Daughter's bike stolen... happy ending?

[yoothgeye]

My daughter was about to go to a friend's house and asked where her bike was, "It's normal place I guess." I went to look and where her bike was (cheap Walmart BMX, black with no decals, magenta stem, brake, sprocket, and HOT PINK Oury grips) was missing, but in it's place was a beat up grey and green Mongoose.

I took a picture of the "replacement" bike and posted it on a local Facebook "yard sale" page with a description of the missing bike. Within minutes I had an inbox message that someone had seen her bike at the Sonic restaurant about an hour earlier. I threw the kids in the Jeep and took off.

I went to the Sonic and other places the BMX kids like to go, I was going past the high school and saw some bikes riding down a cross street, I shot through a parking lot and onto main street, about 4 kids on BMX bikes, I drove past them and saw the unmistakable pink Oury grips, I made a turn, cut through a parking lot straight towards them, jumped out and yelled "OFF THE BIKE!!!!"

Had a long "conversation" with the kid, he kept saying it was his bike, when I finally thought to ask where he got it he said "I found it at the high school." I asked if that made it his bike, he said yes, then he pointed to some pegs saying "See, I put pegs on it." I said "So that makes it your bike?" I reached down and unscrewed them and threw them on the ground.

I told him that he stole it and left his crappy bike in it's place. He said "Then where's my bike?" I said if he wanted his bike he could come get it at my house, I put the bike on the Jeep and left.

After I got home, 5 minutes later he shows up at my house... I didn't tell him where I live... :?

He then said that the bike I had was his brother's bike, that his brother had stolen it and wait till he tells his mom on him!

I had yelled at him a lot so I said "Just to show you 'no hard feelings' I'll fix the tube on this bike." I fixed his tube and sent him on his way.

Why did I do that? Well, he knew where I lived, I figured being a little nice might keep him from coming back and vandalizing the place.

Ugh... wish it hadn't all gone down like it did, but glad to have my daughter's bike back.

 

[CCR]

Nip it in the bud :mrgreen:

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Good on you Youth for being nice to the kid, I'd have probably cut his bike halfway through with a grinder and laughed when he hit the first bump. If the truth be told that one probably wasn't his either. :roll:

 

[yoothgeye]

I wish none of it had happened, but sending him home riding a crappy bike was better than him walking the bike then coming back for revenge.

The worst part, most kids here know that I will fix their bike or give them one, and this kid knew too... I had given him a new pedal before.

 

[beatcad]

that's rotton man. al least ya got yer girls bike back.
that's a tuff situation. part of me would want to hurt that kid but that aint right 'cause it's a kid. and it aint the Christian thing to do. and me being the cautious(paranoid) guy I am I would be worried about some dumb kid comin back for revenge. just sayin he's dumb 'cause he stole something. that kid needs his butt worn out by his folks :lol:
if it was me i'd probably have used the guilt trip method. when I see kids(or adults) doing or saying ugly things i'll usually tell them that god is watching and wouldn't approve or that lying makes baby jesus cry.
yeah they'll think i'm a square and get a i'll weird look, but it usually makes 'em shut up 'cause theres really no comeback to that.
you did good, bro.

 

[dragnusa]

Its sad that kids would do something like that, when they know all they have to do is knock on the door and you would help them out.

 

[yoothgeye]

I've got really mixed emotions about yesterday, mostly for the verbal abuse I gave the kid. In my defense, I got pretty worked up driving around town looking for the bike, lots of adrenaline, also, I don't curse, so he didn't hear a single cuss word come from my mouth, and the only thing I called him was a thief. Still, I was really hard on him, but as a youth pastor, I feel like I might have burned a bridge. This kid needs structure in his life, needs supports... need Jesus. That's why I fixed the bike he left behind, but was it enough?

Who knows... I mean, I got justice, but it would've been a whole lot better if the bike had never been stolen.

A friend a couple houses down said he would have brought the police into the picture, not pressed charges, but had them "scare" the kid a little.

Just all a big mess.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

we're not perfect people, you were handed a tough situation, and all-in-all, I think you did ok. I hope nothing else comes of it. Put it behind you as best you can.

 

[rrednek]

Justin, I know I only pop in here every once in a while, but I felt the need to reply. In life we have to deal with all types of situations and I try to reflect on the statement below. As Christians, we are all trying to become more Christ-like. In the end, you showed the kid compassion and love. You did good!

Jesus didn't try to be less than
human by shielding Himself from grief
and pain. He allowed Himself to suffer
these normal human emotions.

The Bible describes more than 20 different emotions that Jesus felt? And they weren't all happy feelings either! Among others, Jesus felt affection, anguish, anger, compassion, distress, grief, gladness, indignation, joy, love, peace, sadness, sympathy, troubled and weary. If Christ is our model of perfect spiritual and emotional maturity, perhaps we can learn by taking a look at a few of Jesus' emotions!

Take Care!

Jeff

 

[yoothgeye]

Thanks Jeff.

I talked to Randy (the pastor for "other" readers since Jeff is local) about it this morning because of my mixed emotions. He said I did right, I was firm and honest, but in the end I showed him grace.

I just hope the kid comes back around... the right way.

 

[dragnusa]

I would rather see a youth pastor reprimand a kid for doing something that he knew was wrong. I had to deal with a kid, well a kid to me he is actually 21 that does not respect anyone. He almost had me to the point where I wanted to take him out back and adjust his attitude, but I didnt. Maybe if someone had reprimanded him for his actions as a kid he wouldn't be like he is today.

 

[rydr1]

you did nothing wrong, you were angry which is normal. if anything, the kid learned a good lesson through this and not a beating if
stealing from the wrong crowd.

 

[rrednek]

I just hope the kid comes back around... the right way.

I have a good feeling about this one! Keep up the good work!

Jeff

 

[Bigcam59]

sometimes it seems like no good deed goes unpunished, but you did the right thing in the end. That's what counts.

 

[Sphinx]

Perhaps if you see him again, you might talk to him a bit further. Maybe offer to bring him into the Rat Rod Bike world. Got any pieces laying around to help him "Rat" his derelict bike he's riding? Possibly an invite to ride with a group of decent people? Just throwing stuff out there. Sometimes making subtle changes in a kids life over a period of time will do wonders.

 

[Hay Burner]

You did the right thing. I hope I could show that much restraint if I was put in the same situation.

 

[tanksalot]

Perhaps if you see him again, you might talk to him a bit further. Maybe offer to bring him into the Rat Rod Bike world. Got any pieces laying around to help him "Rat" his derelict bike he's riding? Possibly an invite to ride with a group of decent people? Just throwing stuff out there. Sometimes making subtle changes in a kids life over a period of time will do wonders.

honestly you did the right thing ..And likely handled it better than a lot of us would ..

As for the invite here that may not be a such a good idea ..
Then he will see your good stuff & know where we all live .. :roll: :lol:

 

[yoothgeye]

All the teenage boys around here are into BMX bikes... even if they aren't into BMX (which most aren't) it's RARE to see a kid on a MTB around here and unheard of to see one on a road bike or cruiser.

They know I have cruisers and my freak bikes, but could care less. Some want tall bikes, but unless they build them with their dads, I'm not going to set myself up to be responsible for a broken kid.

 

[Sphinx]

Point taken.

 

[Sphinx]

Teenage Boys + Poor Parenting = Curse on Old Skool American way of life. :x

All the teenage boys around here are into BMX bikes... even if they aren't into BMX (which most aren't) it's RARE to see a kid on a MTB around here and unheard of to see one on a road bike or cruiser.

They know I have cruisers and my freak bikes, but could care less. Some want tall bikes, but unless they build them with their dads, I'm not going to set myself up to be responsible for a broken kid.