Social media post leads to happy ending after children's train stolen from Pleasant Hill

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KGO) -- A family business in Pleasant Hill is back on track Monday night after their children's carnival train was stolen over the weekend.

RELATED: Stolen train used for children's carnivals found in Walnut Creek

Electric moments on the kids train charge the Sossamon family. They run an amusement rental company.

"We do this because we love it," said Amanda Sossamon. "We love watching kids have fun."

So when someone stole a trailer from their Pleasant Hill shop this past weekend it was devastating.

"I take it personally -- you know, the kids not being able to ride the train this weekend was not okay with me," Sossamon's husband Eric added.

"He goes, 'You know I really have no hope. I don't think it's coming back. It's gone Amanda' and I go, 'Nope,'" said Sossamon's.

She posted about the theft on Facebook. News spread quickly.

RELATED: Train used for carnivals stolen from Pleasant Hill

"I was just scrolling real quick and I just saw it and thought, oh just share," said Laura McCollum-Perkins of Danville.

Then, McCollum-Perkins went to yoga in Walnut Creek. "And it was just sitting there in the driveway at the yoga studio and it was just crazy. I'm like, 'That can't be it,'" she added.

Stealing the trailer damaged the tires, so the thieves didn't get far.

"I'm a believer in social media now. If you would have asked me last Saturday, I would have said, 'Facebook is kind of a waste of time. Why do you guys do that?' I get it now," Eric told ABC7 News.

He also gets to honor upcoming bookings. "From kids to big kids alike, this train is so popular it's booked from now until Halloween," Eric said.

"Later when he was talking about it, he had tears in his eyes so I know it meant a lot to him," said McCollum-Perkins.

Pleasant Hill police are following leads. Sossamon installed security cameras, which captured a ride into the sunset Monday.