Allegedly Stole E-Bike, Painted Over Logo, Serial Number…
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2026 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — A Boca Raton man is facing a grand theft charge after police say he was caught riding a stolen electric bicycle — one that still had its logos spray-painted over to conceal its identity. When an officer yelled “Police Stop,” John Mario Digiovanni, 40, allegedly shouted back that he wasn’t stopping “for s–t,” dropped the bike, and took off running. He didn’t get far.
According to a Boca Raton Police Department probable cause affidavit obtained by BocaNewsNow.com, the victim reported his gray Mars 2.0 Heybike — valued at $1,500 — stolen from the first-floor stairwell of his apartment complex at 135 NW 20th St. sometime between April 23 and the early morning hours of April 25, 2026. The victim told police he had a tracking device on the bicycle, and it was pinging at 1160 SW 1st Ave. — the address where Digiovanni lives.
An officer conducted surveillance at that location and at approximately 9:42 p.m. on April 25 observed a man matching the suspect’s description — later confirmed as Digiovanni through a DHSMV photo — emerge from an apartment with the electric bike. The officer drove to intercept him, at which point Digiovanni tried to duck between cars to hide. When the officer got out and ordered him to stop, Digiovanni made his now-infamous declaration and bolted. A foot chase followed, and Digiovanni eventually gave up and laid on the ground. A check of the bike’s serial number confirmed it matched the stolen bicycle. The victim came to the scene and identified it as his.
Digiovanni was arrested and booked into the Palm Beach County Jail. He faces one count of Grand Theft ($750-$5,000), a felony, and one count of Resisting or Obstructing an Officer Without Violence, a misdemeanor. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
