‘Guess I’m not doing anything’: additional thefts by tow truck in Transcona

CTV’s Harrison Shin speaks with more Winnipeggers who have had their vehicles stolen by a tow truck in recent days.

Multiple cases of vehicle thefts related to tow trucks have been reported, after CTV News aired an initial report of a stolen truck.

On Tuesday, Teah Sawa, a resident of Transcona, reached out to CTV News after a story of a similar vehicle theft in her neighbourhood was published Monday.

“I was getting ready to go to an appointment, and when I walked out, I noticed the van was gone,” Sawa explained.

“I checked the back, it wasn’t there, and then I checked the cameras – and sure enough, at about 1:30 a.m., someone had taken it.”

In Sawa’s security footage, a tow truck stole her van within 10 seconds.

“The tow truck pulled past my van with the equipment already down, and then they just backed into the van, lift it up, and took off with it,” Sawa said.

In addition to Sawa’s case, another Transcona resident, Maria Welfing, also had her van stolen on Tuesday morning.

“6:10 a.m. (Tuesday) morning, I woke up – and like I always do, I open up my curtains and my van’s not there. I’m thinking, ‘did I actually leave it somewhere else?’ I look down the street. No,” Welfing told CTV News.

Welfing made a Facebook post about her vehicle, and another neighbour responded.

“It was just a couple streets over from where I live, and it was just right in front of her house.”

Welfing cannot be sure, but she told CTV News that she suspects her van was towed as well, given what is happening in the area.

In an email correspondence, Winnipeg police confirmed that reports have come in about theft by tow truck.

“Winnipeg Police Service’s Property Crimes Unit is aware of reports of vehicle thefts by tow trucks and is actively investigating,” the email read.

In the meantime, Sawa is glad that the community is looking out for each other.

“It can be overwhelming, but I think that everyone is doing a really good job just keeping on top of things and communicating what’s going on.”

Anyone with any information regarding stolen vehicles, including surveillance videos, is asked to call the Winnipeg Police Service at 204-986-6222 or CrimeStoppers at 204-786-8477.