Four children's bicycles meant for a Christmas toy giveaway were taken from the front porch of Mama Moses' Underground Railroad charity in Harnett County. They had been ordered from Walmart, delivered after hours and left waiting there.
Lillington police charged Timothy Pate, 36, with misdemeanor larceny for taking the four Huffy bicycles, valued at $300, Josh Shaffer reported for The News & Observer. Melanie Stewart, known as Mama Moses, said she forgives him and that the Dec. 19 giveaway will go on.
A Delivery Left On The Porch
The bikes were intended for children on the charity's holiday list, not for a sale on the porch. Police charged Pate with misdemeanor larceny for taking the four Huffys after that after-hours Walmart drop.
North Carolina law generally treats larceny of property worth no more than $1,000 as a Class 1 misdemeanor, subject to exceptions in other subsections, according to the General Assembly's text of G.S. 14-72. The reported value, $300, sits under that line. Those exceptions mean the dollar figure alone does not classify every case.
A Regular She Says She Still Loves
Stewart said Pate had been a regular at Underground Railroad. By her account, the charity had given him food, clothing and other items.
She said she forgives him and loves him, and that he can contact her if he is hungry. "This is not going to stop anything," she said of the giveaway.
Three Hundred Families, And A Bigger Bike Goal
Three hundred Harnett County families have already registered for Dec. 19, and hundreds more are expected. Last year Underground Railroad gave away 600 bicycles. The goal this year is to top 1,000.
The earlier numbers were smaller, and still drew a crowd. In a Christmas giveaway reported in December 2023, Stewart arranged for 180 bicycles to go to needy families in the county after a nationwide call for 100 new bikes brought in 180. More than 300 parents stood in line, and the mayor of Angier donated 35 of the bikes, The News & Observer reported then.
Saturdays On North Main Street
Stewart plans to collect new and gently used toys at One Lock Storage on North Main Street in Lillington every Saturday from Nov. 14, 2026 through the Dec. 19 giveaway.
Four Huffys off a porch do not match a list that already has 300 registered families and a goal past 1,000 bikes. The Saturday hours on North Main are how the rest of the toys are supposed to get in before that giveaway.
