APD arrests four in Asheville bicycle-theft ring, nearly $50,000 lost

Nearly $50,000 in stolen bicycles has already hit Asheville riders and businesses, and police say drone technology helped officers arrest four people tied to the losses. APD said the investigation is still open, more charges are expected, and it has not said how many bikes have been recovered.

The suspects are Dakota Edward M. Kudlacik, 30; Victor Shane Slack, 55; Tyler Dane Sherrill, 42; and Marc Robert Irvine, 51. Kudlacik was charged with felony larceny, felony probation violation and possession of drug paraphernalia, and was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility on a $15,000 secured bond. Slack was charged with felony larceny and possession of drug paraphernalia and was booked on a $2,000 secured bond. Sherrill was charged with felony larceny and booked on a $2,500 bond. Irvine was charged with felony larceny and booked on a $2,000 bond.

APD said the losses were reported over the last couple of months, a span that points to more than a one-off theft. In a city where bikes are used for commuting, recreation and daily transportation, that kind of theft becomes a consumer-protection issue as well as a property crime. Cyclists and shop owners who are checking on stolen property can use APD’s Police to Citizen system, where most incident reports after Jan. 1, 2003 are available, and can also submit anonymous tips by calling the department or texting TIP2APD to 847411.

The case also highlights how much APD has leaned into drone policing. The department’s drone program launched in October 2022 with the Asheville Fire Department, and APD later received a Federal Aviation Administration Beyond Visual Line of Sight waiver on Jan. 15, 2025, which allows one officer to pilot a drone remotely. Blue Ridge Public Radio has reported that APD had not yet published drone flight logs despite earlier transparency promises.

That balance of speed and oversight matters in Asheville, where drones were also central to Hurricane Helene response, helping officers locate people and map damaged roads and debris. APD’s use of the technology in the bike-theft case shows how the department is applying the same tools to routine property crime that it once reserved for emergencies.

The thefts also fit a broader pattern. In 2024, thieves broke into the Adventure Center of Asheville and stole eight bikes worth more than $37,000, a loss that showed how quickly high-value bikes can disappear from a local business. For The Bicycle Thrift Shop at 49 Glendale Avenue, founded in 2011, thefts like these can undercut affordable access to bikes, youth ride programs and trail advocacy, leaving the damage to ripple through more than one neighborhood.