Them Germans know how to handle bike thieves — an 82 year old man has spent 46 years of his life in the clink for bike theft. He was first convicted in 1947, when he was 20 years old. Each time he gets out of prison, he goes right back to stealing bikes again.
Local police, who have nicknamed the bike thief “Buffalo Bill” because of his distinctive white mustache, say Rudi is always on the prowl with bolt cutters looking for bikes to take. “Once he wanted to peddle a mountain bike at the fair grounds. He just sprayed it with green paint. The paint smell was still fresh.” Rudi’s current prison term — his 45th — ends in October 2010, when bike thief Rudi P will be 85 years old.
More at The Berliner Kurier [Google translation here ]. Via Rad Spannerei in Germany.