*** Good Samaritan replaces stolen bike ***

BROCKTON, MA — 09/02/2005
Jon Santosuosso still remembers the day, nearly 30 years ago,
when his bike was stolen from his home in Rockland.

He was 8 and, after months of saving money by working at his
father's garage, he had earned enough to buy a BMX bike.

That's why the story of Alex Ricci, the 8-year-old boy whose new
bike was stolen from his Sully Road back yard, hit so close to home,
he said.

And that's why Santosuosso said he
decided to do something to help the boy.

After reading about the theft in The Enterprise, Santosuosso,
owner of Cabo Connections on Main Street in Brockton,
rushed out to get the child a $120 money order Wednesday
afternoon so Alex could buy a new bike to replace the one
stolen Monday.

"It is so sad," Santosuosso said. "I just wanted
do so something to help him get a new bike."

Santosuosso's generosity stunned Alex's mother,
who said she just hoped her son's story would serve
as a warning to children and parents to watch out for thieves.

"That is just so unbelievable," Debbie Ricci said. "We just
wanted to warn kids and make parents aware of what is
happening. This is really nice of him."

Santosuosso went to the Riccis' home Wednesday,
handed Alex the money order and then quickly left.

"I shook his hand three times," Alex said. "I was surprised
that he did this. I never thought that anybody would just do
something like this."

But Santosuosso had some parting advice for Alex before
he left. "I told him make sure he gets a lock," Santosuosso
said. Alex did get a lock for his new bike.

Debbie Ricci said Santosuosso's kindness was touching.

"Sometimes you just lose faith in people and humanity,
and then people like Jon come up. You are just in shock.
And, of course, Alex is ecstatic," she said.

Shortly after Santosuosso delivered the money order,
Ricci was at the store buying a new, blue and silver
bike for Alex.

"Alex still can't believe a stranger would do some
thing like this. He is very grateful," she said.

Alex's 20-inch bike was stolen Monday from the back yard
of his family's home. His mother, who discovered the theft, said
she tried to find a replacement before her son got home that day
but the Next brand Throttle bike was sold out in all of the stores
in the area.

Alex was using the bike to help earn his bike-safety Bear
badge through his Cub Scout troop, Abington Pack 11,
where his mom is the den mother.

The theft prompted an outpouring of e-mails and calls to
The Enterprise. Some people expressed shock over the theft,
others wanted to say how concerned they were for Alex and
some offered to buy the boy a new bike or donate one of their
old ones.

"I have a boy's bike that my 10-year- old son has outgrown.
We were planning on selling it for a few dollars, but if the family
would like the bike as a temporary replacement they are welcome
to it. Is there a way to contact the family to offer the bike?" one
woman wrote.

Other readers wrote or called to say they're
concerned about the rise in bike thefts in the city.

"Thank you for running that story," Obi Cheretakis of Brockton
wrote. "Just yesterday my cousin's bike was stolen from our back
yard. My husband, two kids and cousin were home, but I had just
left with our one car, so I assume it looked like no one was home.
But whoever took the bike left our gate wide open. ... I feel so
violated, it was a kid's BMX bike. As strange as it sounds, I am
comforted by knowing that it was not a targeted event but rather
a random and, unfortunately, daily occurrence."

Dorothy Duberry called to say bike thefts are becoming too
common in the city. She said someone ordered her 13-year-old
off his new bike a few weeks ago and stole it. "He was petrified,"
she said.

Police estimate that dozens of bikes are stolen in the city every
month. Some are used for parts, some are repainted and some
are later found abandoned.

Ricci said, however, she and her family have learned
that there are more good people in the city than thieves.

"You can't let the bad people take over," she said.

Geneb...Wenatchee,Washington-USA
All Things Northwest in BMX!
***** Gene`s BMX *****
http://www.genesbmx.com