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Bike thief ruined her 'Christmas'

Mary Harmer (left) at her stand for the Salvation Army's "Christmas in July" campaign.

By STEPHANIE FARR, farrs@phillynews.com 215-854-4225

Posted: August 10, 2010

In the middle of summer, a Grinch is roaming Philadelphia's streets.

While Mary Harmer worked the red kettle for the Salvation Army's "Christmas in July" campaign July 29, someone stole her bicycle.

The bike was parked and locked only 7 feet away from where Harmer, 27, stood in front of the Loews Hotel, at 12th and Market streets, she said. But with her back turned, she didn't see the man who came by, cut the bike's lock and rode off.

The theft was recorded by a Loews security camera, but that hasn't led to an arrest, said Harmer, an events and marketing assistant with the Salvation Army.

"I was in shock when I realized it was stolen," Harmer said. "The thing that made it worse is that day I was really sick, too.

"I was trying to just make it through the day, and I turned around and my bike was gone."

Harmer, who has worked for the Salvation Army of Greater Philadelphia for more than two years, said she saved up for months to get the black, orange and silver Specialized Roubaix bike.

"It was pretty much the one nice thing I ever purchased for myself," she said.

Harmer said she filed a police report and the shop where she bought the bike flagged it as stolen.

In the meantime, Harmer has found other modes of transportation and tries not to dwell on the negative - that someone stole something she worked so hard for, while she was working hard to help others.

"You know, it's an object; it can be replaced," she said.

Still, she's hoping that the heart of the Grinch who stole it, or the heart of the person he may have sold it to, will grow three sizes someday.

"That's kind of my one last hope," she said, "that one day it will maybe turn up."