EXCLUSIVE: Bay Area 9-year-old's Warriors-themed lowrider bike stolen, calls it Dubs 'lucky charm'
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A San Francisco 9-year-old is pleading for whoever stole his Warriors-themed lowrider bike to give it back. The bike is one of a kind and has years of memories attached to it.
The first things you see when you walk inside Benny Romero's house are his trophies and a Warriors flag.
"This trophy is my favorite because well they let me pick the design," said Romero.
All his trophies and plaques represent years with his Warriors-themed lowrider bike, but today that's all he has left, the accolades and the memories.
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"I was really sad when someone stole it," said Benny. "Those seven years of work and money into it. It was very emotional."
Over the weekend his mom went inside their garage to pull the bike for Benny to join the San Francisco Carnaval parade. Seconds later they noticed it was gone. His mom filed a police report.
"They took the bike from here. This is towards the back of my garage. I had a drape over it and I even had his mariachi suit just because it is gold and it stands out a lot. I covered it but this is in a place that's hidden in my house all the way inside my house," said Benny's mom Brenda Rodriguez.
Benny is known in the lowrider community as "El Charro of the Mission" paying homage to his Mexican roots wearing a traditional charro suit and riding the bike to lowrider shows. More than a bike, this has been a family project.
"All of my uncles, my grandpa, and my tios all built it," said Benny.
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Instead of playing with legos, Benny and his family have been designing the bike since he was three years old. The pedals even have his name on them.
"It means a lot to me," said Benny. "I wanted to keep building the bike because I wanted to add a little more changes."
With the Warriors in the NBA Finals, Benny feels like their lucky charm is missing. Especially after Thursday's loss.
"It was the worst time that could happen because the Carnaval and the Warriors are playing right. I just wanted to give good luck to the Warriors by getting this bike and riding it around and wearing the mariachi suit to celebrate the Warriors in the finals," said Benny.
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Benny's message to whoever took the bike from their garage, "Can I have it back because we've spent a lot of time and my family was building the bike as well. All my uncles."
For now, he is hoping someone sees it. His reward: one of his special stickers.
"It's a cartoon version of me and it has "Benny G" in bold. It's my favorite one. If you got this you are lucky," said Benny.
And luck is what he is hoping for. For the Warriors to win the championship and to get his bike back.
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