Trailer theft at EA Therapeutic Health on Thanksgiving
[anvplayer video=”5150139″ station=”998128″]
On Thanksgiving, a trailer carrying thousands of dollars worth of supplies for the organizations wheelchair basketball program was stolen out of the EA Therapeutic Health parking lot.
The act was caught on camera by Gilly’s Auto Sales next door.
The trailer is a 2005 Haul Trailer with a license plate number: 5565CBT. The suspected vehicle is a suburban, however the license plates cannot be seen in surveillance video.
The theft has stalled great momentum that this wheelchair basketball league had been gaining.
Alex McKay is in charge of the Wheelchair Basketball Program at EA Therapeutics, and he had a few thoughts. “We’re unable to do any of the scheduled practices we need to; we can’t work on the basketball game at all. We have our program that is supposed to be starting in January that we’ll have three additional chairs with to hopefully expand our program, but that might be slowed because of this process.”
A significant theft occurred at EA Therapeutic Health in Rochester on Thanksgiving.
The league was created a couple years ago, and helps keep people in wheelchairs active.
Between the trailer and all of the contents inside, the value is around $40,000.
Melanie Brennan is the CEO and founder of Exercise Abilities. One of the businesses she owns within is EA Therapeutic Health. She explains why this act is critical. “Wheelchair basketball requires special chairs that many of our participants are unable to purchase.”
What makes things more difficult is that EA Therapeutics is a non-profit. They had to apply for a grant to get the money to start this league.
If they are unable to get the trailer and its contents back, it will take at least a couple months for the league to be started up again, likely longer. Brennan explains why. “Between trying to get insurance money to pay for it and ordering new equipment, it would probably take months to be able to restart our wheelchair basketball program.”
EA Therapeutics appreciates any leads that anyone may have leading to finding the trailer. The truck in the video is an older model of a Chevy Suburban. The trailer did have a lock on it at the time it was stolen. Brennan is pleading for a quick and safe return of the trailer and its contents. “Sport is so important for all of us, no matter what the age, and so we really wanna get them back out on the court.”
Going forward, EA Therapeutics said they are looking to add a tracker to their trailer, that way they can recover the trailer faster if something like this were to happen again.
If you have any information, contact the Rochester Police Department at at 1-800-222-TIPS.
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(ABC 6 News) – A significant theft occurred at EA Therapeutic Health in Rochester on Thanksgiving.
According to Crystal Landherr, Marketing Specialist for EA Therapeutic Health, a trailer with supplies for the organizations wheelchair basketball program was stolen. Landherr said it will take several months for the supplies to be replaced.
The trailer is a 2005 Haul Trailer with a license plate number: 5565CBT. The suspected vehicle is a suburban, however the license plates cannot be seen in surveillance video.
EA Therapeutic Health, formerly ExercisAbilities, is located at 2530 N. Broadway Ave.
Landherr says Rochester Police are investigating and anyone with tips are asked to call RPD at 1-800-222-TIPS.