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Veteran’s Bike Swiped from Workplace

SCRANTON, Pa. — Security cameras caught a thief in Scranton stealing a bike from the back of a pizza restaurant last week. That thief may not have known t...

SCRANTON, Pa. -- Security cameras caught a thief in Scranton stealing a bike from the back of a pizza restaurant last week. That thief may not have known that the bike was a man's only means of transportation.

Police and the owner of the pizza place are now searching for that suspect.

Someone swiped the bicycle from behind Brick Oven Pizzeria at the South Side Station Shopping Plaza on Friday afternoon. The owner turned to social media to try to find the thief. They haven't found him yet, but they did find a lot of support.

David Egan of Scranton saw combat overseas and used to work on jet engines in the Air Force. He's happy with a simpler life cooking at Brick Oven Pizzeria on South Washington Avenue and riding his bike to work.

On Friday during David's 13-hour shift, someone stole the bike from the back of the restaurant. It was the first day, Egan says, he didn't have a bike lock on it.

"He came in at 10:00 in the morning, worked a long shift and went to leave at 11:00 at night and realized his bike was gone," said Brick Oven's owner Brian O'Malley, who felt so sorry for Egan he wanted to do something to help out.

O'Malley posted the security camera pictures on Facebook, hoping somebody would be able to identify the thief and they'd be able to get the bike back. That hasn't happened yet, but they have gotten plenty of responses.

"We have had a lot of luck with veterans groups stepping forward and even the community, offering up donations of money, bicycles, and the support has been unbelievable," said O'Malley.

O'Malley says his original post has been shared hundreds of times and that people have even offered to buy Egan a car.

Egan says he appreciates it all but doesn't need it.

O'Malley says the greatest gift is knowing the community is looking out for a veteran.

"It makes me feel great because it's an uplifting feeling to know that the community would come together like that and try to help someone out."

While the Facebook post hasn't provided any tips yet, Scranton police are investigating the theft. Anyone who may recognize the thief in those photos is asked to call police headquarters.

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