Parents blame neighbor for their kids losing their bikes after kids leave them at neighbor’s front lawn, and they disappear: ‘He claimed it my responsibility to protect the bikes’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Oct 30, 2025 1:00 PM EDT

One of our most prized possessions we have as kids is bicycles. Every kid gets to the point where they simply must have one, and getting your parents to buy you a brand-new, shiny pair could be the highlight of anyone's childhood.

Which means that having your bikes stolen can be quite a downer.

The kids in the story below did not value their bikes as much as they should have, because they had no problem leaving them lying around at a bus stop for hours. One dad, who knows these kids and their parents, agreed to let the kids leave their bikes at his porch to prevent someone from stealing them. However, this dad could not have spent his entire day watching some random kids' bikes, and at the end of the day, he realized the bikes had gone missing.

Instead of reprimanding the kids for leaving their bikes unattended, their parents blamed the helpful dad instead. They claimed it was his responsibility to protect the bikes, and he should bear the consequences of the bikes getting stolen.

This is not the end of the story, so keep scrolling to read what happened next…

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  • 01
    kids bike standing in yard
    via Linda Raymond

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    AITA for allowing two kids to have their bikes stolen?

    I am normally the only adult who stands at my daughters bus stop. We've had problems with people blasting past the school bus, and kids 8 yrs and under playing on or near the street with no parents in sight.
    via knightk9
  • 03
    So I decided to start sticking around, because I have the time. Just to make sure the kids get on safely (and at times stall the bus driver to give that last late arrival a chance to make it on.) This is relevant because I've become pretty familiar with the parents of the other children, You see I work late a night graveyard shift.
    via knightk9
  • 04
    this pretty much means that while everyone else is preparing to start their work day, I just need to wait for the kids to get on the bus so that I can go home and head off to bed.
    via knightk9
  • 05
    This basically designated me as the bus stop dad. Anyway sorry for rambling, onto the issue at hand.
    via knightk9
  • 06
    I noticed two of my busstop kids arrived on bikes, so out of curiosity I asked them why they brought their bikes if they were going to be riding the bus?
    via knightk9
  • 07
    They told me it was fine they would just leave them right there and come back for them.
    via knightk9
  • 08
    Now at this point it's about 7:38 am and the bus usually arrives at about 7:40.
    via knightk9
  • 09
    I knew these kids were not going to make it home and walk back in time.
    via knightk9
  • 10
    so I let him know that that probably wasn't a good idea. They left them right here somebody might walk off with them.
    via knightk9
  • 11
    I asked if they had bike locks, they did not. So the best I could do was offer to let them put the bikes on my porch where I could sit them in front of my ring camera.
    via knightk9
  • 12
    The kids accepted, and about this time the bus arrived. So I just told them exactly where my house was (three houses away from the bus stop) where they could find them, and that I couldn't promise to watch them all day because I needed to get to sleep.
    via knightk9
  • 13
    I also texted this information to their mother. Well unfortunately as I slept, somebody walked up on my porch and took the bikes.
    via knightk9
  • 14
    Camera got a pretty clear picture of them so at least there's that. I slept right through the chime that the ring camera gives when somebody walks within proximity of it.
    via knightk9
  • 15
    Boy Rides Blue Trek Bike at Daytime
    via Jessica Lewis 🦋

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 16
    So I sent the bad news to the mother, along with the video. Next thing I know, I have a very angry dad pounding on my door.
    via knightk9
  • 17
    Demanding I give the kids back their property. after I explain the situation to him once again.
    via knightk9
  • 18
    he claimed I made it my responsibility to protect the bikes. Therefore I should replace them.
    via knightk9
  • 19
    I refused. I told him it wasn't my fault his kids rode their bikes to the bus stop, and I did the best that I could.
    via knightk9
  • 20
    Well now I'm standing here waiting for the police to show up. Bringing the bikes into my house was not an option.
    via knightk9
  • 21
    as I would not have been home by the time those kids got back, nor would my wife.
    via knightk9
  • 22
    (My mom picks up my daughter at the bus stop) So anyway, my question is Reddit Am I AITA?
    via knightk9
  • 23
    Update: Thank you everybody for your supportive comments, and honest insights. Happy to say things ended up working out.
    via knightk9
  • 24
    After the incident, I received a message from the mother of the boys, informing me that after she had time to look over the footage.
    via knightk9
  • 25
    She recognized the person on the video. It was her brother, apparently he came by grabbed the bikes took them to his garage for for safe keeping, got busy and forgot about them.
    via knightk9
  • 26
    Both parents are very apologetic, and I'm not going to hold any hard feelings. I completely understand the father's reaction I probably would have acted the same way if my kids' property was stolen.
    via knightk9
  • 27
    Things will continue as usual, I'm going to keep on being bus dad. But if I'm being honest, lesson learned no more playing "lost and found guardian" - For Context.
    via knightk9
  • 28
    Obvious-Block6979 Just incase you don't hear it from other people. You're a good guy!!
    via Obvious-Block6979
  • 29
    OP knightk9 Just a dad → I would want someone to do the same for my kid. But genuinely thank you that means a lot
    via knightk9
  • 30
    Grumpy_Lurker NTA. In offering to move them to a slightly safer spot, you were already doing more than you needed to do.
    via Grumpy_Lurker
  • 31
    NTA. m3gauley Letting the bikes could stolen would imply that you were alert and watched someone walk up & take them, and didn't do anything to stop them. You weren't even awake when it happened. You have your ring camera. Then the footage over to the authorities, your neighbors can fight with the police to get them to find them (which, I'm sure isn't on their priorities). Alternatively they could try going through renter's / homeowner's insurance if they'll cover the cost of the bikes. Instance
    via m3gauley
  • 32
    barryburgh Reading several comments...why is nobody bringing up the fact that the two ding dong kids were going to leave them at the bus stop...ALL DAY? Would THAT have stopped the bike thieves from doing the theft? How can the kid's dad even think that OP is at fault? Looking to blame someone instead of looking at the kids and his own poor teaching/warnings/whatever!
    via barryburgh

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Tags

aita neighbors kids house neighborhood neighborhood-drama neighborhood-stories reddit story petty dad entitled bike Reddit mom children entitled people
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