Authorities seeking tips after new RZR and trailer stolen from family’s property
Published at | Updated at
AMMON — A local family is hoping the thieves who stole their Polaris RZR and trailer will have a change of heart this holiday season.
Lexsie Howard tells EastIdahoNews.com she and her husband Blake Antis had just bought a Polaris RZR and trailer a few months ago for their family. It was new enough that they hadn’t had time yet to insure the vehicle.
The RZR and trailer were parked near their townhome in Ammon on some grass.
“We normally have it in our storage where it’s a little bit more secure but it’s hunting season so we’ve been using it a lot so we had it parked closer for convenience,” she said. “My kids play right there on the grass right where we had it parked. Everyone is all freaked out now and our whole little townhome community feels violated.”
Howard woke up to an unpleasant surprise Tuesday to find the RZR and trailer gone.
“We were inside and obviously sleeping and it was the night that it was super windy,” Howard said.
Surveillance video captured from Howard’s doorbell camera showed part of what happened outside her townhome near Woods Funeral Home in Ammon at 3:45 a.m. on Tuesday. Howard said a white utility truck with toolboxes on the side of it pulled up and it appeared there were two men. One was driving and the other one was walking around.
In the video, it showed the white truck driving off with Howard’s property. Unfortunately, the surveillance footage did not capture a license plate number so Howard has been asking nearby neighbors or anyone to see if they have footage.
“We are so bummed. $15,000 of cash gone. We paid cash for it,” she said.
Howard has posted what had happened all over social media, hoping that someone knows something. She said the situation is unfortunate because they bought the RZR for a reason.
“We can’t buy a home right now in this market. We tried. We put so many offers on homes and haven’t been able to get them because out of staters outbid us and so we made the decision to get a toy instead to cheer us all up since we can’t buy a house. So we bought this (RZR) instead so it just sucks,” she said.
She has reported it to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and they are investigating.
A spokesman with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office told EastIdahoNews.com that they welcome tips through dispatch at (208) 529-1200 and Crime Stoppers.
As for Howard, she said next time, she will make sure everything is secure and hopes that others will do the same to prevent something like this from happening.
“Everyone says it but you never think that it’s going to happen to you and then it does and then you just kick yourself and think, could have, would have, should have,” she said. “I would seriously tell everyone, it doesn’t cost that much money to get a doorbell camera and it could help people out so much.”
Howard said her family is offering a $500 cash reward. She has a message for the thieves who took her property.
“At this point, put it back where you found it. We just want it back. Like our kids haven’t even had a chance to ride in it and of course, this is around the holidays,” Howard said.