Cape Coral man accused of stealing e-bike, then collecting $100 reward for 'finding' it

A man was arrested on Saturday in Cape Coral after being accused of stealing an e-bike and then claiming a $100 reward for "finding it." According to the Cape Coral Police Department, officers responded to reports of a theft at a business in the 4500 block of Del Prado Boulevard South at around 7:55 a.m. The victim told officers that he had gone inside the business for less than 10 minutes and had returned to find his e-bike missing. The victim said the e-bike was worth around $1,500 and had saddlebags carrying approximately $800 worth of equipment attached to it. While officers were on scene, an employee of the business told them he had gone looking for the stolen e-bike and had spoken with a man and woman about one block south, near 46th Street, CCPD said. The man the employee spoke with was identified later as James Lovett, 50. The employee said he asked Lovett and the woman if they had seen the stolen e-bike. Lovett asked if there was a reward for finding the bike, and the employee told him there would be a $100 reward, CCPD said. As officers continued speaking to the victim and the employee, Lovett approached them at the business and said he had found the e-bike, CCPD said. Lovett told them he had found the bike in the 4500 block of Southeast 15th Avenue. The victim found the bike at the reported location and gave Lovett the $100 reward, CCPD said. Lovett then left the area. Another officer later spoke with the woman who had been with Lovett. She told the officer that Lovett had approached her before the employee had gotten there and asked if she would "party" with him if he could come up with $50. The woman said she declined Lovett's proposition before the employee arrived to speak to them. The woman said that after Lovett heard about the $100 reward, he walked in the direction of his residence, CCPD said. Surveillance video from near the business showed the victim arrive at the business on his e-bike at around 7:46 a.m., CCPD said. At 7:49 a.m., a man matching Lovett's description walked toward the area where the e-bike was parked. At around 7:50 a.m., the same man was seen riding the e-bike away in the direction from which he had originally come. The woman positively identified the man in the security footage as Lovett, CCPD said. Officers located Lovett at his residence and arrested him. Lovett faces a charge of grand theft. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV