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Sacramento, CA (KCRA) — A Sacramento family is asking for the community’s help to find two unique special-needs bikes that were stolen from their son over the weekend.
Ted Kelts, who is nonverbal, was born with a rare form of Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome, which is a condition characterized by limited muscle tone, as well as physical and intellectual disabilities.
The bikes, which were stolen from the garage at a home in the 2600 block of Latham Drive, allowed 20-year-old Kelts to get around with help from his parents.
“These are very unique bikes — very unique,” Janet Kelts said. “You can go buy a new bike if your bike was stolen. We can’t do that.”
Janet Kelts and her husband George Kelts bought the bikes for their son 10 years ago.
“He has low muscle tone and can’t run, but can ride a bike,” Janet Kelts said. “George sits behind him and steers — and Ted just flies.”
One of the bikes, a silver tandem bike made in New Zealand, allows Ted to sit in the front while his father pedals and steers from the back seat.
“He sits on the front, and has his own handlebars,” George Kelts said. “I have wrap around bars that come to the back, but he has the best view.”
The second bike, a purple push-tricycle that was made in Florida, allows Ted to feel like he’s riding while someone is pushing from behind his seat.
“He flaps his hands and shakes his head and is just so happy and feels so free,” Janet Kelts said. “We don’t have those bikes anymore because they were stolen from Ted’s garage.”
The bikes are valued at more than $5,000. They were taken overnight Saturday and discovered missing Sunday morning.
Because of the uniqueness of both bikes, the Kelts family is hoping people spot them and call the Sacramento Police Department.
“We have a case filed with Sac PD; we just really hope someone spots them and calls them in,” Jennifer Kelts said.
Because of the bikes’ value, the theft is considered grand theft. Sacramento police are urging anyone with information on the bikes’ whereabouts to call the department at 916-808-5471.
The Kelts family said they don’t need any monetary assistance to replace the bikes, they just want more people to keep an eye out for the bikes and to report any sighting to police.
“We can fix the bikes, no matter what shape they’re in,” Janet Kelts said. “We just are holding out hope we can get them back and Ted can go riding again sooner rather than waiting for them to be replaced.”
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