Thieves steal car with specialized wheelchair for 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy
SHRUB OAK, Westchester County (WABC) -- A family in Westchester County is desperate for answers after their family car was stolen from their driveway -- but they say the car matters much less than the specialized wheelchair that was inside.
The suspects stole the Finnegan family's Toyota Sienna minivan from the driveway of their Shrub Oak home Thursday morning.
An expensive, customized wheelchair for 10-year-old Mia Finnegan was in the unlocked vehicle along -- with the key fob.
Bob Finnegan, Mia's dad and a Yonkers firefighter, said that won't happen again.
"I accept full responsibility, you know, I grew up in a small town like this, so I got used to not having to lock doors and not having to lock cars," he said. "Obviously I have learned my lesson that times have changed."
Finnegan said police got an early morning hit on the license plate in nearby Cortlandt Manor.
"So the hope is that it's some local kids maybe, took it for a joyride and dumped it because it hasn't been read any further," Finnegan said.
Mia has cerebral palsy and her wheel chair is crucial.
"Mia cannot stand or walk independently, that's how she gets from point A to point B," her mom Liz Finnegan said. "She uses it in school. She uses it outside for fun. For any activity whatsoever she needs this."
While an anonymous donor has already come forward to get her a new one, it will be months before it arrives.
"I don't really like that you took my chair, you know I really like the chair and I really like the mobility in the chair," Mia said.
The van and wheelchair were recovered Monday night after a detective in the Yorktown Police Department spotted the vehicle in an apartment complex parking lot.
Tuesday morning, investigators were working to gather evidence from the van and wheelchair so that they could return the van and the wheelchair to the family.
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