On 8/12/2013, the victim wrote: Hello stolen bike reg! First off I would like to thank you for creating this website. Without it I would have never been able to get my bike back. I posted this listing over a year ago, (http://chicago.stolenbike.org/node/192703) and yesterday I brought my baby home - I attached the picture my boyfriend took of me holding my bike, yes i was crying. A gentleman emailed me saying he bid on a bike on ebay. He felt that the bike was stolen so did a little research and found my info on CSBR. He emailed me the ebay link and wished me the best. The bike on ebay was mine (no parts were removed and no spray painted frame), the only thing different is the tires were completely flat and my seat was slammed down. My bike was in Barrington IL. We contacted the seller (offered cash and didnt mention it was stolen) and he agreed to meet up with us. We contacted Chicago Police who told us to contact Barrington Police. Barrington Police told us they MIGHT send an officer with us. We opted to meet the seller without the police hoping that he was an okay person. We meet the seller, he's definitely not the theif. We show him my police report, list off all the parts, and show him a ton of pictures I had printed of the bike. The seller said he found the bike in a house he had bought off the bank, it had been a foreclosure because the people living inside were drug addict hoarders - there were a few bikes (mostly "plain steel frames" and mine "was the only nice one") and a bunch of electronics. So the seller thought he would try to sell it to get some money (knowing he was most likely selling stolen property). The seller didn't know shit about bikes and believed it was mine with all the evidence. He gave the bike up pretty easily (he wasn't very nice but decided he preferred not having authorities involved). Thank you CSBR and a super shout out to the guy that emailed me in the first place - you have restored my faith in humanity, I am forever thankful for your kindness.