Mayor Recognizes Bike Officers Who Caught Property Crime Offender

June 25, 2010

Mayor Richard J. Berry recognized on Friday two Albuquerque police officers who chased down a property crime offender while on their bikes

Officers Shane Bailey and Eric Pysezko received this week’s Friday Hero’s Award. Each week Mayor Berry recognizes one public safety employee who goes above the call of duty.

“It’s not every day that our police officers get into a bike chase,” Mayor Berry said. “It’s highly dangerous for them.. But officers Bailey and Pysezko risked their own safety to catch a criminal.”

On June 2, Officers Bailey and Pysezko were patrolling on their bikes and noticed a cyclist carrying a large black pillow case. As they approached the man he attempted to elude the officers.

They chased the man through parking lots, alley ways, and side streets. He dropped the large black pillow case, abandoned the bike, and fled on foot. The black pillow case contained large amounts of stolen items. The man had recently burglarized a home..

Officer Bailey gave chase but lost the suspect after he ran between businesses. Bailey and Pysezko gave the suspects description to other APD units that had responded and to University of New Mexico police officers who were also in the area. A short time later APD dispatch was notified that UNM police had located a man who fit the suspect’s description. The man was boarding a city bus.

After APD backup arrived UNM police were able to stop the bus. Pysezko and Bailey were able to identify the man as the suspect on the bike.

Officers were able to track the property back to its rightful owner. Together the items were worth about $2,100 worth of stolen property. In the process the officers found that the suspect had kicked open the victim’s gate and then pried open a window to gain access to the home.

“The offender has a long history of armed robberies, auto and residential burglaries.” Commander Murray Conrad said. “The fact that these bike officers were diligent in their duties is a credit to the Albuquerque Police Department and the City of Albuquerque.”