Serial Bike Thief Sentenced to More Than Four Years in Portland

A man accused of stealing bicycles from apartment complexes across Portland for more than two decades has been sentenced to prison.

Christopher McGinnis pleaded guilty Friday to six counts of first-degree burglary and two counts of first-degree theft. He was sentenced to 50 months in prison — just over four years — followed by three years of post-prison supervision, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office.

Prosecutors said McGinnis broke into three apartment buildings multiple times over a 20-year span: The Frankie in Southeast Portland, The Cosmopolitan in Northwest Portland and Memoir Buckman in Southeast Portland.

Authorities said he targeted storage areas, breaking in with a crowbar and using bolt cutters or a Sawzall to remove bike locks. The thefts occurred between June 2005 and September 2025.

Investigators said McGinnis sometimes changed clothes between break-ins but frequently wore similar outfits, which helped link the incidents. He was ultimately identified after police circulated a flyer featuring surveillance images.

In September, a grand jury indicted McGinnis on 43 counts. None of the stolen bicycles have been recovered.

Deputy District Attorney Alexander Garcia, who prosecuted the case, said the Burglary Task Force remains committed to protecting Portland’s reputation as a biking city and holding those who steal bicycles accountable.