Stolen bikes to have new homes

www.lenconnect.com
Link to Article
One picture

Lenawee County, MI

ADRIAN, Mich. — Between 30 and 40 stolen bikes recovered by the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Department will be donated to Adrian Locksmith & Cyclery, which in turn will restore the bikes and donate them to those in need.

Lt. Jeff Ewald said it’s taken about two years to accumulate the 30 to 40 bikes stored at the sheriff’s department. The bikes were recovered from around the county, excluding the city of Adrian.

“About 99 percent of the time no one ever comes in to see if their bike was picked up,” he said.
Since the county doesn’t have regular auctions anymore, the number of bikes stacks up now, he said. When the bikes are auctioned, they normally are sold for $1 per bike.

Lenawee County Sheriff Jack Welsh thought the bikes would be more valued if they were donated to the community, Ewald said. So Adrian Locksmith & Cyclery was contacted by the sheriff’s department. The sheriff’s department has since received a letter of agreement from the bike shop, Ewald said.

This won’t be the first time Adrian Locksmith & Cyclery, at 611 N. Main St., has accepted donated bikes to restore. Tim Wilson, co-owner of the business, said this time it’s just on a larger scale.

Wilson said he’s proud the county approached his business based on word of mouth.

“It feels good that we’re doing something good, and someone is seeing it,” he said.

The bikes that can’t be repaired will be recycled, Wilson said. Parts from multiple bikes might be used to produce one good bike, he said.

Sue Wilson, co-owner of Adrian Locksmith & Cyclery, said bikes have previously been donated to The Daily Bread of Lenawee soup kitchen and the Lenawee County Mission.

Tim Wilson said the majority of this batch of bikes will go to The Daily Bread and other nonprofit organizations.

Anyone interested in obtaining a restored bike may contact Adrian Locksmith & Cyclery at 263-1415.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
International Association for Property and Evidence
"Law Enforcement Serving the Needs of Law Enforcement"
www.IAPE.org