Tricycle was meant for special needs kids. A Whatcom man was allegedly trying to pawn it

Oct. 01--The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office have arrested a man who allegedly attempted to pawn one of two stolen tricycles primarily used for therapy of special needs and autistic children and valued at $1,500 apiece.

The Sheriff's Office booked Ryan Eric Sanders, 21, into Whatcom County Jail on Friday on suspicion of second-degree identity theft, two counts of second-degree possession of stolen property and second-degree trafficking. Sanders also was booked on suspicion of second-degree theft and shoplifting goods less than $50 in other charges by the Bellingham and Everson police departments.

According to information provided to The Bellingham Herald Monday by Undersheriff Jeff Parks, Sanders allegedly contacted Bellingham Pawn about pawning a Terratrike Rover Trike at approximately 6:10 p.m.Sept. 12.

Parks said the serial number on the trike matched one of two that was reported stolen approximately six hours earlier by the Max Higbee Center, which according to its website provides community-based recreation programs for youth and adults with developmental disabilities.

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Sanders reportedly presented the pawn employees with a United States Passport Card identifying himself with the last name of "Gray," and he began filling out a pawn statement under the false identity.

When the pawn shop employee told Sanders they believed the trike was stolen, Sanders fled the store. An in-store surveillance system showed him entering the shop and interacting with staff, the sheriff's office said.

At approximately 11:30 p.m.Sept. 13, Parks said the second tricycle -- a red Amtriyke that had a matching serial number to the second stolen trike -- was located in a garage in the 3600 block of Bennett Drive.

The tenant of the garage allegedly told deputies that Sanders had placed the second trike there and asked to store it.

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