British Columbia

Chilliwack mother pleads for thieves to return her daughters' toys

Gwen D’Angelo and her husband discovered that thieves had broken into their garage and stolen two electric quad bikes, helmets and tools.

'We just want to see smiles on our girls' faces again'

Gwen D'Angelo's two daughters, aged three and five, on their electric quad bikes. (Gwen D'Angelo)

A Chilliwack mother is pleading for thieves to return her daughters' beloved electric quad bikes.

Gwen D'Angelo and her husband, who are in the process of moving, discovered that thieves had broken into the garage of their old family home on Monday. D'Angelo said they had used bolt cutters to cut the garage lock and left the lock on the ground.

The two child-sized bikes belonging to their daughters, aged three and five, were missing, along with the girls' helmets. 

Her husband's welding equipment and drills, which he requires for his job, were also taken. 

"We've got two pretty devastated little girls," D'Angelo said. 

D'Angelo said they had been saving for a long time to buy the little bikes for their daughters. The children's birthdays came shortly after D'Angelo's grandmother passed away. They took a bit of money that the grandma had been saving and had other family members pitch in for the gift. 

"It was kind of like the last gift from my nana to the girls. It's more than just the quad itself, it's what it represented, the sentimental value behind it," said D'Angelo. 

D'Angelo said her girls loved the small bikes and used them all the time. 

"They brought my kids so much joy." 

When D'Angelo took her daughters to see Santa, they both said they wanted their quads back when asked what they wanted for Christmas. 

D'Angelo said her insurance will not cover the stolen items because they were already moved out to a new residence. 

D'Angelo is asking whoever took her daughters' quads to please bring them back. 

"They can drop them off at our door and we would never need to know who they were … we just want to see smiles on our girls' faces again."