Woman wants to give free bike to thief whole stole hers

MCDONOUGH, Ga. - A bold crook was caught on camera stealing a woman's bike all while she was inside her house in Mcdonough. She saw the thief take off, chased right after him and demanded he give back her bike! She ended up getting the bike back, but now, she wants to offer this thief a bike for free to help him get a fresh start.

As Emily Benschoter was making breakfast, she heard the brakes on her bike sqeaking as a man sped away on her bike. That's when she flew into action, chasing him down.

Even in a robe and fuzzy llama socks, Benschoter was determined to catch the crook.

"About halfway through the driveway, I realized I wasn't gonna catch this kid on foot," Benschoter said.

So she hopped in her car, and caught up with the man at a gas station down the street.

The man finally told her he dumped her bike in the woods. Moments later, Benschoter was relieved to see the bike that means much more than wheels and a frame.

"These three bikes here are the core to many great memories in my life, so things would just change for me to know something I take such pride in was stolen from me, so I had to get it back," Benschoter said.

But now, she wants that thief to come get a bike she's no longer using.

"I now approach him humbly in a robe to say, 'Hey dude, you don't have to steal my prized possessions to achieve your goals,'" she said.

Benschoter says it's a small message of forgiveness that she hopes will travel miles.

"People have forgiven me in the past...so how could I be so proud not to reciprocate to another human," Benschoter said.

Benschoter even invited the man to come for a meal if he is hungry, and she offered to help the man with maintenance on the bike.