photo by: Lawrence Police Department

This specialized bike was stolen on June 25, 2022, from IHOP, 3102 Iowa St., but was recovered — with some damage — a few days later by Lawrence police.

Lawrence Police have recovered a specialized bike that was stolen from a man with special needs. The bike, which sustained some damage, was his only means of transportation.

The bike went missing around 8:15 a.m. Saturday from the IHOP restaurant at 3102 Iowa St. while the owner was inside getting a drink, according to a Facebook post from the Lawrence Police Department on Tuesday. The owner walked out of the restaurant to see someone riding away on the bike. The owner yelled at the person to stop but to no avail. The owner was unable to provide police with a description of the thief, according to the post.

Within a few hours of the police posting a picture of the stolen bike on social media, someone reported seeing it being pushed into the woods near Sandra J. Shaw Community Health Park, 110 Maine St. Police searched the area and found the bike, according to the post.

The bike had been spray-painted black and it is missing a basket and the back chain, but it has been returned to its owner, according to the post.

photo by: Lawrence Police Department

The stolen bike after it was recovered on June 28, 2022, near Sandra J. Shaw Community Health Park was missing a basket and a rear chain, and it had been spray-painted. The bike has been returned to its owner, a man with special needs.