A vigilant vigilante went after his property with a vengeance in Washington, D.C., after a thief made off with his bike. Police couldn’t respond fast enough, so this guy did what any bicycle-loving property owner would do — he tracked his bike down and took back what was his. Turnabout is fair play, right?

NBC 4 in Washington says Danny’s Cannondale hybrid, purchased for $600 in 1998, was stolen after he loaned it to his friend, who had only secured it with a cable lock. The thief made quick work of that lock with a pair of boltcutters.

Soon after the theft, Danny was perusing Craigslist and recognized his bike for sale for $100. He knew it was his because of a prominent sticker, and so he called the cops. They said they wouldn’t be able to get to it right away, and Danny knew he had to act fast or say goodbye to his bike forever.

He called up the number in the ad and arranged to meet with the man selling it. Then he says, he simply took it for a test ride and never looked back.

“This guy finally started calling me, and left a message saying he was going to call the police,” he says. Funny! Danny put a post on Craigslist when he got home, warning other users about the thief.

Police advise citizens against taking the law into their own hands to get stolen property back, but Danny is pleased with his actions.

“I’m glad that, hopefully, his business is interrupted a little bit,” he said.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen burgled items recovered with a little Craigslist sleuthing (there was this, and this and then this), so keep it in mind if you find your property has wandered off.

*Thanks for the tip, Daniel!

Vigilante Bicyclist Gets His Stolen Bike Back [NBC 4 News]

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.