Thief gets hot wheels from Citi Bike rack

A thief got a head start on the Memorial Day launch of the Citi Bike program by riding off with a blue set of wheels Sunday evening.

Police said an unidentified woman stole a Citi Bike Sunday around 6 p.m. as the bicycles were being unloaded off of trucks at Second Avenue and 25th Street.

The NYPD is investigating the theft. No arrests have been made.

"It is a petty larceny. Detectives are working on it," said Police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

As for whether the program will invite theft, Kelly said stolen bicycles have been "a concern in some cities, hasn't been in others. It's too early to tell."

A stolen or Citi Bike will cost users $1,200 to cover the bicycle's value, administrative fees and mechanic work, according to Dani Simons, a spokeswoman for Citi Bike.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday the bike had been recovered.

"And it wasn't ours, it was owned by the private sector. It wasn't government property stolen," Bloomberg added.