A man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly stealing a Burbank police motorcycle officer’s helmet from the scene of a crash.
Ricardo Miranda, 40, of Burbank was taken into custody at his home in the 600 block of East Cedar Avenue, where detectives recovered the stolen helmet, said Burbank police Sgt. Derek Green.
Miranda was booked on suspicion of grand theft, and was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.
According to police, the motorcycle officer was on duty when he crashed at San Fernando Boulevard and Verdugo Avenue about 5:40 p.m. on Jan. 23.
“While being treated by paramedics, the officer’s department-issued motorcycle helmet was placed on a nearby bus bench,” Green said. “After being transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, another Burbank police officer gathered belongings of the injured officer and noticed the motorcycle helmet missing from the bench.”
Detectives reviewed security video and officers’ body camera video that showed a man taking the helmet without permission and leaving the scene, Green said.
“With help of the video evidence, Burbank police identified the suspect believed to be responsible for the theft of the helmet, which was valued at about $1,200,” Green said.
The motorcycle officer is still recovering from his injuries and has not returned to full duty, Green said.