INDIANAPOLIS — Erin Edds thought she found the perfect Christmas present for her 17-year-old son, Levi.
"It was his big gift for the year. I've been hinting at it left and right. He still doesn't know about it. It's still going to be a surprise when he thought something was going to happen and it doesn't happen," Edds said.
The gift she's talking about is a bright yellow adult tricycle. She was supposed to pick up the bike from the seller's house located near Bishop Chatard High School on Saturday, but she said someone beat her to it.
"Someone stole it. It was in her side yard hidden from the street. During the day, someone picked it up," Edds said.
Erin's son is on the autism spectrum and has some mobility challenges. They live in the Broad Ripple area, and she hoped the bike would give him some independence.
"I was hoping he would be able to ride it to the new library on 62nd Street to see his cousins. To potentially ride to a job if we are able to find him something close. He has worked in the past, and transportation has always been a challenge coordinating with my husband," Edds said.
Edds is not only disappointed for her son, but she also feels for the woman who sold it to her. Erin said the woman, who has health challenges of her own, immediately gave her a refund after noticing the bike was missing.
"My heart is with the woman who sold it to me because she's at a double loss. We can find another bike," Edds said.
Both women turned to their online community in hopes of getting help tracking down the bike. So far, they've had no luck.
"It's a pretty hard bike to miss. I wish the person luck that they are able to disguise it better. It's a bright yellow tricycle riding down the street," Edds said.
With Christmas just days away, she's now on the lookout for a new gift for Levi.