Theft Is Christmas Past as Police Replace Girl’s Stolen Bicycle

SANTA ANA — A Christmas crime and a little girl’s tears were wiped away Friday when, for a day, the Santa Ana police became the Santa Claus police.

A day after a thief made off with 5-year-old Stephanie Canal’s lone Christmas gift--her first bicycle--kindhearted cops presented her with a new top-of-the-line two-wheeler, along with a helmet and, appropriately, a sturdy lock.

The shy preschooler gave a broad smile and a polite “Thank you” to the officers before taking a quick lap on the marble floor of the police station lobby. Her mother, Ana Canal, said the kindness of the 10 officers and five dispatchers “made everything better” after the holiday heartbreaker.

The impromptu fund-raiser on Christmas Day was the work of Cpl. John Tucker, a 13-year street cop. He heard the radio call of a stolen bike, and his thoughts turned to his daughters and their joy on past holidays when a bike was waiting under the tree.

“It was devastating to think of this little girl losing her bike,” Tucker said.

Tucker raised $120 from the holiday crew, but a bigger challenge was finding a store with a bicycle left in the wake of the holiday shopping crush. The large department stores were sold out. He eventually tried Orange Cycle, which works with the department’s bicycle patrol. The shop offered a discount, and employees quickly assembled a purple, pink and white Mongoose bike decked out with smiling suns and starburst squiggles.

When the bill for bike, helmet and lock came to $163, Tucker kicked in the difference. The expense was forgotten Friday as he watched Stephanie tool around on her belated Christmas gift.

“I wanted to let her know there was goodness out there after something so negative,” he said. “I wanted her to have a nice Christmas.”