Police Arrest Man for Robbery of Bicycle Shop

Published on August 06, 2022

Palo Alto, CA – Police arrested a man yesterday afternoon after he robbed an open bicycle shop of cash.  No one was physically injured.

On Friday, August 5, 2022, at about 2:43 p.m., our 24-hour dispatch center received a call reporting an in-progress robbery at the Cardinal Bike Shop at 1955 El Camino Real.  Officers arrived on scene within three minutes and detained the suspect without incident as he was just about to drive away in his vehicle (a gray 2009 Lexus ES-350).

The investigation revealed that the suspect had entered the business wanting to sell a used electric bicycle. When staff refused to buy it, the suspect reached into his backpack, feigned as though he had a weapon in it, made verbal threats of violence, and demanded cash from the employee (a male in his forties).  Fearing for his life, the employee gave the suspect cash from the register.  The suspect left the store, leaving the bicycle behind.

Police booked 23-year-old Michael Lindstrom-Spence of Healdsburg into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for robbery and criminal threats (both felonies).  His booking photo appears above.  Police did not locate any weapons in the suspect’s possession or in his vehicle.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call our 24-hour dispatch center at (650) 329-2413.  Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voice mail to (650) 383-8984.