Young Boys Learn Adult Lesson About Crime

While violent crimes are devastating and receive most of the attention, property crimes can really impact a family's quality of life or bring down a neighborhood. For example, about 70 people a month

Monday, October 30th 2006, 2:40 pm

By: News On 6

While violent crimes are devastating and receive most of the attention, property crimes can really impact a family's quality of life or bring down a neighborhood. For example, about 70 people a month in Tulsa are victims of an armed robbery, but, nearly 1,200 people a month have some of their property stolen.

News on 6 crime reporter Lori Fullbright says two little boys recently got a very grown up lesson about crime. Now, they join the other 10,000 people in Tulsa who have encountered a thief this year.

Lane and his little brother Avery may be young, but they've already experienced crime, not once, but twice. Lane's first bicycle was stolen out of the garage, the door was up and the family was in the backyard grilling.

After posting reward signs in the neighborhood, the frame of the bike, stripped of everything, beaten with a hammered and painted with swear words, was tossed in their front yard.

As much as Lane's dad wanted to replace the bike, he decided Lance should work for the bike. "I wanted him to get a life lesson from it, to earn that back," said their father, Mike Goodman.

So, Lane and Avery went into business. "It took us like five months to get that money. We raised $100 or $200 selling Kool-Aid and lemon-aid," said Lane.

He got the bike and just two days later, while playing near a retaining pond, it was stolen again. This time, a 15-year-old pushed Avery to the ground and took the bike. "I was holding his bike up to make sure it didn't get stolen and two minutes later, kid walks up to me and cussed at me and took the bike," Avery said.

"I was sick to my stomach for them. That's a big loss for a boy that age," said Mike Goodman.

The boys are sad and mad, and even though they pretty much know who took this bike and lots of others in the neighborhood, there isn't much they can do about it.

Despite their young age, Lane and Avery are wise about the root cause of it all. "Their parents should be more concerned about what they're doing and keep an eye on them more," Lane said.

The boys' father also wonders why parents don't question when boys come home with bikes they obviously don't own.

Mike Goodman says the thieves spray paint the bikes to disguise them and then, strip and toss the frames in a ditch.

Lane and Avery are going back into business to buy another bike, this time; they're going to sell hot chocolate.