Bradenton Man Arrested in Family Dollar E-Bike Theft, Faces Grand Theft Charge

Bradenton police have arrested the suspect in a recent e-bike theft outside a Family Dollar store, bringing closure to a case that had drawn public attention.

Justin Johnson, 21, was taken into custody Monday after detectives saw him boarding a bus in downtown Bradenton. He now faces a felony charge of grand theft in connection with the incident.

The theft occurred earlier in June when a valuable electric bicycle was stolen from outside the Family Dollar. Surveillance footage helped investigators identify Johnson as the suspect, and the video was also instrumental in linking him to another burglary case. In that incident, a victim recognized Johnson from the Family Dollar footage and provided a positive identification to police.

At the time of the e-bike theft, Johnson was already out on bond from a prior arrest by the Bradenton Police Department in early June on narcotics charges.

Bradenton detectives say the investigation remains active as they look into Johnson’s possible involvement in additional cases. He remains in custody as of Tuesday, with charges pending further court proceedings.