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'Please return it!': 8-year-old writes note to bike thief

"That's the hardest thing that he has to learn this lesson at such a young age. It is kind of a tough world."
8-year old leaves note to bike thief who stole his birthday present.

DES PERES, Mo. — Near the welcome sign at Phantom Forest in Des Peres, black duct tape attaches a handwritten note to a bulletin board. A closer look shows the note is from an 8-year-old named Eddie.

“To the person who stole my bike, please return it. I learned my lesson. I promise I will lock it up all the time, even when I go on hikes in my own neighborhood. I thought it was safe here at Phantom Forest. I am very sad because I got that bike for my birthday. Leave it right here. I will come back every day.”

Eddie’s mom Kasey Metzner recalls her anger last Thursday when the bike disappeared.

”We went hiking through Phantom Forest. We were gone about half an hour and when we came back to the entrance of the park the bike was gone,” said Metzner. “He was upset and crying and so we came home and we crafted this letter I helped him write. And I thought 'oh my gosh', that really prolonged the heartache because every day we’d go back and of course it’s not there."

Several days of weather have caused Eddie’s note to fade. His mother said they’ve visited the park every day, just in case the thief had a change of heart. Meanwhile, the mother of four ponders her son’s lost innocence.

“Oh it’s so sad,” said Metzner. “That’s what my husband I both said. That’s the hardest thing that he has to learn this lesson at such a young age. It is kind of a tough world and you can’t leave your bike laying around without a lock on it .”

But even in a tough world, there are more good people than bad. When a parks department employee posted a picture of Eddie’s note to Facebook, offers of replacement bikes came in faster than Eddie can pedal. Metzner said their family appreciates the gesture, but they’ll be replacing Eddie’s new bike. They hope the people who wanted to help her son will consider donating bikes to non-profits like St. Louis BWorks, which gifts bikes to children who complete their riding safety course.

“I would love that. That would be a great outcome,” said Metzner. “If all the generous people who reached out to us would be willing to pay it forward and donate new or used bikes to people that can get them in the hands of needy kids.”

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