Man snatches bike from 10-year-old girl riding home from school, California police say

The Santa Cruz Police Department said officers arrested a 33-year-old man accused of stealing a bike from a 10-year-old girl using it to ride home from school.

Police in a news release said the girl was riding her bike home with two other children near Bellevue on Monday, Nov. 8, when they were approached by the suspect. The suspect then blocked their path, demanded that one of them give him their bicycle, and rode away, police said.

The victims were uninjured and reunited with their parents safely, police said. Officers were unable to find the suspect immediately, but a Santa Cruz Parks and Recreation worker later saw someone with the stolen bike on Nov. 9 and notified police.

Police identified the suspect as 33-year-old Jordan Howard. Howard was booked into the Santa Cruz County Jail and faces charges for robbery and false imprisonment. He’s being held on a $50,000 bond for each charge, according to jail records.

This story was originally published November 10, 2021 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Man snatches bike from 10-year-old girl riding home from school, California police say."