A day that started with tears and disappointment for two young go midget car racers ended with a happy surprise, thanks to the eagle eyes of an Aldergrove social media user.
Around 3 p.m. on Thursday, someone drove a truck into the property of the Langley Quarter Midget Association, hitched onto a trailer with a pair of small racing cars and took off.
The entire theft was captured on video surveillance.
“They took these absolutely from kids … just coming to race cars and have fun,” said association president Darren Chorney.
“People like to play hockey and soccer, our kids like to race cars, this is what they do this is their passion.”
The theft left 13-year-old Tyler Rowse — a nine-year racer who told Global News he loves the speed — and 11-year-old first-time racer Wyatt Flores devastated.
The timing was particularly ugly for Wyatt, who was set to get his first taste of the track on Saturday when novice training begins.
“Three years ago, March 11, his mother and his sister both passed away in a car accident,” said Wyatt’s grandfather Peter Sanders.
The family notified both Langley and Surrey RCMP and posted photos of the trailer to Facebook, but the fear that the equipment was gone forever was palpable at the club on Friday.
That was until a Good Samaritan recognized the trailer from the Facebook post in Aldergrove.
“I looked behind the trailer, checked the licence plate and saw all of the cars outside of it… Possibly they were going to come back and take more, because it sure looked like it,” said Rod Purdom, who happened to catch sight of the gear from across the street, where he worked.
He responded to the Facebook post, and it wasn’t long before the kids were reunited with their wheels.
The recovery means both Wyatt and Tyler will be able to get back on track soon.
Purdom says he only did what he’d expect any of his neighbours to do.
“I’m just glad somebody got their property back,” he said.
-With files from Nadia Stewart