Theft of Teen's Tricycle Leads to State Prison

A homeless man was sentenced today to four years in state prison for stealing a custom made tricycle for a teen with cerebral palsy, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Deborah Kranze said Carlos Andres Lopez, 47, entered a no contest plea today to one felony count of first-degree residential burglary, as a strike, in case GA098156.

Lopez also admitted a 2002 conviction for first-degree residential burglary in case LA039169.

On Jan. 23, Lopez went into a residential parking structure on Clybourn Avenue in Burbank and stole the special-needs Berkel tricycle worth more than $5,000, the prosecutor said. Lopez also stole a sewing machine from the camper shell of a Ford Ranger, the prosecutor added.

As part of the negotiated plea, the defendant agreed to pay restitution to the victim's family for damages to the tricycle and the sewing machine as well as damage to the Ford Ranger.

The case was investigated by the Burbank Police Department.