Meanest Thief Award: Teen Boy's Bionic Arm Stolen
(CBS) -- They just want his arm back.
A west suburban teenager left his pricey bionic arm in his parents' vehicle. When he returned, the prosthetic limb was gone.
CBS 2's Mike Parker reports.
One year ago, Sammy Luther learned how to use his new prosthetic device. He was born without a left arm and hand. He quickly learned to use the electronically assisted arm, which is worth $95,000.
"It was very important to me. It helped me out with a lot of things, especially carrying around books. It helped me a lot," he says.
For now, the 16-year-old from North Aurora has to do without it. The arm was stolen.
His mother had driven Sammy to Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood for an acting and modeling lesson. She parked the car and forgot to lock it. Sammy had left the device in the car.
"It's another hurdle that life has thrown at us, and I'm disappointed that someone would be jiggling car doors and see that in there and take it," the teen's dad, Derrick Luther, says.
The family's insurance paid the nearly $100,000 cost for the now-missing bionic arm. It is unclear right now if the family will have to pay for another one.
"I'm not looking at prosecuting anyone or filing charges. If the Chicago police does, I have no control over that. I just want the arm back," Derrick Luther says.
Sammy's dad worries that whoever has it won't know what to do with and sell it as scrap metal. He hopes the thief or somebody simply turns it in at the 12th Chicago Police District.