VANCOUVER -- Aug. 12 update: The bike has been found and returned. Here's what police were told happened.
A long-term care home in Vancouver's Yaletown neighbourhood is pleading with a heartless alleged thief to return a bike taken from the building's underground.
This is no ordinary bike. The tandem tricycle was specifically designed for seniors with mobility issues and cost $17,000.
Security cameras caught a man entering the carpark around 11:30 a.m. Aug. 8. One minute later, he’s seen riding the bike out of the building.
Yaletown House had spent months fundraising to buy the bicycle and have it shipped from the Netherlands.
Not one of the residents has been able to ride it.
"We received it probably about a month ago," said Carol Crichton, the home's executive director.
"We'd just uncrated it about a week ago, and it was just sitting in the underground waiting for the pandemic to end so we could get the seniors out into the community safely, not be at risk of getting COVID.”
Crichton does not know how the alleged thief gained access into the underground but says Yaletown House has introduced additional security measures to restrict access to the building.
Lynn Parkin says she spent several years looking at the bike before making the purchase.
"I had been very excited about it because of our younger seniors,” said the centre's director of communications. "We got the special components, the safety seats for the seniors, the motor that allows them to cycle all or a little of the ride."
Parkin believes there are only two such bicycles in Western Canada. She is hopeful someone will spot the distinct three-wheeler.
"It's heart-wrenching. I just can't believe somebody would do this. We just want the bike back — that's all we want is the bike back," Parkin said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact police.
