. The suspect made his initial federal court appearance to face the charges Thursday morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter H. Kang.
Romero was released on bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on April 10.
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