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Public's Help Sought After Paraplegic Man's Trailer Stolen Again

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A drag racing trailer belonging to a paraplegic man was stolen for the second time in two years — and his family is seeking the public's help nabbing the suspects.

Security video capturing the incident shows thieves cutting a gate padlock, driving into a warehouse lot in northeast L.A. and backing a pick-up truck up to Steve Boldstead's trailer May 10.

Boldstead's sister, Kristin, says thieves stole the $15,000 trailer her paralyzed brother had just bought after his first trailer, his customized truck and treasured race car were stolen almost two years ago.

"Steve had a king pin or a lock on the trailer … but they were able to break that, get it hooked up to the truck and then you see it pulling around and then out," she said.

Boldstead spoke to CBS2/KCAL9 after the first incident.

"It's my life, it's what I live for … in disbelief, I'm still in disbelief," he said.

Kristin, who declined to use her last name, said her brother recently wanted to store his trailer at the lot because he was going in for surgery and would be in the hospital for a while. The 51-year-old is still there fighting an infection and Kristin doesn't know how she's going to tell him the news.

"I'm just devastated. He doesn't even know yet. I haven't told him because I'm so concerned about his health," she said.

Kristin is hoping someone will recognize the silver or grey Ford extended-cab pick-up truck. It has a long bed, running boards and a modified tailgate, which may have doubled as a ramp.

Kristin believes these are seasoned thieves who were probably hoping something was inside of the trailer. Not this time.

"I'd like for them to be prosecuted," she said. "I don't think it's just Steve they're doing this to."

Anyone with information is asked to contact LAPD's Northeast Station.

 

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