I got an email late Friday evening from a reader saying he had tracked down a bike we listed on our Stolen Bike page last week.

Ron, who preferred to not have his full name used, said a friend of his spotted the bike at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet. So Ron went out there and posed as a potential buyer. He checked the serial number and matched it to the serial number on the listing.

Ron said he once he confirmed the bike matched the stolen bike, he alerted a Sergeant with the Pima County Sheriffs’ department. Apparently they spoke with the vendor and took possession of the bike. Ron contacted me to get in touch with the bike’s owner.

It turns out the Cannondale Quick 5, which was stolen on the University of Arizona campus on Oct. 4, belonged to UA instructor Marco Lettieri. He said in his email that his bike was the only way he got to and from campus.

Lettieri went out to the swap meet on Sunday and got his bike back.

“This is absolutely amazing,” Lettieri wrote in an email.”I went to pick up the bike yesterday at the swap meet and Sergeant Grisham kindly returned my bike. I have decided to spread the word about your website at the university and I will actively be on the lookout for other bikes from this day forward. Your website was a savior, thank you so much again! ”

It’s rare that a stolen bike is recovered and it is great when Tucson Velo can play a part in getting them back.

The swap meet seems like a good place to check for stolen bikes and I’ve added it to my recommendations of places to check for stolen bikes.