UPDATE: May 8, 2012, 3:00 p.m. - Boise Police are searching for
the man who stole a specialized trike from in front of an east
Boise apartment Sunday afternoon. The recumbant bike, the sole
source of transportation for it's owner, a young man with special
needs, was locked up in front of the victim's home when it was
taken.
An arrest warrant has been issued for:
Suspect: Todd William Smisek, 31,
Boise
Charge: Grand Theft (F), $50,000 bond
Officers say it was tips to Crime Stoppers, citizen tips called
into police dispatch and officers working together to follow tips
and create leads that led them to find the missing bike and name
the suspect.
First Find: The main frame of the trike was
found Monday afternoon stashed in some bushes near the intersection
of N. 13th and W. Main Streets downtown. A citizen recognized the
bike as the one reported missing from local news reports and called
it into dispatch. That citizen stayed with the bike until officers
arrived. The trike was missing several pieces including it's wheels
and tires.
Second Find: Officers found the wheels and
tires of the bike later Monday evening discarded in a dumpster in a
neighborhood on the Central Bench.
Donated Parts: The investigating officer called
the trike's manufacturer, Inspired Cycle Engineering located in the UK and
told a company represetative the story of the theft, the victiim
and the condition the trike was found in. A company representative
has offered to replace the missing parts at no charge. Officer Kip
Paporello has also found a local bike mechanic, Dave Seamons of Boise Bike
Wrench, whose agreed to do the repair work at no charge. The
Boise Police Union has offered to pay for additional extras that
may be needed like a light set and to replace a broken mirror. The
goal is to return the specialized trike to it's owner in like-new
condition as soon as possible.
Thanks to Citizen Offers for Help: Numerous citizens have
contacted the Boise Police Department through the department's
Facebook page and offered to contribute or donate cash to help
repair the stolen trike.
"I'm just happy it's found. It was thanks to citizens help and a
real team effort among officers that we were able to find this
young man's bike," said Officer Paporello. "He does have some
special needs and I think that's what caught the community's
attention and resulted in the tips we needed."
"This bike would be no good to the owner in pieces.
I've been a cyclist myself for many years and I know the
importance of having a bike in good condition so it works properly.
With this bike being this young man's only mode of
transportation, I'm confident we are going to
be able to make this right and get his his bike back to him in even
better condition than before."
When the bike is returned, officers also plan to work with the
victim and explore other options for extra security for the
specialized trike.
###
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UPDATE: Officers Find Stolen Trike in Pieces. Investigation
continues.
UPDATE: May 7, 9:05 p.m. - Boise Police have recovered most of
the specialized trike, or recumbent bike stolen from a young man
with special needs yesterday. At this time, several pieces of the
Trice "T" three-wheeled recumbent bike appear to
be missing, officers estimate approx. $100 - $200 worth of
equipment.
The trike was found in pieces in at least two separate
locations, the first find was late this afternoon, the second, just
a short time ago.
Officers would very much like to thank those citizens and local
media who helped spread the word about the missing specialized
cycle. At this time, the investigation is still very
active. More information will be released as soon as it's
available.
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Boise, May 6, 2012, 10:45 p.m. - Boise Police officers are
asking citizen's help to find a unique three-wheeled trike
stolen Sunday afternoon. The trike's owner is a young man with
special needs. The trike is the only mode of transportation the
victim is able to use.
The theft reportedly
occurred about 3:30 p.m. Sunday, May
6th. The victim tells officers the trike was locked
up at his residence, an apartment in the area ofE. Boise Ave. andS.
Geckler Ln. The trike was covered and locked to a fairly large tree
just feet from the victim's front door. However, the suspect was
able to get the trike free and take it.
Trike Description: The
stolen trike is called a Trice "T", manufactured by Inspired
Cycle Engineering. It's a three-wheel, 27 speed
recumbent trike with a mesh seat. The trike is primarily
blue with red and grey accent. It's equipped with two side
view mirrors and disk brakes. The trike is valued at more than
$3,500 and looks very similar to the model pictured here.
Call Crime Stoppers:
Anyone with information on where the trike might be is
urged to call Crime Stoppers at 343-COPS, or log onto
www.343cops.com, or text CRIMES or 274637, subject: Tip236. A
citizen can remain anonymous. A reward of up to $1,000 is offered
by Crime Stoppers for information leading to the arrest of criminal
suspects.
