CLEANED OUT THIEVES STEAL BIKES, MORE FROM BMX CENTER.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

CANYON COUNTRY - Some time between Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon, thieves broke into a trailer at Santa Clarita BMX and stole $10,000 worth of dreams.

Bill and Lissa Weeks, owners of the track on Centre Pointe Parkway, have put their heart and soul into the rolling hills of dirt that attract hundreds of riders every weekend.

A large piece of plywood now covers the end of the snack bar/storage office where the air conditioner was ripped from the window, and where bikes, helmets, equipment and a computer were taken from the facility.

``They were very selective in what they took'' said Bill Weeks, walking through the trailer past stacks of trophies for a qualifying race coming up Saturday. ``They took a Supercross bike worth $2,000, our rental bikes, helmets and frames, along with the laptop that we use for the race results. I just finished paying off that laptop in April.''

The specialized bike was built just for Weeks, who is sponsored by Supercross, and has unique parts. ``There's not another bike like it in the world,'' he said.

Santa Clarita BMX is the fifth-largest track in the United States and is still growing as the sport increases in popularity. The Weekses run clinics for the city's Parks and Recreation Department on safe riding, and sponsor several riders who wouldn't be able to afford the sport. More than 400 riders of all ages use the track during the week for recreation and competitive racing.

``This is like a community project for us,'' Bill Weeks said. ``We want to give the kids a safe place to ride. Every penny we make goes right back into this.''

Weeks said that while their riders are covered by American Bicycle Association liability insurance, the pair hasn't been able to afford fire or theft insurance on the property.

In addition to the rental equipment and Weeks' personal bike, prizes donated for a raffle for Saturday's qualifier were taken. When Lissa told her husband Thursday that additional items were taken, he shook his head and wiped his eyes.

``It was so devastating yesterday, I couldn't think straight. Last night, one of the kids whose parents don't speak English too well and he doesn't have his own bike came up with his five dollars for his rental bike and we had to tell him we didn't have any.''

But Saturday's race will go on.

``We'll just drop back 10 and punt,'' Weeks said. ``The BMX community is a small family. I've already heard that some of my sponsors are sending some stuff, and riders have offered to replace the stereo (used for announcing the race results).''

And now Weeks, who was laid off this week from his job in the aerospace industry, is focused on tightening up security. And he vows to continue his side business.

``I've seen this valley grow up, and I could ride anywhere,'' Weeks said. ``Now there's no place to ride. The city says they can't be on the sidewalk, they get tickets if they're in the street, and they're bulldozing every hill. We need to make sure the kids have a place to ride.''

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(color) Bill Weeks, owner of Santa Clarita BMX, stands in the trailer where $10,000 worth of bikes and equipment was stolen.

David Crane/Staff Photographer