The founder of a community bicycle program says police are still investigating a break in last week that cost the group its entire fleet of bikes.
"The children that are in The Conkey Cruisers are children that I love. If it turns out that the persons or people responsible for this are part of our program, that love has not changed," said Theresa Bowick, a registered nurse who started the program three years ago to help city residents of all ages stay fit.
Bowick said the community cried right along with her when she discovered a break-in at the group’s storage units last week.
Someone stole all 150 bicycles that city kids and people of all ages ride along the El Camino trail in Northeast Rochester.
At this point, police say there is no evidence to suggest that someone within the program was responsible for the theft.
RPD has recovered 25 to 30 of the bikes, but Bowick said most of them are in pieces.
"But even with those bicycles in that state, our safety coordinator and our program educator decided they are going to use those pieces to teach our participants how to put bicycles back together ," she said.
The group is hosting a community bike drive from Noon to 8p.m. Thursday. They're accepting donations of bikes, cash, and even just moral support.
The event is at Conkey Corner Park at the corner of Conkey Avenue and Clifford.
Bowick said they have already received donations from throughout the Rochester area and from across the country.
