SPOKANE, Wash. — Editor's note: The Spokane Police Department shared the above photo of Stella with her parent's permission.
Two Spokane police officers bought a seven-year-old girl a new bike after hers was reportedly stolen by a group of teenage boys.
The Spokane Police Department (SPD) received a call on the evening of May 13 from nine-year-old Delilah, who told police that her sister, seven-year-old Stella, had her bike stolen.
Delilah told police that Stella was riding her bike near North Helena Street when three teenage boys pushed her off the bike and rode off with it.
Officer J Druitt contacted the sisters after the call. Stella told Druitt that the pink bike with pom-poms was a special gift from her mom. She also said the three teenage boys pushed her off the bike, kicked her in the stomach, called her names and took off with the bike.
SPD said Druitt later met with Officer E Specht, who is on the SPD Tactical (TAC) team, which oversees the Bicycle Rapid Response Team (BBRT). Specht thought it was appropriate for the TAC Team to replace the bike, so he and Druitt went to a local store and bough a new bike for Stella.
"Law enforcement officers are often confronted with the most difficult and depressing times in people’s lives," SPD said in a press release. "We are always looking for opportunities to do good and make a difference, like Druitt and Specht did today. We wish Stella many safe and fun trips on her new bicycle!"
SPD has not identified the three teenage suspects but said an investigation into the incident is ongoing.