Items stolen from teen’s newly restored memorial

The family of a Costa Mesa teen recently killed in a car accident said Sunday that the memorial they were allowed to put back up has been removed and its items stolen.

Luis Adrian Torres, 19, a 2011 graduate from Estancia High School, died June 16 after a car wreck. Police said his car crashed into a tree on Susan Street near Sunflower Avenue.

Since then, Torres’ family set up a memorial in the teen’s honor along Susan Street, but two days after Torres’ death were asked to remove items from the private median owned by Providence Park.

On Friday, the CEO of the company that manages Providence Park invited the family to reconstruct the memorial, and the memorial went up again Saturday.

On Sunday, the family learned the memorial had been removed and the items left there taken. Among the missing items are Torres’ Bible, his shirt from Chipotle and other mementos.

“I just want his things back,” said older sister Bernice Torres, 21.

A public funeral service viewing for Luis Torres will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at Harbor Christian Fellowship Church, 740 W. Wilson St., Costa Mesa.

The burial service for family only will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at Fairhaven Memorial Park & Mortuary, 1702 E. Fairhaven Ave., Santa Ana.

—Lauren Williams and Bradley Zint