Thief Steals Van From Family With Disabled Mother

ST. CROIX FALLS, Wisc. (WCCO) - Inside St. Croix Outdoors off Highway 8, you'll find what you need to catch fish or land a big buck.

But right now, shop owner Todd Angel is on a different kind of hunt. He's trying to find out who stole his wife's van from outside the store.

"You can see the tire tracks right here," he said pointing to the snowy spot where the van was once parked.

Luckily the crime was caught on camera. In the surveillance video, you can see a car pull into the parking lot near the van, then leave about a minute later. Another few minutes go by, then the van pulls away.

"Somebody thought they needed it more than I did or [my wife] did," he said. But it's the Angels who truly needed it.

About two years ago, Angel's wife Terri took a bad fall. He said she tore her hamstring, her meniscus, and hurt her heel. A week later he said she got a blood clot in her leg. She hasn't been able to walk since.

"It's just been a spiraling downhill battle," he said.

The van helped her get around. Recently they put it up for sale with hopes of putting the money towards a better van. He thinks that's what caught the attention of the thieves. Although he's angry, he's trying to also be forgiving. That's why he's hoping the suspects simply give him a call at his store.

"I will give them an opportunity to just give me an address and I'll go get it. No questions asked, no harm no foul," he said. "I want to get my wife's van back. That's what I want to give her for Christmas."

The van is a blue 2002 Dodge Caravan. The front driver side fender was recently replaced and is a darker shade of blue. The license plate is 560UKU. The VIN is 2B4GP54L32R645730. Anyone who thinks they might have seen the van can call the Polk County Sheriff at 715-485-8300.