Silke Jasso
Police have yet to find 150 bikes that were taken from a community nonprofit in upstate New York last weekend, or any suspects in the case. But residents in Rochester aren’t waiting. They’re replacing the bikes that were taken, in an incredible show of support.
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The bike drive was held Thursday to support Conkey Cruisers, WHEC reports.
The community bicycling program launched in 2012, and offers bikes to kids who can’t afford them.
“For me and my son, a bike represented freedom at a young age to go anywhere […] so taking those bikes away was a bad thing to do to a whole bunch of people,” resident Loren Gifford said.
Donors have brought in triple the number of bikes the nonprofit had before, and Bowick said she has faith in police to recover the rest.
“The police have been diligent since day one when this incident occurred, really looking into this case we’re building a case were certainly planning to make an arrest very soon and we’re moving forward,” said Theresea Bowick, one of the organization’s leaders said.
A number of the bikes came from Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren, who came toting a truckload of 20.
“When somebody meant for evil, you turn it into good,” Warren said. “The fact of the matter is we have a community that cares.”
Obviously, security of the bikes is a concern, and they’re all being taken to a secure location.
