DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Thousands of motorcycles in Daytona Beach were just too much of a temptation for a group of out-of-state thieves. Investigators said they set up a temporary chop shop in Volusia County just for Bike Week.
The thieves set it all up in a vacation rental home. It was just a one week rental and neighbors told WFTV it was stacked with motorcycles.
Bikes were parked in long lines during Bike Week and, when nobody was watching, a pair of friends needed some parts so, investigators say, they stole them.
Richard Cintron walked in front of a judge Tuesday accused of stealing just one bike, but investigators say he may have been dealing in them for five years.
"They had Harleys and Suzukis and Kawasakis and a couple of dirt bikes," Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said.
Neighbors of a New Smyrna Beach rental home watched Cintron and a friend unload a trailer full of bikes Sunday.
"You'd see them piddling around in the trailer, moving stuff in and out of the trailer. I never did look in the trailer to see what was in there," neighbor Robert Williams said.
When a bike was stolen from Daytona's boardwalk area Monday night, the owner called local repair shops. Just his wheels turned up Tuesday at a store in Holly Hill.
Investigators were there waiting when Cintron and a friend came to pick them up. They led investigators back to the New Smyrna house where they found more parts and another stolen bike.
Investigators said Cintron's friend admitted stealing bikes in New York, registering them in Florida and then reselling them up north for the last five years.
"Nothing leaves a bad taste in your mouth than having a $20,000 piece of machinery and, when you come back, your motorcycle's stolen," Chitwood said.
Police said they're more focused on motorcycle thefts this year. Bike thefts climbed from 26 in 2008 to 42 in 2009.
Cintron is the third accused thief arrested this week.
WFTV talked to the woman who owned the rental home. She said no one would ever guess they were thieves. She described them as polite. They gave her their IDs and even asked if they should take their shoes off in the house to avoid getting the carpet dirty.