Exclusive: Man tracks his stolen motorcycle in Brooklyn, then gets in fight with suspected thieves
NEW YORK -- Police are looking for the suspects who stole a motorcycle in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They also allegedly beat up its owner once he found the men and his bike a few blocks away in Bushwick.
CBS2's Alice Gainer spoke exclusively with the victim.
Stephen Herbert says during the altercation over his motorcycle his nose was broken.
"I was on the ground. I think they were both kicking me and punching me. I was hoping they'd leave without doing more damage to me," Herbert said.
Last month, Herbert purchased his motorcycle on a Friday. On the following Monday, it was stolen in front of his building. He said he had an Apple AirTag on it, so he rode with police while following along with the GPS tracker, but they didn't locate it.
The next day, he checked the tracking.
"I just wanted to see it with my own eyes. It was mid-afternoon, so I went out and found it and the guy was about to hop on and drive it away. So I didn't have a chance to think. I just confronted him and said, 'No, this is mine. Don't touch it,'" Herbert said. "He's like, 'No, it's mine. I have the title and everything.' I said, 'OK, let's wait for the police,' and then he ran and his friend was there. Fifteen seconds later, he came back and I'm holding it down in both hands and he started punching me."
That incident happened on July 14 just before 2 p.m. at 193 Knickerbocker Ave. So far, police have not located the bike or the suspects.
Herbert said the tracker was still working for about three days after the assault.
"I was dumb to go alone. I was very dumb to go alone," he said. "In the moment, I saw it. I saw him about to get on it and drive away and this is my chance. This is wrong," he said.
Herbert, who will need to get surgery on his nose, will be walking for the foreseeable future, but said he feels lucky.
"Thankful it was only my nose and not worse," he said
He's hoping the men turn themselves and his motorcycle in.
Anyone with any information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). You can also submit a tip via their website or via DM on Twitter, @NYPDTips. All calls are kept confidential.