Source: Posted in Niagara This Week St. Catharines on Oct. 25th 2024 by Kevin Werner
For a moment, Laura Hiscoe thought somebody had returned her black cherry tricycle bike after it had been stolen a few weeks earlier.
But after a few seconds, she realized a new deep-red bike had been given to her so soon after the community learned of the theft.
“You should have seen her face,” said her mother, Lesley Hiscoe.
“We didn’t tell her we found another bike. When we pulled into the driveway with the bike, it was the first time she had seen it. She said, ‘It’s exactly the same as my other bike.’ She was absolutely thrilled.”
Laura had gone to have lunch with some relatives at Johnny Pastrami’s Breakfast and Lunch restaurant on Lake Street on Oct. 9. She had locked up her bike, believing it was protected.
But when she returned about an hour later, it was gone. The lock was cut.
Laura and her family searched around the neighbourhood, but couldn’t find it. Lesley and Laura told friends and neighbours about the theft and Laura created an email address in an effort to get the bike back.
Laura, 45, is on the autistic spectrum and is unable to ride in a vehicle, so the bike was her only mode of transportation, other than to walk. The bike had been a gift from her father, Kevin Hiscoe, who purchased it in 2014. Her father died in 2017.
After the Niagara Dailies and Niagara This Week published a story about the St. Catharines woman’s bike theft online, hours later, there were offers from people of monetary donations and free bikes.
“I could have had five bikes,” said Lesley.
Lesley did find a bike in Lynden, in Flamborough, and received a “great deal” on its price.
The tricycle was fixed up by Bike Me Up Niagara, on Church Street in St. Catharines. Wayne Schmidt of Bike Me Up Niagara delivered the tricycle to Lesley’s home on Thursday — to Laura’s surprise and joy.
“It was amazing to me, the offers of support,” said Lesley, who receives a Canadian pension and Old Age Security. Laura receives Ontario Disability Support Program benefits. So they were unable to immediately afford the cost of a new bike that could cost anywhere from $850 to $1,200, depending upon the model.
“I had no idea about the reaction from the community. It was very, very nice,” Lesley said.
She is encouraging people who had bikes and offered money to the family to donate to Bike Me Up Niagara, which repairs and reconditions donated bikes and then provides them at a low cost to people with limited financial capabilities.
“What they did was wonderful,” said Lesley.
Lesley said a police officer called to say officers would be on the lookout for Laura’s original bike.
“That was very nice of them,” said Lesley. “But I hope more can be done with people stealing bikes. I was told 100 bikes are taken every day in Niagara. That’s incredible.”
Laura’s old bike had several flags attached to it and an array of stickers tacked on. Even as the Bike Me Up Niagara vehicle was driving away, said Lesley, Laura was already making the new bike her own by placing one of many stickers on it.
To guard against another theft, Lesley will have codes etched onto the frame of the bike. As well, Laura’s godmother purchased a tracking device that will be attached to it, and a “super duper” lock was purchased.
“You should see it,” said Lesley. “It has an alarm that goes off if you try to break it.”
Laura, who uses the bike to go to the grocery store and visit her health-care providers, has so far only used the bike on the driveway. Her mom was going to buy a helmet for her before she could ride the bike beyond her house.
“I still don’t understand why they would steel Laura’s bike,” said Lesley. “It doesn’t make any sense. And to steal it from a vulnerable person. Who would want Laura’s bike?
“But this is a positive outcome. Laura is as happy as she can be.”
Kevin Werner is a reporter/photographer with Niagara This Week.