Oakland police replace bikes stolen from school program

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Sometimes the worst of times can bring out the best in people. Some students at Oakland's East Bay Innovation Academy are learning that firsthand after bicycles they were fixing up to give to charity were stolen last weekend. On Thursday, they received replacements from the Oakland Police Department.

Three days ago, the sixth-grade students learned their tools and many of the bikes they had been working on for weeks since school started were stolen out of a container on campus. They were fixing up the bikes to give to charity.

"We were bummed when everybody stole our old bikes, when people stole our old bikes it was just sad," said student Nikola Simon.

But on Thursday those stolen bikes were replaced by new ones, courtesy of the Oakland Police Department.

"These bicycles came from our abandoned, lost bicycle program," said Oakland Police Officer Johnna Watson. And some of the bikes were even donated by the police officers themselves. The brought their bikes in from their own personal homes."

"It's not too functional, but I think we can fix it in revolution lab," said one student.

They may not be the same bikes and some of them need a lot of work.

Another student added, "The brakes are kind of too close, they need to be pulled. They need to be loosened."

But these kids are just grateful their efforts to help others will keep on rolling.

I wouldn't say it's all okay, but we're definitely off to a great start for a new year," said student Avery Forrista.