Lancaster County prosecutors on Tuesday charged a Husker linebacker and a distance runner with stealing seven bikes from a University of Nebraska-Lincoln rack Monday.
Josh Banderas, 19, and Lucas Keifer, 19, each face felony theft charges after police pulled them over at about 5:10 p.m. Monday.
Assistant UNL Police Chief Charlotte Evans said a witness called 911 just before 5 p.m. after seeing two people clipping bike locks with a bolt cutter and taking them to a truck.
The truck left, and UNL and Lincoln police officers responded to a larceny-in-progress call.
Near Antelope Valley Parkway and M Street, a Lincoln police officer pulled over the silver Chevrolet 1500 truck Keifer was driving, Evans said.
They seized the mountain bikes, valued at $1,699, and a bolt cutter from the truck’s bed.
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Both were taken to jail on suspicion of possession of burglar’s tools and theft by unlawful taking between $500 and $1,500.
They were released from jail Tuesday on $3,500 bond each and will appear in court June 17.
Banderas started four games for the Huskers last fall and this spring competed for first-team duties. He finished with 28 tackles last season, including two sacks.
A Lincoln Southwest High School graduate, Banderas was regarded by many as Nebraska's top football player for the class of 2013.
An Athletic Department spokesman said administrators and coaches are aware of the incident and have no further comment.
Keifer, who attended Southwest with Banderas, runs for the cross country and track and field teams.
