ATLANTA,None — Police in Asheville, N.C. have arrested a man on suspicion of stealing a torch from a professional cyclist who carried it in the torch relay leading up to the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
"I think he got $200 for it. That's shocking that someone would take something of great value and get so little for it," cyclist Andrew Crater said.
Crater, who owns a yoga mat business, in addition to riding for the Cleveland Clinic team, spoke with Channel 2's Tom Regan. He said his prized possession was stolen while he was moving out of an apartment house in Asheville.
"In terms of worth, I felt it was worth a lot, in terms of sentimental and monetary value," Crater said.
Crater said he checked online auction sites and pawn shops to see if his torch would turn up. He said he called police and they located the torch at an Asheville pawn shop.
Police arrested Brian McDonald, 42, and charged him with theft. Crater said McDonald stayed in the same apartment house where he lived.
Crater placed the value of the torch at $15,000. But a local veteran collector and dealer of Olympic merchandise said the market value for relay torches is about $1,200 to $1,500.
Dealer Craig Perlow of Norcross showed Regan some of his collection, including the relay torch he carried in Atlanta prior to the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. He said he can relate to Crater's loss.
"It was an absolutely fabulous feeling. The best experience of my life," Perlow said.
Perlow also said it was the first time he heard of a relay torch theft for resale. The cyclist told Regan police would return the torch after completing their investigation.
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