Organization helps man replace stolen e-bike
ST PAUL— Weather may not stop Joe from taking a spin on his e-bike, but thieves last month did.
"I had gone to the grocery store, came out and the bike was gone," Joe said. "Your heart sinks. It's like not being able to find your car at the airport. You think, did somebody steal it? Or did I park it somewhere else? It's gone. When e-bikes are stolen they recover less than one percent. So, they're gone."
Gone—and out about $2,000. Joe says someone broke into his garage later, too. He believes the same thief somehow followed him home.
"Its [the e-bike] transportation for me year-round," he said. "It was a big blow to have it stolen."
Joe was down—but just as quickly as he was down, his spirits were lifted. 24 hours after he filed a police report and shared a warning to neighbors online, something special happened.
"I had to pinch myself," Joe said. "Like, is this true?"
Someone from a St. Paul based non-profit "Face to Face" reached out. They wanted to send him a new bike.
"I thought it was a joke or a scam," Joe said.
It wasn't. Face-to-Face is an organization that works with marginalized kids, providing support, opportunities and resources—but also help victims of crime, like Joe.
"We're just showing up and doing what we do," Face-to-Face Executive Director Hanna Getachew-Kreusser said.
Within a week, Joe had a new bike—and a new outlook.
"They've got a lot of youth that need some guidance and direction, mentors," Joe said. "And I would love to do that. I love working with young kids."
It was a reminder—while bad things happen, there's still a lot of good.
"There are still caring people in this world," Getachew-Kreusser said. "Caring organizations who do amazing work."
Face-to-Face primarily works with youth and their families, but a grant allowed them to step out of its typical clientele. Many county attorney offices have resources for crime victims. Things like navigating rights, restitution, what to expect in court and more. For more information, click here.
