Both of the Chapman's vehicles, a silver Ford F350 and copper Infinity, were stolen from Barona Beach Westside over the course of two days.
Image Credit: Contributed
October 22, 2015 - 11:40 AM
WEST KELOWNA – A couple who just moved back to the Okanagan from Winnipeg were greeted by thieves who stole both of their vehicles over the course of just two days.
Marilyne and her husband Steve Chapman moved to West Kelowna from a small town outside Winnipeg five weeks ago. While renting a place at Barona Beach Westside their silver Ford F-350 was taken from the paid parking lot sometime overnight on Oct. 18, and their copper-coloured Infinity FX45 was taken from a secured garage the very next day.
“We didn’t even know the truck was missing until we went to go boating. We thought it had been towed but it was stolen,” she says. “My husband had an extra set of (car) keys in the truck somewhere so that’s how they got my car started.”
How thieves got into the underground parkade to take the car is still a mystery.
“I have a feeling they may even be from here,” she says. “I have to wonder if this is an inside job, but Barona beach has no security cameras.”
Chapman says police told her they were involved in a high speed chase with the vehicle the day after it was taken, but were unable to make an arrest.
“I’m pretty anxious what’s going on,” she says. “They’re out there either joyriding or chopping it up.”
The Chapmans, although new to West Kelowna, consider themselves locals since they lived here from 1987 until 1993. She says it hasn’t really changed her view of the Okanagan but admits it’s an unlucky turn of events.
“This is not typical of the Okanagan,” she says. “It’s bad enough getting one vehicle stolen, but two?”
The silver Ford pickup has a canopy and B.C. licence plate JW4156. The back window of the Infinity has decals for Chapman’s business and lists a Manitoba phone number and her email address. The licence plate is RF TEAM.
If anyone has any information which could help them get their vehicles back, contact Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015