Donated bikes meant for students stolen from Regina school

Several bikes stolen from community school Watch: The community rallies around a school after several bikes were donated, and then stolen. Cole Davenport explains.

The community is rallying around St. Catherine Community School after nearly half of 20 donated bikes, meant for students, were stolen.

The students of St. Catherine were recently gifted 20 brand new bikes, complete with locks and helmets, from Powerhouse Mortgages DLC and the United Way.

“They couldn’t believe what had happened,” Vice Principal Branelle Zenuk said of the students. “They were very sad and somber. They’re very upset that someone would do something like this, to take from kids who are working so hard.”

Police say the theft was discovered around 6:20 a.m. on May 30. Staff at the school said someone had gotten into the exterior storage structure that housed the bikes.

John Gaetz’ son Brayden and his friends were putting all their effort toward winning the smallest bike for Brayden’s little brother.

“My son is two years old, and they all want to get him that little bike,” parent John Gaetz said. “I was telling some of the companies I work with what had happened and right away they said ‘I’ll go get them a bike’ and another company said ‘I’ll get one too.’”

Gaetz arrived at the school on Tuesday afternoon with two new bikes to add to what’s left of the stock.

“I thought it was hurtful,” Grade 8 student Kennedy Alderson said. “There are many deserving kids here at St. Catherine who deserve those bikes.”

Police said the school notified them of the theft. The bikes hadn’t been checked in about two weeks, so the theft may have occurred between noon on May 16 and the morning of May 30. However, police say it likely occurred on May 30.

A staff member said they saw a man pushing a bicycle down the street around 6:40 a.m. that same morning, and rode away on the bike when he was approached.

“Our kids worked all year to earn these bikes as they were going to be given to students based on positive attitude, attendance and school work,” a Facebook post by the school’s community council reads. “They were NOT meant for someone that took it upon themselves to steal and most likely try to sell them.”

The school added that it is not a school in the financial position to replace the stolen bikes.

The post goes on to ask the public to keep an eye on resale sites and encourages anyone with information to contact the school or the Regina Police Service.

The suspect is described as a man in his 30s with a heavier build, wearing around 200 pounds. He was wearing a grey sweater and tan pants.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Regina police at 306-777-6500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.