UPDATE: Bike taken from Bismarck residence during fall clean-up week returned

UPDATE: According to Jodi Heiser, the bike was returned to her driveway sometime on Wednesday afternoon.

As crews comb Bismarck during fall clean-up week, picking up items people have left for disposal, others are going around taking those discarded items. But, those people are violating the law.

It's fall clean up week across the city of Bismarck. Crews are out picking up items residents are leaving by the curb.

On Sunday, Jodi Heiser and her family put out a basketball hoop to be picked up Monday morning. What wasn't meant to be taken: a bike, owned by a teenage boy in the neighborhood who was visiting her home.

“My husband and him went to go buy parts for the bike; get it all fixed up. Pulled it out of the garage, got it all ready, sat it in the driveway beside the truck, we came home from getting parts to fix up the truck, and the bike is gone,” Heiser said.

Heiser says a neighbor saw a vehicle come by and load it up, and take off.

“I did post it on Facebook,” Heiser said. “I’m trying to be fair thinking somebody just grabbed it thinking they would fix up the bike or whatever.”

She thinks maybe they thought it was set out for clean-up week. But, even if it was, the action would still be illegal. City code says ownership of waste set out for collection is city property and it is unlawful to take it. Bismarck Service Operations Director Jeff Heintz says they get reports sometimes of people taking what's been set out. He says best policy is to ask the homeowner if you can have the items you want instead of just taking them.

Meanwhile Heiser is hoping someone will return the bike.

“That was his only mode of transportation he goes around the neighborhood helps people out, mows lawns, has no way to get there now because his bike is gone,” Heiser said.

But she says she feels obligated to buy him a new bike, to replace what was lost.

The bike went missing in the Highland Acres area. Heiser says it was a grey Moongoose, fat tired bike with a green camo bike lock on the handlebars.

She says she did report it to police, but they told her either the boy or his mom would have to make a report because she wasn't the owner of the bike.