Police say a high-tech breadcrumb trail led them straight to a suspected serial bike thief in Dinkytown, after a hidden AirTag in a victim's e‑bike pointed officers to a nearby apartment complex and a stripped, inoperable bike.
Court filings accuse 40‑year‑old Alec Lindman of swiping four bikes and an electric scooter from a secured bike garage at The Standard at Dinkytown between June 8 and June 12. The recovered e‑bike had allegedly been torn apart, with its front tire, seat and other hardware removed. Lindman is currently listed in county custody in connection with the case.
According to FOX 9, prosecutors have filed five separate criminal complaints tied to thefts from the building's bike storage area. The complaints list a gray Giant bike valued at about $500, a black Werhy electric scooter at $400, a dark‑blue Fuji at $800, a light‑blue mountain bike at $1,800 and an e‑bike valued at $1,200. In all, the alleged losses total nearly $4,700. Security footage described in the court documents reportedly shows the suspect entering the bike storage multiple times over the span of the thefts.
County pages indicate Lindman is being held in Hennepin County custody, and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office maintains the public in‑custody roster that tracks detainee status. Prosecutors also cited an entry for "Alec Robert Lindman" in Ramsey County's online records while seeking a warrant in the theft cases.
AirTag pings lead officers to Maya Commons
Investigators say the break in the case came from a tiny tracker. According to the complaint, the stolen e‑bike's concealed AirTag began pinging from the Maya Commons complex just north of The Standard on 14th Avenue SE. Officers went to that address and recovered the bike, which they say was no longer operational and was missing parts, as reported by FOX 9. The complaint states that investigators linked the Maya Commons address to Lindman using probation records and that prosecutors sought a warrant in the theft cases.
AirTags help track bikes but do not stop theft
Small trackers like AirTags can point owners and police to a stolen item’s location, but they are no substitute for sturdy locks or secure storage. A hidden AirTag helped officers recover a stolen vehicle in Minneapolis in earlier coverage, underscoring how these devices are increasingly showing up in recovery efforts and investigations.
What happens next
With complaints filed and warrants requested, the cases will continue moving through Hennepin County. The county's public pages outline how to search in‑custody and court information for anyone following the proceedings. Minneapolis police are asking anyone with information about the Dinkytown thefts to contact the department or use local tip lines to share what they know.
