9-year-old Saskatoon girl uplifted by neighbour's kindness after bike theft

Nine-year-old Laura Omeke was heartbroken when she returned home to Saskatoon from vacation to realize that both of her bikes had been stolen from her backyard while she was gone.

"I was so angry. Like, how could they do that?" she said.

"When I saw they cut off the lock I was speechless."

Her mother, Bunmi Omeke, was equally devastated.

"How could someone do this to a little child? Like, you can see it's a little girl's bike," she said.

WATCH |9-year-old Saskatoon girl delighted by neighbour's kindness after bike theft:

9-year-old Saskatoon girl delighted by neighbour's kindness after bike theft

4 months ago

Duration 2:04

Nine-year-old Laura Omeke was heartbroken when she returned from vacation to realize that both of her bikes had been stolen while she was gone

The bikes were gifts from Laura's brother and her teacher. She said they were special to her.

Frustrated, Bunmi turned to social media to get the word out and vent her anger. That sparked a neighbour, Tyrone Berthlette, to stepup and take Laura shopping for a new bike.

"I have a little voice in my head that says, take the next step and do something kind for people. And that's what I did," he said.

Laura said she couldn't believe what was happening.

"I was so excited," she said.

Bunmi said it brought back her faith in humanity.

"It made me feel like there are still good people around. The sense of good neighbourliness. There are still people around that do really care," she said.

According to Saskatoon police, bike thefts increase during spring and summer, but that reported thefts are down this year compared to last year.There were 235 bike thefts reported in the first six months in 2024and 319 in the same timeframe in 2023.

Police suggested not leaving bikes unlocked in garages or on balconies,and never leaving them unattended outside. They also recommend using high-quality locks and considering a second lock to secure both the wheel and the frame.