Atlanta police investigate theft of 26 children’s training bicycles from Propel ATL’s Shifting Gears program

Theft targeted a mobile after-school bike-safety program serving city recreation centers

Atlanta police are investigating the theft of 26 bicycles and additional safety equipment used to teach elementary-age children how to ride and handle bikes safely. The items were taken from a trailer used by Propel ATL, a transportation and street-safety advocacy organization that operates the Shifting Gears youth cycling program in partnership with the City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

The theft was reported on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at the C.A. Scott Recreation Center, located at 1565 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive NW. The trailer had been parked at the recreation center as the program rotated through partner sites.

What was stolen and why it matters

Program staff said the stolen inventory included a range of children’s bicycles—from balance bikes used by beginners learning stability to larger bikes for more experienced riders—along with dozens of helmets and training tools. The program’s model relies on transporting a fleet of bikes and safety gear to recreation centers so children can participate regardless of whether their families have bicycles at home.

Shifting Gears is structured as an after-school program that provides step-by-step skills development, starting with balancing and basic control, and building toward safer riding practices. Propel ATL has described the program as focused on early grades, serving children in kindergarten through fifth grade, and operating in multi-week sessions at recreation centers before moving to the next site.

Timeline and investigative details

Staff reported that the trailer had been at the C.A. Scott Recreation Center for a second week when the theft occurred. Surveillance video reviewed by program staff was described as showing bikes being removed one by one and moved across the park area to a nearby parking lot over roughly an hour. The trailer was also damaged during the incident.

The loss has an immediate operational impact: without the bikes and fitted safety equipment, the mobile program cannot deliver on-site instruction. Program representatives estimated the combined cost of the stolen bikes, missing equipment, and trailer damage at more than $20,000.

Broader implications for community programs

The incident underscores a vulnerability common to mobile youth and recreation initiatives that store high-use equipment in transport units. For Shifting Gears, the stolen fleet represents both a financial loss and a disruption to scheduled instruction for children who attend after-school programming at city recreation facilities.

Propel ATL representatives indicated the organization is evaluating changes to security practices for future operations, including how trailers are marked and secured when stationed at recreation centers.

• Location reported: C.A. Scott Recreation Center, 1565 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive NW

• Reported items: 26 children’s bicycles, helmets, and training tools

• Program affected: Shifting Gears, an after-school cycling skills and safety initiative

The investigation remains ongoing. Police have not publicly identified suspects or announced arrests related to the theft.