A Maple Ridge mother warming up her vehicle was steps away, holding her baby, when it was stolen in front of her eyes.
Kaley, who did not want her last name used, said her windshield was fogged at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, March 9, and the car was cold, so she started the vehicle to warm it up while she loaded her baby’s stroller into the back.
The SUV was parked in the driveway of Kaley’s home in a housing complex near Golden Ears Elementary, in the Cottonwood area.
“I walked the 10 steps to my front door to grab my baby from our foyer when I hear a car screech,” Kaley told The News.
“I turned around to see a white, blonde woman, seemingly in her 30’s, driving my car in reverse,” she said.
In a video, Kaley can be seen running down her driveway holding her 10-month-old daughter in her arms.
After the culprit reversed the vehicle to the road, she attempted to put the car in drive, but, Kaley noted, she put the SUV in neutral instead, giving Kaley enough time to pull out her phone and start recording.
The woman then sped away following another car out of the complex.
When Kaley viewed video footage from her neighbour’s camera, she saw a vehicle that looked to be a Mercedes SUV parked in a visitor’s spot beside her place with the woman and another person watching her from inside.
“It was very scary! I’ve had really bad anxiety thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong that day and I just keep thanking the universe that me and my daughter are safe,” said Kaley.
By the time Kaley finished reporting the incident to police, her credit card, which was inside her stolen vehicle, was charged for $200 at one of the Petro-Canada gas stations on Lougheed Highway – either the one at 228 Street or at Kanaka Way.
Since then Kaley has had no updates, and the vehicle is still missing.
Ridge Meadows RCMP confirmed they attended a report of a stolen vehicle in the 23000 block of 118th Ave. and learned, “that the vehicle was left unsecured and that an unknown female suspect was observed driving the vehicle away.”
Police are now searching for that female suspect and Kayley’s grey Ford Escape, license plate number: HB2 13F. The vehicle has an “Every Child Matters” hand print on the back windshield, as well as a “Baby On Board” bumper sticker.
Police are also reminding residents to take extra precautions on the roadways and to remain vigilant about vehicle anti-theft prevention, especially during this period of intermittent and colder weather, when people tend to leave their vehicles running as they warm them up.
“If you see suspicious persons or activities near a vehicle, call the police immediately. Report suspicious activity while it is happening, and try to obtain a description of the suspect. Do not confront suspects. Let police determine if it’s a crime in progress. Online crime reporting is also available to report crime that meet certain criteria.”
“I know it was a mistake, but I never would have thought this would happen with me standing by my car,” said the mother online.
Kaley told The News the incident has really shaken her family’s sense of security. However, she said, good neighbours have outweighed the bad.
“The community has been so kind, sharing messages of support, and thanking us for sharing, saying they’ve learned from this incident and will be more aware especially with our rising crime rates,” she added.
The vehicle was last seen heading west on Lougheed Highway, Kaley noted.
Anyone with information can call Ridge Meadows RCMP at 604-463-6251 and quote file number RM26-4619.