DO GOODER

Officers buy new bike for 9-year-old theft victim in Westwego

The officers surprised Ava bybringing a brand new bike to her doorstep after her Christmas gift was stolen.

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — Thetheft of a 9-year-old girl’s bike in Westwego is getting a lot of attention onsocial media, not because of the crime but for the way officers treated thecase when it couldn’t be solved.

At the beginning of January, AvaHart received a bike as birthday and Christmas present. Her mother says she wasplaying with it outside and left it for a few minutes when it was stolen.WestwegoPolice Officer Joseph Milano responded to make a report about the stolen bike.

“She was very distraught, crying,” said Milano. “It really touchedme.”Milano says he drove around the city for about four hours trying to recoverthe bike. When he couldn’t locate it, he took matters into his own hands.

“I know how it is, I had bikes stolen as a kid,” said Milano. “Ididn’t get it back and I hated it. I really just felt like it was almostpersonal.”Milano approached his supervisor, Sgt. Weaver, and asked if he couldpurchase a replacement bike for the child with his own money.

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