Screenshot from KOMO. Click to read full story.
This is a wonderful outcome to a huge bummer of a story: Mount Vernon Police tracked down a married couple who stole a pair of fully-loaded touring bikes back in August.
The bikes belonged to Anna Suthers and Billy Barnetson, an Australian couple on a cross-country bike trip who had stopped at Skagit River Brewery to grab a meal and some local beer. Everything they had on this side of the pond was on those bikes, a sorry welcome to our region.
Police followed up on some tips and tracked some suspicious pawn shop sales (including a camera with the couple’s photos still saved in it) until they finally recovered a bunch of the camping equipment and the bikes themselves in early October. By that time, Suthers and Barnetson were already in California (you can follow their blog here), but the police have even offered to ship them what they need.
“Really happy the police caught the culprits! Very satisfying to know thy didn’t get away with it,” Barneston said.
The 24-year-old suspects were arrested and booked into Skagit County Jail for investigation of possession of stolen property and trafficking in stolen property.
Meanwhile, Suthers and Barnetson have replaced the stolen gear and bikes and are currently riding their way through California, but should be getting their bikes back soon.
“The police have very kindly offered to send it to LA to meet up with us or even send some items home to Australia,” Barneston said. “They’ve been amazing!”
