Instead of storing abandoned bicycles indefinitely, a change to the city of Hays abandoned property ordinance will help get the bikes to underprivileged children.

City Commissioners Thursday night approved an amendment allowing lost or abandoned property collected by the Hays Police Department to be donated to a nonprofit organization instead of selling the items at public auction.

Chief Don Scheibler says the change will eliminate need for storage of bicycles.  Now they’ll be sent for refurbishing by prisoners in the Kansas Department of Corrections.

The Hays Police Department currently has more than 140 abandoned bicycles, some collected from as far back as 2008.