When Michael Curmi lost his motorized scooter to a thief last month, his family called Roseville police to file a report.
After investigating the incident without being able to track down the thief, officers decided to replace the two-wheeled scooter on their own.
Several officers and Police Chief Mitchell Berlin delivered the two-wheeled scooter and a new helmet to Curmi on Wednesday, which was his 32nd birthday.
“My eyes were like wow,” Curmi told CBS News. “It’s like a guardian angel came down and blessed me.”
The theft took place in March while Curmi was cruising side streets near Roseville High School when he was stopped by a teenager who asked if he could give the scooter a test ride. Curmi allowed the stranger to do so and that was the last he saw of the teen and the scooter.
“The kid had a good story,” Curmi told the TV station. “He said his parents were over there, and I believed him.”
After watching his scooter disappear, Curmi said he was devastated and yelled at the thief to “come back.”
The scooter was Curmi’s sole means of transportation.
Detective Sgt. Eric Saddler investigated the incident and found Curmi to be a “kind and generous person.”
He and his partner, Detective Sgt. Anthony Coraci decided to pool their money together to purchase a new scooter. When the police chief heard about the gesture, he decided the Roseville Police Department would use its own funds to buy the scooter, which can go for upwards of $600.
Saddler said the scooter was Curmi’s “lifeline.”
“I could feel it in his voice. The scooter meant a lot to him,” he said.