The fleet of bikes, along with other equipment and the trailer they were in, were stolen over the weekend from Prairie Mountain School in the Bethel School District. The “Bike Friday” bikes, valued at $32,000, are owned by the Eugene School District 4J and were to be used in the Safe Routes to School Bike Safety Education program, taught by the staff from the City of Eugene River House Outdoor program.
The large white unlicensed cargo trailer, with the bikes inside, was parked in the back of Prairie Mountain School on Royal Ave. and last seen Saturday at about noon. A church group at the school said they didn’t see the trailer there on Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. The City of Eugene Bike Safety Instructor who arrived at the school early Monday morning saw that the trailer was gone and reported it the program supervisor.
The City of Eugene Outdoor Program recently received a grant that would have enabled the program to teach bike safety to more than 1,000 students over the next two years.
See a video featuring the bikes in a recent Bike Safety class at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACMQXYlormo, or at the Eugene Safe Routes to School website: http://www.eugenesrts.org.
Anyone who observes the bicycles or trailer is asked to contact the non-emergency police number at 541-682-5111 (press 1 at each option to be connected with police dispatch). If you believe you may have information about the theft you are asked to call the Eugene Police Department tip line at 541-682-8888.