The perpetrators have a plan and only take the most expensive mountain bikes and e-mountain bikes from the specialist store called Kurbeldreher on the night of Friday, September 13. A local resident notices the burglars, alerts the police and puts them to flight,

but the 14 mountain bikes with a total value of over 100,000 francs are gone. Ride reported on the case.

"According to initial findings, the perpetrators probably took the bikes away in a van that was possibly parked near the store," the Zurich cantonal police speculate afterwards. 

And they are wrong. At midday after the break-in, unspecified persons discovered the first stolen mountain bikes in a cornfield not far from the bike store. The police then launched a major search for the stolen goods, using sniffer dogs and drones among other things. Two twelve-year-olds also join the search party - and find two more bikes. 

Trick: hide the loot first and take it away later

In the end, the emergency services also all other stolen bikes and return them to the store, as the Tages-Anzeiger reports. 

The owner of the store tells the newspaper that it is apparently common practice to hide the stolen goods near the crime scene first - after the alarm is triggered, every delivery van is suspicious. Later, the loot can be transported away inconspicuously.

However, if people in the area are alert and report their discoveries, this plan does not work. The failed burglars can take comfort in the fact that they have not been caught. At least not for the time being.