Police Discover Trove of Stolen Bikes and Strollers

Police arrested two suspects at a Westchester home Wednesday in connection with a series of bicycle and baby stroller thefts in the beach cities.

Anthony Michael Taraszka, 33, currently on parole for burglary, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of possession of stolen property and possession of a controlled substance. Michelle Renee Thomspon, 31, was also arrested and charged with multiple counts of possession of stolen property and identity theft. Taraszka is being detained on a no-bail probation hold, and Thompson is in custody on $120,000 bail.

There has been a noticeable uptick in larcenies locally over the last few years, according to data released by the Manhattan Beach Police Department. Between 2005 and 2007, the number of reported thefts in the city jumped from 535 to 790, falling slightly to 718 reported cases in 2009.

Detectives from the Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach police departments had been jointly investigating a recent spate of bicycle and baby stroller thefts in the surrounding area. Once Taraszka became a person of interest in the investigation, police conducted a probation search at his Westchester home, discovering dozens of stolen items.

Property recovered from the residence—the majority of which police say had been stolen in Manhattan Beach—included 16 high-end strollers, 23 bicycles and various motorized scooters. So far, detectives have identified four owners of the stolen property and their items have been returned.

For more information or to verify ownership of the property recovered, call the Manhattan Beach Police Department at 310-802-5140.