A Penticton woman is distraught after her vehicle, which had her husband’s wheelchair inside, was stolen.
Nada Cerna said her vehicle was taken from the parking lot of her Calgary Avenue apartment on Saturday, March 24. The 2011 Chevrolet Equinox, which has a license plate of 288 PPH and is black in colour, was last driven by Cerna that day when she returned from a shopping trip at 2:45 p.m.
“My neighbour, who parks next to me, told me later that my car was not in its spot at 3 p.m.,” said Cerna.
It was shortly after arriving home that someone had buzzed her apartment from the front door of the building. Cerna said she had initially believed it was the voice of a friend who comes over for coffee and a visit regularly and had allowed the person in.
“I opened unlocked the door to our apartment and left the door open a bit for her to come in. It was about 25 minutes and I thought she was talking to one of our neighbours but after checking the hallway and no one was there I eventually locked our apartment door. Unfortunately during that time somebody got into our apartment. We had just been sitting in the living room waiting. My purse was in the open closet by the doorway and the car keys, so the person grabbed my two purses and car keys.”
It wasn’t until the next day (Sunday, March 25) when Cerna received several phone calls from her bank of suspicious activity on her credit and debit cards, that she realized what had happened.
“I am a retiree recently and nothing like that has ever happened in my life. For me it is a big deal. I can’t believe something like that would happen in your own home,” said Cerna. “Someone came into our apartment and were stealing. They actually probably needed it, but everyone says ‘Nada, you are lucky you weren’t close by. You don’t know what could have happened to you guys.’ My thoughts first and foremost that I am lucky to be alive.”
Cerna, who said she recently had foot surgery, said her first unassisted walk was to go to ICBC and the RCMP department.
“I need that car. My husband is disabled, I am partially too, and his wheelchair was in the car,” said Cerna.
Anyone who has seen the vehicle, or has information about the theft are asked to contact RCMP at 250-492-4300. The file number that can be referenced is 2018-4104.
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