Retired couple's car 'cleaned out'

A retired couple in Coram lost their walkers and canes last week after someone stole their car and left it in a ditch up Desert Mountain Road.

Eve Legault said she and her husband James Mullen were in their home on Aug. 25 around 9:30 p.m. when their unlocked 1995 Ford Taurus was taken out of their carport, 20 feet from their front door. Legault said they never heard the vehicle leave, but a neighbor later reported hearing some people rifling through a tool shed about that time.

“She didn’t have a phone and was afraid to go outside,” Legault said.

Legault and Mullen are both retired. Legault said she had a stroke in 2006 and relies on a walker to get around. Her husband was working as a paramedic in Los Angeles when he was seriously injured in a head-on collision in 1978.

“He spent 11 months in the hospital, and they said he’d never walk again,” Legault said.

Forest Service personnel located the couple’s car the next day. It was damaged and had to be towed out. The couple are using an older pickup to get around, a vehicle Legault said they kept for “emergency use only.”

The Ford had been cleaned out, Legault said. Missing were two walkers — the nice one had wheels and a basket — and two of her husband’s canes. The couple had another walker and some canes in their house, but not as good as the ones kept in the car. Also missing from the car were fishing poles, a beige fishing vest, tools, a CB antenna, a fire extinguisher, a large flashlight, towing straps and some clothing.

Legault suspects the thieves were a couple teenagers on a joy ride. She was hoping the thieves will be found and the items returned, but the sheriff’s deputies told her they doubted any items would be recovered. She said she wanted to get the word out in case some of the items were thrown from the car or if anyone spots the items around the community.