Theft Victim Receives Bike From Fellow SMART Train Commuter

Story written and submitted by Julian Kaelon, media specialist for Marin County

MARIN COUNTY, CA – Recently, Brenda Haas locked up her bike in the designated bike parking area under the south arch of the Marin County Civic Center.

"Normally, I lock it up in the bike cage inside the building," Haas said, "but for whatever reason that day I did not."

Sometime during the work day, the bike was stolen. She loved that green bike and felt heartbroken and enraged by the shameful theft. Her commute had been going so well since she became a county employee last July. Every weekday she jumps onboard SMART in Santa Rosa for a ride down to San Rafael. The train conductors know her by name, just as they knew her Schwinn Loop, a fold-up bicycle she used on both ends of her train ride.

Immediately following the theft, Haas filed a report with the Marin County Sheriff's Office and posted a message on Craigslist. She hoped that someone might see her green bike and report it to the authorities.

Bad things have a nasty habit of coming out of nowhere, but random acts of human kindness and generosity have an amazing way of saving the day. The next day, a wonderful reply popped up in her inbox from Petaluma resident Daren MacDonald:

“Good morning, I came across your post on Craigslist last night and am sorry to hear about your misfortune. I have a Schwinn Loop that I no longer use. It is in very good shape and would like you to have it. I work in Terra Linda and take the SMART train from Marin Civic Center. I take the 2:35 in the afternoon. Contact me via text if you would like to accept my gift.”

MacDonald met Haas just two days later at the Civic Center SMART platform and introduced her to her new bike – this time in eye-catching red.

"I was overwhelmed and moved by this random act of kindness," Haas said. "This stranger completely turned my situation around. I couldn't have more faith in human kindness than I do now."

Main photo: Daren MacDonald of Petaluma presents the Schwinn Loop bike to Brenda Hass at the Petaluma SMART station.

Photo 2: Brenda Haas with her new bike.

Photos via County of Marin