Thief stole bike from Bradenton. It and others found in storage unit, cops say

A bicycle stolen from Bradenton has been recovered, along with other stolen bicycles being kept in a storage unit on Cortez Road, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Caleb Hatfield Sr., 29, was arrested Tuesday while at the storage unit, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies say they were looking for Hatfield, who was wanted for stealing a bicycle in Sarasota, when they learned he was at the storage unit in the 8400 block of Cortez Road West.

As detectives arrived at Hideaway Storage, “multiple bicycles were observed in plain view within and outside the storage unit,” the sheriff’s office said Wednesday. “Probable cause was developed to obtain a search warrant for the storage unit.”

The bicycles, including the one stolen from Bradenton police, were seized, along with other evidence, deputies said.

Police officers from Sarasota, Holmes Beach, as well as Bradenton were on hand to recover stolen items from open cases in their jurisdictions.

With Hatfield at the storage unit was Levi Oxendine, 21, who was wanted on a warrant for violating drug court. He was arrested without incident. The sheriff’s office said Oxendine cooperated with law enforcement during the investigation and led deputies to other locations where stolen bicycles were recovered.

The sheriff’s office said there may be more and the investigation is ongoing.

Both were booked into the Manatee County jail on the warrants and remain in custody without bond.

This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 11:14 AM.