If I was cited for 5th degree theft for taking a bike seat from what I believed to be an abandoned bicycle, what are my options and how is this case likely to turn out?

If I was cited for 5th degree theft for taking a bike seat from what I believed to be an abandoned bicycle, what are my options and how is this case likely to turn out?

There were several abandoned bikes there, many with missing parts. The bike I took the seat from did not have any missing parts, though two bikes next to it both had wheels missing. The bike did have a severely corroded chain and flat tires. The level of corrosion on the bike was the primary reason I believed it to be abandoned.

Asked on August 6, 2012 under Criminal Law, Iowa

Answers:

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