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Special-Needs Teen Gets Huge Surprise After His Custom Bike Was Stolen And Damaged

SHERMAN OAKS  (CBSLA.com)  — A special-needs teen got a surprise Friday when he was gifted with a new custom bike after his last one was stolen.

CBS2's Peter Daut was in the Sherman Oaks Vespa dealership when 13-year-old Damian Jeffries of Burbank was presented with his new wheels.

"It was a big surprise and he was definitely excited," Daut reported.

The dealership raised roughly $4,500 to buy Jeffries the bike. A lot of the  people who donated to the cause also came to surprise him.

Police said Jeffries' old bike had been stolen from the parking garage of his Burbank apartment complex last month. Jeffries was born with cerebal palsy -- without the custom bike, getting around is more difficult.

That bike was later found along the side of the road but too damaged to ride.

Security cameras recorded the alleged thief who police later arrested and charged with the crime.

The new bike isn't just about the wheels.

"It makes me feel like any other kid," Jeffries said, "every other kid has a bike or a skateboard. And that's what counts for me."

RELATED LINK: Special Needs Boy's Custom-Made Bike Stolen In Burbank Is Found

After Jeffries received his new bike he got to test it out.

Vespa gave him a special escort and he rode his bike -- excitedly -- around the dealership on Ventura Boulevard.

Jeffries' mom says she's overwhelmed by the amount of money she received in donations from people wanting to help. Since that money -- about $2,500 -- is no longer needed to buy a new bike, she says she is going to put it into a college fund for her son.

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