‘Game On’ for metro athletes with disabilities. Stolen trailer retrieved

What started as a disappointing weekend for a group of metro athletes with disabilities turned into a win. A trailer full of adaptive training equipment was stolen as the athletes were preparing for a competition.

The teams’ Oklahoma Adaptive Sports Association trailer contained about $13,000 in training equipment. The father of one of the athletes found the stolen trailer for sale on Facebook Marketplace and led police to the suspected thief.

It may look like any other trailer, but what's inside is priceless to this group of young athletes and their coach.

“We have special track racing wheelchairs in there, we have a handcycle in there,” said Cathryn Tamney, coach. “They sit on a special chair that gives them stability that our legs would give us so they’re able to throw.”

Cathryn Tamney discovered the team's trailer was stolen from a parking lot in Bethay over the weekend while they were competing at the Endeavor Games.

“I was shocked, and I was like we need to find that because like it cost a lot, it cost a lot,” said Jaxon Higgins, athlete.

Higgins’ teammate had the same reaction.

“I was like upset, it had some very important things in it,” said Hayden Fletcher, athlete. “Felt like we needed to find it.”

Their parents went into action.

“I immediately went to Facebook Marketplace and started searching for enclosed trailers,” said Mitch Melot, parent.

Mitch Melot found what appeared to be the trailer.

“It looked like it had the decals freshly removed,” said Melot.

Melot reached out to the seller and the police. Officers quickly located the stolen trailer at a home in southwest Oklahoma City and arrested the man who made the listing.

“Thieves are awful,” said Melot. “There’s nothing worse than a thief.”

The group is thankful to have the trailer back and all of the equipment.

“None of the equipment was damaged, so we were able to recover all of it,” said Tamney.

With the equipment back, the team can continue their training for nationals in Michigan next month.

“Just to anyone walking down the street, they might not think that equipment was important, but it’s very expensive and very important to this group of kids,” said Melot.

A local printing company has offered to replace the decals on the trailer free of charge.