Achi news desk-
Illia Makysmenko has been a keen cyclist since the age of six.
“I like riding my bike because it’s really good for your legs, and it’s really fast,” says Illia. “It’s like you’re driving a motorbike.”
The 14-year-old’s passion for cycling certainly didn’t change when he moved to Canada.
“In Ukraine, it’s a very different ride, here you go on the road and it’s very good,” he said. “In Ukraine, it was war and Canada is a beautiful place to live.”
Illia, along with his family, moved to Norfolk County last year to flee the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Shortly after arriving, Illia was given a bicycle by a local Ukrainian refugee support group as a way to welcome him into the community.
“Their family arrived, and like most families, most of them didn’t have a driver’s license, they didn’t have transportation,” said Jennifer Rodger, a Norfolk County resident who is part of the group called Norfolk Support for Ukrainian Refugees “So I was trying to get bikes for everyone. We managed to get around 35 bikes for different families and we got a very nice bike as a gift which I knew Illia would love because he is an active child.”
With his new wheels, he was soon back on the streets doing what he loved best.
“He was so happy,” Rodger said. “He was very careful with it. He was diligently locking it up all the time. They made sure to get the serial number off the bike just in case.”
In November, his beloved wheels were stolen from his own home.
“My brother woke me up and said ‘Illia, your bike has been stolen’. I woke, [it] looks like someone broke my lock,” said Illia. “I was thinking why someone stole my bike? What did they want with my bike?”
Behind every item that is stolen is a story of impact that the thief will often not understand. (1 of 4) ^ag pic.twitter.com/tw24bWwYuw
— OPP Western Region (@OPP_WR) March 22, 2024
“I drove around looking everywhere for it, walking and going places I probably shouldn’t have been going, but looking for the bike and couldn’t find it,” explained Rodger. “I was angry, angry that someone would take something from a child.”
After months of uncertainty, Illia got the reunion he longed for.
“Members of the Haldimand-Norfolk OPP Community Street Crime Unit executed a search warrant at a residence in Simcoe and during a search of the residence, officers not only found and seized a number of illegal items, but also they recovered three bikes. determined to be stolen,” said Const. Andrew Gamble. “Officers were able to determine the owner of one of the bikes and eventually reunited the individual with his bike.”
OPP say this story is a reminder to practice bike safety and prevent theft.
“When it comes to stolen property, whether it’s a bike, a mobile phone, a wallet, even a vehicle, as the days and weeks and months go by, the likelihood of finding to that item will reduce quite significantly,” said Const Gamble. “The fact that the bike was not only restored but restored in such good condition is quite remarkable. For a bike, a serial number goes a long way.
“We are so happy for Illia and to be able to reunite him with that bike. It means the world to him. And it’s a very special moment for him. It’s a special moment for our police force and our community and for Simcoe and the surrounding area.”
Freshly returned with his missing wheels, Illia now lays out some plans for him and his bike.
“I want to cycle to Port Dover with my friend and go swimming,” he said. “This bike has been important to me, it’s like very important for my part of life.”
