Some alert Metro Transit staffers are being praised for their help reuniting a man with his stolen bike.
In January, the man's bike was taken when he briefly left it unlocked while inside a Richfield store. A photo of the missing bike on the front rack of a Route 4 bus later appeared on a Facebook page dedicated to reuniting cyclists with their stolen bikes.
The post caught the eye of a Customer Relations staffer who suggested the rightful owner contact Metro Transit. The bike had been returned to the Lost & Found after being left on the bus by the suspected thieves, who later tried to claim it as their own.
While looking into the case, Richfield police saw that Metro Transit police had run a search for the bike's serial number and connected the dots. Richfield police contacted the owner, who sent Metro Transit a photo of himself with the bike and its serial number.
"I just hope you put how terribly, terribly grateful I am to get it back,'' the man said. "Thanks for all these honest people who helped me get it back.''
Customer Relations staff return about 25% of the approximately 1,200 bikes that are brought to Lost & Found every year. Unclaimed bikes are sent to non-profit organizations to distribute them to those in need.
Register your bike in case it goes missing
Registering your bike can help police return it to you if it goes missing. Bikes can be registered through Bike Index or the City of Minneapolis with a serial number.