NEW ULM — Donald Domeier, 80, just wants his bike back.

The Brown County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) is asking for any information on the whereabouts of a red and white vintage 1949 Zenith bicycle belonging to Domeier that was taken from a shed on his property near Sigel Township.

“It wasn’t so much what it was worth,” Domeier said. “But the sentimentality — it wasn’t junk.”

Domeier said the bicycle was given to him by his parents as a Christmas present when he was ten years old. He said he’s maintained it all of his life and had it stored in the same location tucked behind other items in the shed for years.

He estimates it was taken about a month ago, but because it was obscured behind other items in the shed, he didn’t notice it was missing until two weeks ago.

“We were just shocked,” Domeier said. “I couldn’t believe it. The first night I couldn’t even get to sleep.”

He said he searched the shed and property four times with the aid of his son and couldn’t find an inkling of a clue to its whereabouts.

“I let it go for maybe about two weeks,” he said. “Finally I got enough nerve together.”

Domeier told The Journal he was unsure of how to handle the situation after the bike went missing, but finally approached the Sheriff’s Office to file a theft report.

Domeier, who lives in New Ulm but still maintains the farm property near Sigel, said because most of his former neighbors near the farm no longer live in the vicinity, it may be difficult to gather information from any potential witnesses.

“I blame it to the way the farms are nowadays,” Domeier said. “The owners all work in town. They don’t really farm it. Somebody else runs the land.”

He said he’s the oldest person within the immediate area of the farm and most of his neighbors had either passed away or had moved into town.

“These guys figure this out,” he said. “The way I look at it they came in through the yard down to the shed, and they probably looked through more sheds, but they didn’t find what they were looking for.”

Domeier said he doesn’t care how the bike is returned to him in one piece.

“They can just leave it, I’ll take it from there, and that’s it,” he said. “I’m just satisfied with getting the bike back.”

The red and white bike has fenders on both wheels, a two square inch license plate near the rear of the bike seat and “Zenith” on its frame, Domeier said.

The BCSO is asking for any information on the missing bicycle or reports of similar objects going missing in the area.

To submit information, contact Deputy Sheriff Jason Fairbairn at jason.fairbairn@co.brown.mn.us or call 507-233-6715.

gcureton@nujournal.com.