By BRIDGET SCOTT
A LYNBROOK resident has turned the other cheek after catching a hampton park teenager trying to steal his bike.
When Alastair Nicholson arrived home last week he was astonished to see a young boy riding his bike down the street.
When Mr Nicholson stopped him the young boy apologised and hopped off the bike.
Then Mr Nicholson, in an astonishing act of trust and goodwill, let the boy borrow another of his bikes so he could get home.
“He had the right attitude, gave me a smile and said ‘I’m sorry’,” Mr Nicholson said.
Mr Nicholson said he may have considered contacting the police if the boy reacted differently.
He said the teen had been caught on his home’s CCTV which would have captured him entering the property to take the bike, which was actually broken.
“He came up on the side of my property and took it,” he said.
“I said ‘mate, see those red dots, they indicate that the camera’s filming. I’ve got you on film.”
The boy rode off after they exchanged phone numbers.
“He sent me a text half an hour later saying ‘hey, mate, I’m the guy who stole your bike, I got home safe’,” Mr Nicholson said.
The next day, the young boy returned the bike which Mr Nicholson said he bought on Ebay.
“I expected him to return it and wouldn’t have given it to him if it was worth a lot,” he said.
Mr Nicholson said this is not the first time he has people breaking into his property.
However, “I’ve never actually caught someone in the act of stealing before,” he said.
