Milwaukee couple's camper stolen from driveway; caught on video
Milwaukee couple's camper stolen from driveway
A camping trip was ruined before it even happened for a Milwaukee couple getting ready for a getaway.
MILWAUKEE - Editor's note: The camper has since been found. This story is no longer being updated.
A camping trip was ruined before it even happened for a Milwaukee couple getting ready for a getaway.
Their brand-new camper was stolen from their driveway.
What they're saying:
Ellen and Bill Kavanagh had big plans for the summer with their grandchildren and their new camper.
On Thursday morning, July 3, they pulled it out of their garage near 39th and Oklahoma to get ready for a short getaway. They filled it with the things they needed for their trip.
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"I wanted them to experience what camping was all about," Ellen Kavanagh said. "We wanted to be able to go further and definitely do some camping out of state."
They left the house before 10 a.m. and returned less than an hour later to an empty driveway.
"We found the wheel chocks on the ground," Bill Kavanagh said. "The lock snapped off, broken, cut."
Their 17-foot Viking camper was stolen. Almost as upsetting was the loss of the items inside.
"I can’t even explain the moment. It was surreal to me. It was just surreal," Ellen Kavanagh said. "The things that were in there, not just things, but for me, it was a lot of memories because I grew up camping."
Dig deeper:
Surveillance video shows a white Escalade pulling the stolen camper. They said they had never seen the vehicle before.
"It’s a white Escalade, no plates, tinted windows," Bill Kavanagh said.
The Kavanagh's reported it to the Milwaukee Police Department and shared the video on social media.
The camper hasn’t been found. However, loved ones have donated a tent and other items, to make sure their trip is not ruined.
"We got a brand-new Coleman stove someone gave us, lanterns, cutting boards," Bill Kavanagh said.
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While it's not what they planned, they're trying to make the most of it.
"I don’t want this to happen to another family," Ellen Kavanagh said. "I don’t want this to have to ruin somebody else’s summer."
What you can do:
Anyone with information on the camper is asked to contact MPD at 414-935-7360, or to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS or use the P3 Tips app.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.