Toronto vigilante is re-stealing stolen Bike Share bicycles and returning them

An undercover superhero in Toronto, dubbed "Batman" by some, has taken it upon himself to salvage stolen Bike Share bicycles across the city and return them to their rightful stands. 

The self-styled "ethical bike thief" in question, who preferred to be referred to as just "Jonny" in this article, told blogTO that he's noticed these abducted bikes all over the city, but mostly near the Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue area. 

His most recent "rescue" was documented in a Reddit thread, in which he discussed some of the telltale signs that a Bike Share bicycle has been swiped. 

im an ethical bike theif
byu/SeanJ0n intorontobiking

According to Jonny, some signs include the bicycle's lights not flashing, its appearance looking "chewed up," and the person using it stashing it somewhere. 

Most recently, he told blogTO that he saw a man try to hide a Bike Share bicycle in some bushes while grabbing some food at A&W. While the man was ordering his food, Jonny swooped in and managed to return it to a stand. 

In total, he estimates that he's saved about four bikes so far, but comes across stolen ones at least once or twice a week. "I can't save them all because they're either in use or locked up," he said. "Like anything, once you keep an eye out for it, you'll start to notice them." 

While Jonny says he wishes he could do the same for everyone's stolen bikes, people have already commended the "ethical bike thief" for his hard work. 

"Thank you, Batman," one comment reads. "At your service, citizen," Jonny responded.