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Wed 15 Feb, 2006 09:28 pm
Softball player's prosthetic leg stolen for 2nd time
TEMPLE CITY, Calif. - For the second time in recent months, somebody broke into a 16-year-old girl's home and stole her prosthetic leg - including one that had been donated following the first crime, authorities said.
The thieves took a $12,000 cosmetic leg and a donated $16,000 leg that Melissa Huff uses to play softball, her mother, Lisa Huff, said. She said a camera in the room was untouched.
"It's insane. Who hates her that bad?" Lisa Huff said. "I went back to the girls' room and the room was trashed. Mostly Melissa's stuff."
In the first theft, on Nov. 1, someone cut a hole in a window screen and also took video games and other items, authorities said. Her doctor and two real estate finance companies donated money for a new, shock-absorbent "sports leg" with a flexible foot.
On Tuesday, the thief pried open a screen window in the home, about 12 miles east of Los Angeles, said sheriff's Sgt. Russell Sprague. He said authorities have no leads.
Melissa's right leg was amputated two years ago after she was struck by a car. She resumed playing competitive softball after the accident and is now a high school sophomore.
"Now, she has nothing to walk with," said her father, David Huff.
how disgusting that someone could do that...that poor kid!!
The crime doesn't make sense to me, except "girls's room". Could a jealous sibling be involved?
The crime doesn't make sense to me, except "girls's room". Could a jealous sibling be involved?
...or a high school prank. those rarely make much sense at all.
or a jealous 'someone'.....still what she must have gone through to lose her leg in the first place was probably bad enough.
Either way, it's definitely not one of those random type of crimes. Too much coincidence.
Nice follow-up story.....
Teen's stolen legs are returned
ARCADIA, Calif. - A 16-year-old girl's prosthetic legs, which were stolen twice since November, have been quietly returned, police said.
Melissa Huff's mother found the legs in her unlocked car, which she had parked at Arcadia High School on Wednesday afternoon.
"Nobody was seen in or around the car," Arcadia police Lt. Ken Harper said. "There were no witnesses. We lifted some fingerprints and will see if there is any match."
Huff's right leg was amputated below the knee after she was struck by a car two years ago.
The first theft happened Nov. 1, when someone cut a hole in a window screen in Huff's home and stole a $12,000 cosmetic leg. Her doctor and two companies donated money for a new, $16,000 sports leg, which she uses to play softball on the Arcadia High team.
The stolen leg was tossed into the family's back yard in January.
But on Valentine's Day, somebody stole both legs after prying open a screen window. She had been unable to wear either prosthetic at the time because of a surgery. The legs were returned Wednesday, but had graffiti on them.
She was scheduled Friday to pick up another new leg, which the community rallied to buy for her.
Huff said she and her family believe the thief knows her.
"It doesn't bother me," she said. "I'm not scared of them."
Arcadia is about 24 miles east of Los Angeles.
Seems like the graffiti would be instructive.
Glad she has them back, anyway.
This is one of those crimes that should be titled, "What were they thinking?"
1- The legs would probably only fit the original wearer.
2- Who would buy such "hot items" like these legs?
Crime doesn't pay, because the criminals who commit them are as thick as two bricks.
It sounds like it was pure anger/ revenge. Someone who didn't like her. "Mean Girls" and all that.
Yeah, that makes sense, too. Maybe that's why the graphitti?
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