A 16-year-old west suburban boy’s bionic arm was stolen from his family’s convertible while he was at a class. Regina Waldroup reports.
A 16-year-old North Aurora boy’s bionic arm has been found.
Samuel Luther's $95,000 arm was stolen on Oct. 18 from his family’s convertible while he was at a class on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Chicago Police News Affairs said it was found Thursday morning at a Subway restaurant.
An employee found the arm and called police, according to News Affairs. It likely will be returned to the family on Thursday, police said.
Police said no one is currently under investigation because they do not believe the missing arm was a criminal act.
Luther's father, Derrick, said the police tip actually came from a Subway patron, and the employees there didn't want to give up the arm. "If it wasn’t for the excellent investigative abilities of the CPD detectives, I feel we would not have recovered the hand," he said.
Derrick Luther said the arm was damaged but he's glad to get it back.
Luther and his mother came to Chicago earlier this month for the teen’s modeling class at K Models Talent in the 1900 block of South Halsted in Pilsen, Derrick Luther said.
They parked their blue 2010 Chrysler Sebring convertible in a lot across the street from the school about noon to 2 p.m. Luther left the arm in the car because its battery was dead, his father said.
When he and his mother returned to the car, they didn’t immediately realize the arm was missing. It wasn’t until days later and the arm didn’t turn up that they realized it must have been stolen from the car.
“Somebody must have jingled the doors, saw the arm lying in there and snagged it,” Derrick Luther said.
Luther was born without his left arm, and had previously used prosthetics. About a year ago, he started using a BeBionic arm.
The family’s insurance helped cover the price of the original arm, but Luther is unsure how much it will cost to replace it.
According to its website, the BeBionic 3 is “designed to be stronger and more durable than other hands available, meaning it can be worn daily, and withstand the stresses and strains of constant use.”
Derrick posted ads online, including on Craigslist, and has posted flyers throughout the Pilsen neighborhood.
