EVANS, Colo. (KDVR) — In a quiet Evans townhome community on a Sunday morning, people who live there were awakened by screeching tires, a wreck and two damaged children’s bicycles.
“They were speeding through the inside of the complex,” said Jessica Moncada, who lives there with her family.
She said thieves trying to steal a car did more damage than they realized.
“When they lost control, they rear-ended another vehicle, which pushed it up onto the sidewalk and therefore, the bike rack just got sandwiched in between both of the vehicles,” she said.
On those bike racks, just two bikes: “My boys’ bikes were the only ones that were locked up.”
That crime scene also the scene of disappointment for Elias Gutierrez and his little brother, Aztlan Moncada, Jessica’s sons.
“My boys were pretty upset,” she said.
It was an offense to their innocence, she said.
“I think (Elias) was a little more upset than the little one. He doesn’t quite yet understand,” she said.
‘They tried to investigate what happened and they brought me a new bike’
“I thought like, whoa, why are they messed up?” Elias recalled.
Crime is still a very foreign concept to him.
“I thought, why would they do that?” he said.
The fact that his own bike was damaged was an offense that couldn’t go without rectification for Evans Police Officer Bobby Gallegos.
“At that point I just felt in my heart that these kids needed new bikes,” Gallegos said.
“I thought – thank you to them,” Elias said.
A gift from a community-service-driven officer whose value had not gone unnoticed by 7-year-old Elias.
“They didn’t have to bring it to us because it cost a lot of money,” Elias said
Replacing cherished gifts
Both bikes were Christmas and birthday gifts for the two boys.
“Most parents can’t just go out and buy two $200 bikes right off the bat,” Gallegos said.
Elias and his mother said they now understand the true meaning of their officers protecting and serving their community.
“They tried to investigate what happened and they brought me a new bike,” Elias said.
“Gives us definitely a different outlook on the officers who are protecting us here in Evans, so, grateful for them,” Jessica added.
Regarding the would-be carjackers, police told FOX31 that matter is still under investigation.