Rusty Antique Scooter Stolen in Broad Daylight

Santa Barbaran Rick Reyes’s antique orange scooter (photo gallery) was stolen near the corner of Montecito and North Nopal streets at around 2 p.m. on Sunday, August 30. Reyes, an employee of the nearby Camp Canine, said he was only about 20 feet away from the bike, but did not witness the theft. The only lead presently is from a friend of Reyes who claims she saw the bike traveling up Canon Perdido Street that afternoon.

Reyes’s disappointment stems from more than just the loss of a means of transportation. Reyes became a father for the first time when his daughter, Alicia, was born on August 13, and he had intended to bequeath the antique to her, possibly as her first vehicle.

The acquisition of this classic scooter was no easy feat for Reyes, who extensively researched scooters in California before making his purchase. His search for the scooter began nearly two years after he endured his third motorcycle accident in Montecito. “My girlfriend allowed me to get this one,” said Reyes, citing the slower speed as a necessary qualification for her approval.

Reyes said that residents should look out for an “old, orange, and rusty” scooter that resembles a classic Vespa, and anyone with information on the scooter’s whereabouts should contact local authorities.

“It’s the only one in Santa Barbara that is old and rusty like this,” said Reyes. “Its whitewalled tires are the only new parts on it.”