Man on Bike Charged With Stealing Cycling Tool, Gets Huffy

Apparently, filching these is still a crime -- and still annoys shopkeepers

​An Outer Sunset ACE Hardware manager dialed 911 last week, claiming a man on a bicycle had just made off with an Allen wrench. When police from Taraval Station located a man matching the alleged thief's description only a few blocks off dutifully placing his bicycle on a Muni bus' front bike rack, he reportedly bellowed "He called over an Allen wrench? All I took was an Allen wrench!"

The suspect was positively identified by the store manager -- and caught on film to boot. And, according to the police, an Allen wrench was not all he'd made off with. 

Police found a virtual potpourri of crap in suspect Steve Kirk White's possession: flashlights, locks, batteries, knit caps, scarves, lanyards, and more. The suspect had allegedly nicked the items from a number of stores, hoping to peddle them at the flea market. On top of that, White was wanted on an outstanding warrant for felony narcotics.

This is just the latest example of the ineffectiveness of the "All I took was ... " line of defense when confronted by the police.