FOX 21 News, KQDS-DT

CLOQUET - A Saginaw man is thanking the Cloquet Police Department for finding and returning his wheelchair that was stolen while he shopped at a local Wal-Mart.

Without his wheelchair, Ken Johnson said his mobility was shot - making it more than difficult to work with his animals.

"And I walked around the store and everybody looked for it and we couldn't find it," Johnson said, talking about the September 1 theft.

"I had to scoot around on my butt to get around. I can't walk anymore because it's all scar tissue and it's too hard to walk," Johnson said.

Johnson said he called police for help but it is not the first time authorities came to his rescue. It was a car crash five years ago that originally took his legs.

"The truck started on fire and I couldn't get out," Johnson said, revealing his above the knee amputations covered in scar tissue.

"And the cops came and they saved my life actually. They wrapped a coat around me and put me out. The next day I had my legs chopped off. Then I was in a coma for six months," Johnson said.

After hearing the story about the crime, Investigator Derek Randall said the Cloquet police department went all-in during their search.

"We contacted Wal-Mart who, in turn, provided us with some video surveillance that had who we believed were our suspects - a male and a female," Randall said.

After releasing four photos to the media on Wednesday leads poured in through Facebook, Randall said.

"I truly believe that the power of social media prompted these people to step up," Randall said.

"The following day we received a call here at the department. It was an individual identifying himself as the person who took the wheelchair and that they had it and wished to return it," Randall said.

With his wheelchair given back, Johnson said everything is now back in order but the matter should still be looked into in court.

"Well, after I found out he [the thief] had cerebral palsy in the story, but ... still. He shouldn't have took my chair, you know? I'm in a worse situation than he is probably. I ain't got no legs," Johnson said.

Charges are expected for the alleged thief and a female partner–in–crime in the near future, Randall said.

Johnson is also a veteran and a local veterans group helped him find a replacement wheelchair when the search was still on-going.