Family of cancer victim pleads for return of family photographs stolen in Vernon

A family victimized by a vehicle theft at the beginning of August is making an emotional plea for the return of stolen computers and hard drives which contained photos of their deceased son.

The theft occurred in the 3900 block of 14th St, Vernon, BC. The vehicle broken into was a black 2010 GMC Sierra pick-up truck with Alberta plate YKV 627.

Taken from the vehicle was a grey laptop bag containing a silver 17" HP touchscreen laptop, a black 13" Toshiba laptop and two external hard drives.

The family victimized are not fretting about the monetary loss, however are heartbroken do to the fact that the items stored pictures of Dwayne Peterson’s deceased 26 yr old son, Patrick Peterson.

Patrick Paterson died of cancer on August 29th, 2015. Dwayne Peterson is hopeful in getting the stolen goods back, as they are all that he has left to remember his son Patrick’s last months’ alive, in picture form.

Sadly the pictures of his last months, up to the last days of his life spent in the hospital undergoing chemotherapy, dialysis and surgeries are on the stolen hard drives and laptops. All this has opened up wounds that will never really heal and left us feeling the pain all over again. I am simply making a plea to all, to anyone who may know or hear anything or know about the computers and hard drives. I beg that they please return what little a father has left other than a broken heart, added Mr. Peterson.

It is one of those cases where the return of these items are all we hope to achieve with a no questions asked attitude should someone want to come forward and return these items to police, stated Cpl Dan Moskaluk

Anyone wishing to return these items or who may have information about how we can retrieve them are asked to contact the Vernon RCMP at 250-545-7171 or via Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.