Alleged thief with lively story caught

PROVO, Utah – A 32-year-old man who claimed to be a Mormon professional BMX biker from Ireland was arrested in Pocatello, Idaho, after his former roommates at Brigham Young University said he had stolen about $7,000 of their belongings.

Police pulled over Joshua Shelley in a stolen car Friday.

Former roommates in Idaho said they were told the same story as those in Provo: that Shelley was from Ireland, a Mormon and a professional BMX racer. Shelley even had an Irish accent, they said. But Shelley’s ex-wife said he was raised in Colorado.