A couple driving to Richmond from northeastern B.C. is hoping someone in Chilliwack might run across their priceless family heirlooms.
Deborah Gould and Pat Kelly reported their F350 pickup stolen on March 22 from an underground parking lot in Richmond.
When it turned up in Surrey, their stuff was missing.
“Everything was gone,” said Gould.
An old blue trunk with gold latches, a handmade chest and eight plastic totes were in the back of the truck when it was stolen.
The blue totes contained memorabilia from Kelly’s family, who were among the first pioneering settlers of the small community of Hudson’s Hope, like precious old family photographs, poems and crafts.
“We packed it all up and brought it down with us to share with family members. There were some pictures that were 100 years old,” she said.
The couple drove through the Lower Mainland last week from Hudson’s Hope, parked the truck and went to bed. That was the last they saw of their pickup and belongings.
Police told the couple the evidence shows their F350 was driven to Chilliwack from Richmond, possibly for the thieves to commit more crimes.
It was later dumped in Surrey with a Tidy Tank gas container in the truck bed, which was not theirs, and likely stolen. The truck was located covered in mud, switched out with Chilliwack-based licence plates, and they were advised to forget about recovering any of their stolen stuff.
“But we thought maybe someone saw our stuff dumped somewhere in Chilliwack,” said Gould.
They were awaiting the truck’s release after being fingerprinted, and thought they would put out an appeal to the community of Chilliwack through the newspaper to keep their eyes open for their stuff.
“It’s our last hope,” Gould said.
Anyone with information is asked to call 604-679-8650.
Stolen items included: eight blue Rubbermaid totes, three rectangular and three square stackable, two more larger long rectangular with black snap latch handles, an old blue trunk, 1980s style with the gold snap latches and a wooden chest very old, handmade, almost black wood.