City of Santa Rosa, CA, CivicReady Public Safety Alerts & Notifications

SRPD News Release: Bicycle theft operation leads to 5 felony arrests

Bicycle theft operation leads to 5 felony arrests  

May is recognized as National Bike Month, and May 15th specifically as National Bike-to-Work Day, celebrated by tens of thousands of participants throughout the country each year.  In support of National Bike Month, the Santa Rosa Police Department Property Crimes Investigations Team (SRPD PCI) and the SRPD Downtown Enforcement Team (DET) recently conducted a “bait bike” operation in Downtown Santa Rosa in response to the numerous bicycle thefts in our community. This proactive operation involved officers surveilling a bicycle left unattended as “bait” and contacting anyone who decided to take the bicycle. The units specifically focused on city parking lots, garages, and public spaces downtown due to an uptick in thefts and other crimes in those areas.  

Based on their respective investigations, PCI detectives determined that the 5 people they contacted who possessed the bait bike intentionally stole the property. Because the bicycle was valued at over $2,000, the theft of the bicycle is a felony.  

The following people were arrested and booked into Sonoma County jail for theft of the bicycle: 

  1. Edmund Wilson, a 60-year-old transient from Santa Rosa, was booked into jail for felony grand theft per 487(a) PC and violation of felony probation per 1203.2(a) PC. SRPD case number 25-5645. 

  1. Greg Faulkner, a 58-year-old transient from Santa Rosa, was booked into jail for felony grand theft per 487(a) PC, multiple counts of misdemeanor and felony probation violations per 1203.2 PC, felony theft with priors per 666.1(a)(1) PC, and criminal conspiracy per 182(a)(1) PC.  SRPD case number 25-5648. 

  1. Erin Taggart, a 50-year-old transient from Santa Rosa, was booked into jail for felony grand theft per 487(a) PC, violation of probation per 1203.2 PC, and criminal conspiracy per 182(a)(1) PC.  SRPD case number 25-5648. 

  1. Eva Lady, a 52-year-old transient from Santa Rosa, was booked into jail for felony grand theft per 487(a) PC. SRPD case number 25-5649. 

  1. Jose Vargas-Amezcua, a 27-year-old Santa Rosa resident, was booked into jail for felony grand theft per 487(a) PC, and three outstanding misdemeanor warrants.  SRPD case number 25-5659.   

We want to remind our community to secure your bicycles with locks, preferably uncuttable ones. Also, if you see suspicious activity, please call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance or the SRPD Communications Center at 707-528-5222 for non-emergencies. 

Media inquiries can be made to Sgt. Patricia Seffens, Public Information Officer, at 707-543-3634 or pseffens@srcity.org. 



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