MADISON (WKOW) -- Madison police officials say a $8,000 racing bicycle was briefly left unlocked and unattended on the city's east side, and was promptly ripped off.

But someone came to the rescue of the bike's owner.

Police officials say the bicycle has only one riding gear, with no brakes, and top components, tailored for sprint racing.

Officials say when the bike owner's went into an east side store to use an ATM, a thief swiped the specialized bike.

"He (owner) was thinking this bike might not be any use to a thief who didn't know what it was," police spokesman Joel DeSpain told 27 News. "So what happened is, somebody only rode this bike a couple of blocks and ditched it. There was a good samaritan, a good citizen who found the bike, didn't exactly know what it was, but knew it had value."

DeSpain said the good citizen took the bike home, and reported its discovery to officers.

The cycle was returned to its owner.