DANA POINT : Special Bicycles for Disabled Stolen

Officials at a school for the disabled remain mystified over the theft of four specially equipped bicycles and tricycles that were stolen from the campus during spring break.

The stolen items, which were in a shed on the grounds of the R.H. Dana Exceptional Needs Facility, were valued at nearly $1,000.

“It really puzzled me that they were stolen at all,” said Terri Mullen, school principal.

“Most people don’t ride these around the neighborhood. It’s a shame because these bikes will probably just wind up in a trash bin someplace.”

Mullen said the bikes had equipment such as padded seats and special hand grips that are not usually appealing to children without disabilities. One of the stolen items, a large tricycle, is designed for use by the elderly or people who have difficulty maintaining their balance. It sells for $395, Mullen said.

Also stolen were a $310 Rifton tricycle with a padded seat that serves as a chair, a 16-inch blue Schwinn bicycle valued at about $75 and a yellow BMX with training wheels and black handles, valued at about $90.

Mullen said her school recently has been plagued by vandalism problems, including the theft of some computer and printing equipment. The school, which has 110 students, shares a campus with R.H. Dana Elementary School and trains students with a variety of special needs.

School officials will be forced to replace all the equipment.