16 bikes stolen from East Austin activity center
AUSTIN, Texas - An Austin activity center is dealing with a setback after thousands of dollars worth of bikes were stolen from them last weekend.
The Lorraine "Grandma" Camacho Activity Center is run by the Austin Parks and Recreation Department.
They say on the morning of Sunday, August 18, their window was broken. Sixteen bikes were stolen with a replacement value of $25,000.
"It's hard, right, especially for a team who is really committed to just helping individuals learn to bike and be happy out on the trail," Amanda Ross, division manager for natural resources at Austin Parks and Recreation, said.
The bikes are used for youth cycling programs like summer and spring break camps, Friday youth biking sessions, and more.
The Camacho Center has been doing programs for more than two decades.
"They work with at-risk youth, they work with a variety of kids, and they really do just make it so that kids feel empowered and enjoy biking as well," Ross said.
The programs will continue, but there will be adjustments in the schedule, like staggering different age groups.
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The department also plans to make security improvements.
"We are working with our partners at Austin Parks Foundation to actually do a larger security audit and really work on making recommendations about how we can make not only our facilities, but our programs and our general park land a secure, safe, welcoming space," Ross said.
Austin police say they don't have suspect descriptions available right now. If you have any information or surveillance video related to the case, let them know.
Despite the setback, the Camacho Center will keep going to make sure everyone can still enjoy hitting the trails.
"Ultimately, the good news is that we will be able to get them replaced and that we're really just focused on continuing programing and just ask people to go out and enjoy a bike ride and not let this get them down, because we've got great programing and lots of people out there enjoying bikes in the city," Ross said.
If you want to support the Camacho Center, click here.