A photo of the alleged suspect making off with the stolen orange scooter on Sunday, April 24, 2022. (Rhonda Westra)

By Jordan Davidson

harewood helper

Stolen scooter swiftly returned to grateful youth thanks to bold actions of local man

Apr 25, 2022 | 4:48 PM

NANAIMO — A local mill worker who was in the right place at the right time was able to help a kid get reunited with his freshly stolen scooter.

Kevin Copeman, 37, was attending a children’s birthday party on Sunday, April 24, 2022 in the Harewood area when he stepped outside for a cigarette.

That’s when a woman and her young son approached him looking distraught.

“The lady and her kid pulled up and asked if I’ve seen somebody go by on a bike with a scooter… I’m the type of person where, especially if it involves a kid, no questions asked, I’m going to get involved.”

The mother said her young son saw a man steal his scooter from their carport and watched him take off down the street with it.

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After speaking with them, Copeman told NanaimoNewsNOW he jumped in his vehicle and began circling the block while the mother started looking in the other direction in search of the suspect with the orange, electric scooter.

He was around the field near the corner of Fifth St. and Harewood Ave when he saw a “sketchy looking” individual on a bike carrying an orange scooter, and ‘politely’ asked for it back.

“I pulled over on the road, cut him off and hopped out. I said, ‘I know for a fact that’s a stolen scooter cause the kid just came up and asked me about it.’ He tried to argue with me…I started to get irate at which point he dropped the scooter and tried to push passed me.”

It was at this point that Copeman “body-checked” the individual onto the field, located across Howard Ave from the old Harewood School and loaded the scooter into his vehicle.

“He looked at me, and I said ‘Don’t come around here again’, then I drove back to my friend’s house.”

Copeman said he’s fed up with stuff being stolen from Nanaimo residents, so when he had the chance to help recover a child’s scooter he didn’t hesitate to help out. (Kevin Copeman)

Once he returned to his friend’s house, he waited for the mom and her excited son to return to the house where Copeman was standing out front, scooter in hand.

A father of three, Copeman said seeing the young man with tears in his eyes over his lost scooter reminded him of his own children, and his protective instincts kicked in.

“I’ve bounced in bars, I’ve done all that. It just happened to be that she asked the one right person, and I have no issues getting involved in stuff like that, especially when it comes to kids. That’s what made it worth it for me was to see that kid’s face light up and the mom’s face light up. I’m just glad I was there to help.”

Copeman’s story was shared to a local Facebook group where it’s gathered almost two thousand ‘likes’ and hundreds of comments in less than 24 hours.

While some are calling him courageous, brave, and a hero, he maintains he was just in the right place and was able to lend a hand.

“It’s got nothing to do with being courageous I’m just tired of it. I have the ability to do something about it, so might as well do it.”

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jordan@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNow