Fulton, NY -- A teenager was arrested Tuesday after a $369 bicycle was taken from Doyle’s Bicycle Sales & Service in Fulton. Zachary R. Parker, 18, of Fulton, was charged with felony burglary and criminal mischief as well as misdemeanor petit larceny, possession of burglar’s tools and making a punishable false written statement, said police. He is in jail...
The exterior of Doyle's Bicycle Sales & Service in Fulton.Fulton, NY -- A teenager was arrested Tuesday after a $369 bicycle was taken from Doyle’s Bicycle Sales & Service in Fulton.
Zachary R. Parker, 18, of Fulton, was charged with felony burglary and criminal mischief as well as misdemeanor petit larceny, possession of burglar’s tools and making a punishable false written statement, said police. He is in jail awaiting arraignment.
About 3 a.m. Monday, someone threw a glass ball through the bike shops front window, said Tracy Doyle, 50, owner of the shop. As the alarm system went off, the burglar reached through the window and stole a Eastern Traildigger BMX bicycle, Doyle said.
"I’m still sweeping up glass today, believe it or not," said Doyle, who has to pay about $100 in damages. "What I’m seeing this city turn into makes me sad 'cause I grew up here."
This was the second time his shop had been broken into in the past five years. Nothing was taken the last time.
Last November, Doyle and the shop collected and gave away more than 40 bicycles to children in the community. Instead of stealing the bicycle, all Parker needed to do was ask for one, he said.
"I give bikes to kids. If this kid wanted a bike I wish he would have just come to me and told me that he was down on his luck. I would have helped him out somehow," Doyle said. "It’s very disheartening to have something like this happen. You lose your faith in man."
The Fulton police have the stolen bicycle and will return it soon, Doyle said. He is not sure what else he can do to prevent a burglary from happening again.
"What do I have to do? Buy a steel roll-up fence like they have in New York City on their store fronts to protect my building? It’s ridiculous. I don’t want to do that," Doyle said. "We never had crime like this in this town. It is ridiculous what it is turning into. I blame a lot of it on the parents."
Doyle's family has owned the shop for about 15 years.