Nonprofit's Fleet Of Bikes In U-Haul Truck Stolen From Alameda School
ALAMEDA (CBS SF) -- A fleet of 50 bicycles in a U-Haul truck belonging to a bike education nonprofit were stolen from a school in Alameda on Wednesday.
Police said bike safety instructors with the group Cycles of Change had parked the U-Haul truck on Eighth Street near Santa Clara Avenue on Tuesday afternoon. When they returned Wednesday morning, it was gone.
"I think it's crazy how somebody would do that," said Jagger Alvarez, a fifth Grader at Maya Lin School.
Alvarez took the class earlier this week and felt upset that other students won't be able to learn how to ride a bike.
"I really liked it. It was fun," said Alvarez.
His mother April Alvarez said all her children at Maya Lin had taken the bike safety class this week and just loved it.
"Speechless, honestly. That's just a total jerk move. I don't know who would think that's okay, right? It's for the kids," she said.
Alameda police say someone broke into the truck, cut a wheel-locking club, and drove off. Inside where about 50 bikes sized for fourth and fifth graders, 150 helmets, and bike repair tools.
"It's not out of the ordinary that U-Haul trucks get stolen because a lot of times, people will target it thinking that it's loaded while people are in the moving process," said Alameda Police Lt. Hoshmand Durani.
Lt. Durani said the U-Haul is a 15-footer with an Arizona license plate of AD48184.
Cycles of Change works with schools around Alameda County on bicycle education and safety programs. The organization is now seeking donations of bikes or money to replace the bikes that were stolen.
People can find out more about donation guidelines and locations at the Cycles of Change website.