Stolen Adult Trikes Returned, new donated
Published: August 24, 2005
A group of teenagers is in trouble in the Town of Menasha. Police say they are the ones responsible for stealing two adult tricycles made for people with special needs.
We first told you about the theft two weeks ago. Since then, an anonymous donor came forward to help out the two people whose tricycles were stolen.
After being victimized by thieves, Josh O’Connor is back on a triike, thanks to an anonymous donor. Josh is 12 and has autism.
“Even though he can’t speak, he knows he’s been saying thank-you to everybody, and he won’t let anybody touch his new bike,” Josh’s mother, Lisa O’Connor, said.
On the same night, Mark Hertzberg, a neighbor with cerebral palsy, also had his trike stolen.
Action 2 News learned police recovered both trikes Tuesday. Josh’s was damaged. When the trikes were stolen, police suspected it was the work of teenagers who would try to convert them into the popular “low rider” bicycles.
“They took the three-speed out of it, they tried welding a bar on there. I guess they’re lucky the cops caught them before I did. That’s the biggest thing, you know,” said Josh’s father, Scott O’Connor.
Even in full view of a security camera, the original trike was swiped from this rack. The thieves cut through heavy chains. That’s why the O’Connors now plan to take additional precautions. “As soon as he is done, as soon as he’s off it, it goes right in the house.”
The O’Connors hope to fix the old trike and donate it to a charity. As for the new one, Josh has never smiled so much.
“If I knew who [the donor] was, I would go there and thank her in person, but I just hope she’s watching and hears it on television. I guess it’s going to be the closest way of saying thank you for donating the money for the bike.”
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