The motorized tricycle of a disabled UCSB student reported stolen last Friday has been located, but those responsible for the theft have not been found.

Naz Hassanzadeh-Kiabi, a third-year business economics major, said she found her black motorized tricycle Monday evening parked in front of Anacapa Residence Hall while she was on her way to the De La Guerra Dining Commons. She said it was stolen Friday night after she left campus for the weekend and that she filed a stolen motorized vehicle report with the UC Police Dept. (UCPD) the following Saturday.

“I passed by Anacapa, and I was like, ‘I should really take matters into my own hands because I feel like this is getting nowhere,'” she said. “I got out of my car and walked straight to the bike racks in front of Anacapa and there it was.”

After discovering her bike parked in the residence hall lot, Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said she called UCPD to inform them of her discovery. Police helped her move the tricycle back to her residence at Manzanita Village, she said.

Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said she has no insurance on the nearly $1,000 tricycle – the only one on campus – and it is her main mode of transportation on campus. Had the tricycle not been found, Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said she would have to buy another one.

She said the theft made her angry and frustrated.

“I’m just really frustrated that someone would do something this disgusting to a disabled person,” Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said.

She said she wouldn’t have pressed charges against the alleged thief if they had anonymously returned the tricycle. If the culprits come forward soon, before police discover who is responsible, Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said she would still not press charges.

“I’ve already found my bike,” she said. “It’s too late for them to leave my bike somewhere and just call campus police and say, ‘I’ve just found the bike,’ and I [would have] let it go. If they were smart, they would have done that.”

During the two days her tricycle was missing, Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said she had to drive around campus and park in lots closest to her classes and the dining commons.

“But it’s not exactly the easiest thing because I’m on crutches,” she said. “It’s really difficult walking from my car to whatever class I need to get to, but I [didn’t] really have a choice.”

Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said she left the tricycle next to a handicapped parking spot near Manzanita. Although she usually does so, she said she forgot to ask one of her fellow residents in Cienega House to bring the tricycle back inside.

“I called one of my friends Saturday afternoon to see if my bike was around and to take it back inside when I finally realized [I had forgotten to],” she said. “They said it was missing. I asked some other people to look around for me and they all said it was missing. … Finally I did a dispatch on it [with UCPD] and everything.”

Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said when she returned Sunday night, a friend told her that he had seen the missing tricycle being ridden by who he believes was the alleged thief.

“He said he saw some blond girl on the bike and he went and told a CSO,” Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said. “The CSO said, ‘Oh, I actually know Naz… but that girl on the bike told me it belonged to another friend of hers and she has permission to ride it.’ The CSO just let her go; he didn’t know it was a stolen bike. All I know now is that some blond chick stole my bike.”

Hassanzadeh-Kiabi said the alleged blond girl claimed the bike belonged to a resident of Anacapa. Jamie Patton, the Anacapa resident director, said she is unaware of any resident in the hall who owns a tricycle.

CSO coordinator Jill Singletary said she declined to comment on the case because it was an ongoing investigation.

Sgt. Mark Signa, UCPD public information officer, said he e-mailed residence hall resident assistants and other on-campus members to ask for any information they may have concerning the case. Information will also be posted on the UCPD website.
– Jason La contributed to this article