A Calgary couple is grappling with the profound consequences of a car theft that has not only taken their vehicle but also robbed them of a wedding dress, a crucial wheelchair, and sensitive personal documents containing their home address.
Theft Shatters Daily Life and Wedding Plans
The incident unfolded on February 18 when Alexis Solberg collected her altered wedding dress and drove to a supermarket in northeast Calgary. After locking her vehicle doors and spending approximately twenty minutes inside the store, she returned to the parking lot to discover her 2020 White Jeep Grand Cherokee was missing.
"I started panicking," Solberg recounted. Initially questioning if confusion or brain fog was to blame, she searched the entire complex with her key fob before accepting the grim reality. "I thought, 'Did I park somewhere else?' I went around, and I kind of walked around the whole complex with my key fob and everything."
With her phone still inside the stolen car, Solberg returned to the store to contact the police. Officers responded swiftly and soon located her phone discarded on a road about five minutes away from the scene.
Critical Mobility Aid and Sentimental Items Lost
The vehicle contained the manual wheelchair of her fiancé, Jeremy van Deventer, who was diagnosed with ALS in October and has been progressively losing his ability to speak and walk. "It was a manual wheelchair that we got a loan from the Red Cross," Solberg explained, highlighting the essential role it plays in his daily mobility.
Also stolen was Solberg's wedding dress, adding emotional distress to the practical crisis. "I would give up 100 wedding dresses to make sure he can get out of the house and enjoy every day," she expressed, emphasizing her priority is van Deventer's wellbeing amidst the theft's disruption.
Calgary police have confirmed to Postmedia that an investigation into the theft is actively underway.
Rising National Trend of Auto Theft
This personal tragedy occurs against a backdrop of escalating auto theft across Canada. In 2023, incidents peaked with over 105,000 cases nationwide, driving a staggering 254 percent increase in insurance claims since 2018.
While auto theft saw an 11 percent decline in Western Canada, Alberta's vehicle recovery rate has dropped year-over-year to 71 percent, according to a report by Équité Association, a non-profit advocating for anti-fraud measures. The report indicates that lower recovery rates often signal increased exports of stolen vehicles and re-VINing activities.
"Alberta continues to be a feeder province to register stolen and re-VINed vehicles," the report stated, noting a shift toward more complex vehicle fraud and theft orchestrated by organized groups.
Couple's Resilience Amid Ongoing Challenges
For Solberg, auto theft has transformed from a distant threat into a harsh reality that has violated her sense of security. "Even when I leave the house, I'm double-locking our doors and checking everything," she shared. "Now I'm starting to check windows, because our information was in that vehicle. It's pretty surreal."
In a silver lining, the community has shown support: Solberg was gifted a replacement bridal gown, and van Deventer's sister purchased a motorized wheelchair for him. However, the absence of a car severely hampers the couple's ability to commute, particularly as van Deventer's condition becomes more debilitating, underscoring the theft's lasting impact on their independence and quality of life.
