Man is arrested in Orem trike theft

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jul 3, 2008

OREM -- Police have arrested a known gang member for stealing a young child's tricycle, then cruising on it down Orem Boulevard.

The 21-year-old man was arrested Saturday evening after a mother reported her child's trike was missing, said Orem Police Lt. Doug Edwards.

The mother had walked alongside her daughter, who pedaled her new bike on their way to Kmart on 475 N. State in Orem. They left the bike outside while they shopped.

When they returned, the tricycle was gone and they called police, Edwards said.

Officers later spotted the man riding the child's stolen trike and confronted him.

He gave the officers three different names, and when questioned on each one, taunted the officers by telling them to "do your job and figure out who I am," Edwards said, quoting the man.

He was booked into jail for the tricycle theft, and for providing false information to a police officer. There was also an outstanding warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia.

He became cooperative at the jail when the officers told him he would stay behind bars until they could verify with documentation who he actually was, Edwards said.

He was released from jail Tuesday afternoon.