My Son is Heart Broken

Yesterday when we were about to go out I told my son to put his bike in our backyard to keep it safe. I told him if he left it in the front yard someone might take it. He without complaint (which was shocking in itself) moved his bike into the backyard near our garage. Off we went and didn't think of that bike again. It was still there when we got back home, but again we didn't really think about it.

I was watching tv late at night, actually it was morning, 1:14 am to be specific when my phone rang. Anytime the phone rings that late at night two thoughts go through your hear, something bad happened and Maybe it's a wrong number. It wasn't a wrong number. My neighbor was calling. She just saw someone walk into my yard and leave with a bicycle. She tried to stop him but he ignored her and took off towards a close main road.

I admit that my first instinct was to try to find him. I woke my husband up and told him that P's bike was just stolen and I was going to see if I could find the person, what was I thinking? I hope I just would have followed him to find out where he went to tell the police. But honestly I was mad, and I was in Mama Bear Mode. How dare someone steal from my son! I drove in all three main directions and even though I was only minutes behind him there were so many options of where he could go that I knew it was very unlikely that I would find him or my son's bike.

I did wake up my husband before I left and told him that P's bike was stolen. I assumed he would call the police so when I got home we wouldn't have too long of a wait for the officer to come to us. At 1:15 am or really anytime a stolen bicycle is not high on the priority list. They would come but not right away.

I pulled in the driveway and saw my husband in his coat standing in our doorway. I thought he was waiting for the police, he wasn't. It didn't occur to him to call them. He couldn't even really describe the bike. He was with me when P picked out the bike. He helped me sneak it home and get it ready for Easter morning. He helped P learn to ride a 2 wheeler on that bike. How does he not know what it looks like? He did know that one peddle was broken in half so I guess that is something.

The police finally came close to 2:30. They had other thefts to deal with and shots fired that early morning. The officer took our statement, my husband tried to hand him the broken peddle, I don't know what he thought they were going to do with it? We gave him the description...

A skinny white make in his 20's appx 5'8" tall, wearing a brown jacket, kaki pants, and a light colored baseball cap.

He called it in and left to talk to our neighbor who had spotted the thief. We don't expect the bike to be found, but still I have posted this information on Facebook and my mommy groups. Possibly someone might know someone who mysteriously has a new bike in the yard. People have been reposting it and that in itself makes me feel better.

Stil I had to tell my son this morning that his much loved bike is gone. I knew he would be upset and I knew there would be tears. I didn't know who badly he would be effected by this. He cried and clung to me. He stayed with me for close to 2 hours. I was his rock and I was his stability today.

A friend of his has stepped up and offered him the use of an extra bicycle that he has. That way we can wait until spring to buy him a new one. Possibly he would have needed a new one then any way. He is a growing boy and his peddle was broken. Still he has been violated and he will not look at the world the same anymore. This was not a child who stole the bicycle, it was an adult. I won't look at the world the same way again either and my view was already jaded. He learned to ride a two wheeler with that bicycle, he loved it and it is gone.

I will press charges if the thief is found. He stole more than a bicycle last night he stole my son's freedom and independence. He broke my son's heart and Mama Bear does not like that at all!