VANCOUVER --

A Burnaby man is pleading for the return of his hand-powered bicycle, and he's making an unusual appeal directly to the thieves who frequently break in to his building's parking garage.

"This is the only way I can cycle, being an amputee, and it's also an expensive piece of equipment," said Vlad, who asked only to be identified by his first name for his family's safety.

He normally uses crutches to get around on one leg, but uses the handcycle for recreation.

Vlad said he came back from a two-week trip to find the bike gone from the parkade. He said he originally paid $3,000 U.S. for the bike used on eBay and fixed it up, but a new hand-powered bike can cost around $8,000.

Vlad said he'll be keeping an eye on Craigslist to see whether the yellow Interpid Tourer MTB Handcycle pops up for sale there.

But he's also posted a letter to the people who took the bike, offering a drink or $100 if they'll just give it back.

He said his building's parking garage, located near Lougheed Station in Burnaby, is a frequent target for thieves and many of his neighbours have had their cars broken into.

"I left a message right on that spot for the guys when they come back, because I'm sure they will be back," he said. "I understand it probably wasn't the easiest decision they had to make, probably in desperation to flip it, but it wouldn't be an easy item to flip."