By Jim Clark

A Somerville Ave. resident returned to her apartment last week to find that her two bicycles had been stolen, after having their lock and chain cut.

The victim searched Craigslist online, hoping to spot the bikes for sale, and did indeed find bicycles listed matching hers by description. She emailed the seller to set up a meeting.

The following day, while at the Market Basket located across from her apartment on, she by chance spotted her bicycles locked to a rack in front of the store, according to reports.

The woman talked to police and told them that she had spoken to the Craigslist seller by phone and had set up a meeting for the next day to purchase one of the bikes for $75.

Surveillance was set up by police on the next day at Market Basket and a female officer was placed on the scene to pose as the buyer.

The undercover officer was met by the seller at the Market Basket bike racks.

As the man unlocked the bike, undercover officers converged and placed him in their custody.

The man, Phillip Pinto, 38, of Nashua, NH, claimed that he had found the bikes.

He was placed under arrest and charged with receiving stolen property. A subsequent search of his car reportedly uncovered unprescribed pills (Klonopin and Seboxin) and he was further charged with possession of class B and class C drugs.