LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Thursday afternoon Lakeport Police officers arrested a man who they say stole a bike from an outdoor display at a downtown bicycle store.

Robert Michael Berg, a 38-year-old transient from Lakeport, was arrested in the case, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.

Shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday Lakeport Police officers were contacted by the owner of Main Street Bicycles who advised that a subject had stolen a $2,100 Specialized bicycle from the outdoor display in front of the store, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said the owner advised that a local customer, who was very familiar with the store and bicycle, had seen a male subject riding the bicycle south on South Main Street near Aqua Products. The customer contacted the store owner regarding the bike, at which time he checked and discovered the bicycle missing. 

Officers obtained a description of the bicycle and immediately contacted the citizen witness who provided a description of the male subject he had seen riding it, Rasmussen said.

The officers responded to the South Main Street area to search for the bicycle and suspect and also requested assistance from any Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies in the area, Rasmussen said.

Two deputies responded to assist and at approximately 3:15 p.m. they located the stolen bicycle outside of the Kmart store on South Main Street, according to Rasmussen.

Rasmussen said the witness also responded to Kmart to identify the bicycle and stand by with officers to identify the male subject who took it if he was located.

During the search at approximately 3:30 p.m. the witness spotted the male subject in the store. Deputies and officers immediately arrested the man, who was found in possession of an approximately $70 necklace which officers suspected he was going to leave the store without paying for, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said the male subject was identified as Berg, who is well known to officers due to many previous contacts. 

Berg was arrested on felony charges of grand theft and possession of stolen property and transported to the Lake County Correctional Facility where he was booked. He remained in custody early Friday with bail set at $15,000, according to jail records.

Berg has numerous prior arrests for violations including drugs, resisting peace officers, violation of court orders, terrorists threats, probation violation and three prior felony convictions with prison time for battery on a custodial officer, resisting and obstructing an executive officer and evading a peace officer, Rasmussen said.

This investigation remains ongoing. Rasmussen said officers are looking into the circumstances of the theft and the possible involvement of other suspects.

The department thanked the witness and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the case.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to contact Lakeport Police at 707-263-5491, via a private message on Facebook @LakeportPolice or anonymously from a cell phone by texting the words TIP LAKEPORT followed by the message to the number 888777.